Hunger Banquet reflects realities of poverty

Students at the Harnwell College House event were divided into classes to show how many are ill fed. As students filed into the rooftop lounge of Harnwell College House yesterday evening for the "Hunger Banquet/Policy Forum," each guest pulled a piece of colored paper from a bag that would determine their "social class" for the evening. The event was part of Poverty Awareness Week, sponsored by Civic House to raise awareness for the 37 million Americans living below the poverty line. The banquet guests were divided among three locations and representative class distinctions: the table, which represented the 15 percent of the world's population whose annual income is $9,400 or more; the couches, which represented the roughly 30 percent whose annual income is between $755 and $9,400; and the floor, which represented the poorest 55 percent. Those assigned to the floor were given half a cup of water and a small plate of rice and beans, but no serving utensils. Those seated on the couches received a more substantive and nutritious meal, including vegetables and a bottle of water. The guests lucky enough to be seated at the table were offered a balanced meal and a choice of beverage. That structure was intended to illustrate the unequal food distribution in the world. History Professor David Ludden, one of the event's speakers, observed that the meal somewhat resembled a party and required "a little active imagination to try to crank up its symbolic significance." Ludden discussed the social and cultural differences and the forced separation of the classes, both in the context of the event and in the larger global context. He used Philadelphia as an example of a city in which the poor and the rich live side by side and are therefore forced to confront the reality of this separation. "There are various ways of rendering the dynamics of the real world more visible," Ludden said. "And one of those is to study them." Ludden teaches a course in which students analyze the dynamics of hunger and poverty. Social Work Professor Roberta Iverson began her presentation by asking members of the table, couch and floor "classes" to describe how they felt in their respective situations. Students' responses included guilt, discomfort, frustration and anger. Iverson pointed out that despite these strong emotions, no one actually did anything to change the situation. Iverson suggested that lack of action is an unfortunate reality that is characteristic of society. However, she also urged the members of each group to consider what actions they could have taken to alter their respective circumstances. "There's no doubt that every one of you, particularly in conjunction -- as a partner -- with others of you, can make a difference," Iverson said. "And it's up to you to do it." Ayala Abramovici, a graduate intern at Civic House, urged students to attend other events held both this week and throughout the year by organizations such as the Penn Society for International Development in support of the cause. Poverty Awareness Week also includes a panel discussion on the realities of homelessness today at 5 p.m. in Civic House called "Making It Real" and hands-on action projects in different areas of the community on Saturday.

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