Wednesday, 10:38am. I woke up heavily congested and in a panic as I thrust myself out of bed to check the time on my phone. As I realized I had missed my shift at the WSCAH food truck in Harlem, a further panic ensued. I began to write Caycee an email apologizing, but ended up calling her instead. The minute she picked up the phone my voice cracked, barely able to get out my name, I began apologizing for my mistake. On the other end, Caycee quickly responded “it okay, don’t worry about it. I completely understand! Just make sure you sign up for another shift, so you can fulfill your class requirement.” After I hung up the phone, thanks to Caycee response, I was able to take a deep breath and forgive myself.
Everyone wants to feel heard and seen. I believe it is inherent in human nature to seek connection and reciprocation from the people that surround you in this world. The West Side Campaign Against Hunger achieves this by emphasizing dignity in all aspects of their mission. Dignity is synonymous with respect, it describes a feeling of worthiness. As I found out, at WSCAH, no one is denied of this feeling- even the volunteers. Regardless of status, everyone is heard, seen, and provided for. We live in a society often cloaked in entitlement, competition, and miscommunication. In New York, with homeless people sleeping outside of Fortune-500 companies, these issues thrive. In the race for wealth, humanity has become objectified.
Friday, 2:47pm. “Control oil and you control nations. Control food and you control people.” In her presentation on the Black Panther movement in Harlem, Dr. Susanne Cope quoted former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. I believe the Black Panther movement and WSCAH works to combat this reality. A reality in which marginalized populations are further stripped of their dignity in their desperation for nutrition.
