A plate of churros, a traditional dish from Latin America. (Photo copyright Andreas Kusumahadi)
“A lot of cultures are centered around food,” said junior news-editorial major and DSCC Events Coordinator Emma Castleberry. “Food represents socialization, prosperity and celebration and those things can teach a lot about culture.”
In appreciation of Latin American Heritage Month, September’s class involved making sopapillas and churros. Those who attended, like 19-year-old freshman open-option major Stephanie Burroughs, learned a little bit about the culture in addition to getting free food.
“The class was very fun,” Burroughs said. “If I had the cooking facilities I would definitely make them again.”
Castleberry said the classes give students a good choice for an evening activity.
“The idea behind these classes is to have a way for students to not only learn about another culture, but also to do something exciting and different with their time,” Castleberry said.
Michael Baker, a senior political science major, instructed the class.
“If there was no food there would be no culture,” Baker said.
The class gave students a perspective on American culture as well.
“I learned that Americans aren’t the only ones who overeat,” joked Alex McManis, a senior physics major.
For Castleberry, there is a deeper meaning to the classes.
“Learning about another culture is the best way to learn about yourself,” Castleberry said. “When you juxtapose yourself against different things it creates a deeper understanding of the world around you and where you come from.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Danni Goodmann at Danielle.goodmann@colorado.edu.
