My Food for Thought project is an extension of my Culturally Responsive Teaching dilemma where I ruminated on my hesitation to engage in discussions about racist comments that have been directed at me, or stereotypical generalizations I have heard made by people around me. In my first dilemma, food provided an opening to have a meaningful conversation with a colleague about the harm they caused in their racially charged comments. As I started to ponder ideas for the Centering Race and Unlearning Racism dilemma, I realized that food can help us identify misconceptions and myths maintained by socially constructed narratives involving certain foods, and develop opportunity to have meaningful conversations where we can consider: How can conversations about food help deconstruct institutional racism and bring awareness to socially constructed stereotypes, myths, misconceptions, and stigma that feed bias?
My lunchbox is meant to ignite conversation about stereotypes, racism, and misconceptions associated with different foods. At first glance, on the outside of my lunchbox, one will notice the commentary I received from colleagues in the MAT program and teachers in the hallways of the high school where I student taught history as they commented on the vessel I used to transport my lunch every day. These comments represent barriers to having constructive conversation; the things people say out of awkwardness, nervousness, or in an attempt to conceal a bias. The only question asked by a student was: “Did you bring enough to share?”
Each item of food inside my lunchbox, fired chicken, watermelon, fry bread, and pupusas, represents an experience during my time in the MAT program. They all carry either a stereotype, myth or misconception that has been constructed by American society with an aim to racialize and oppress people of color.
My goal is to use these foods, and primary, and secondary sources about them to open conversations about how these stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions have been formed; investigate how they continue to influence implicit and sometimes explicit biases; and discuss how we can reframe cultural associations to these foods.
These socially constructed biases are fundamental in preserving individual, interpersonal, and structural racism that continues to oppress racialized groups and individuals. Furthermore, these misconceptions create a stigma that erases the important role many of these foods play in a rich history. We need to interrogate America’s past and consider if the narratives surrounding these foods should be prejudice or pride, hate or honor, and ignorance or independence. I can use the food cards I created to start conversations with students and colleagues about racist stereotypes and we can collectively reclaim the pride, independence, freedom, and cultural relevance these foods have in the lives of those being attacked. So please, share some food with me and maybe we can learn something from each other as we discuss race and the role food plays in our understanding of this socially constructed concept.
Corey Richardson (MAT 2023) recently completed his student teaching at Lincoln High School, in Tacoma, Washington, where he taught 10th grade World History.
University of Puget Sound School of Education 
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