Food, Culture, and Justice

This area focuses on the connections between food, identity, and equity. Students and community partners investigate how access, culture, and policy influence what and how we eat. From local recipe collections to community-based research, these works imagine more just, sustainable, and connected food systems.

A plate of pizza, a bowl of soup, a carton of noodles, a hand holding a piece of bread, and some dumplings on a plate.

HON 3495 — Community Immersion and Entrepreneurship Course

This honors course connects UMD students with the Twin Ports community to address complex social issues like poverty and food insecurity. Through Food Forward, a multi-year initiative in Duluth’s Central Hillside, students collaborate with the First Ladies of Hillside to strengthen community food systems.

The course blends theory and practice — one class each week focuses on discussion and reflection, while the other takes place in the community for hands-on engagement. Students confront real-world challenges, reflect on bias and empathy, and learn how meaningful change grows from listening, teamwork, and sustained civic involvement.

FR 3305 — French Cuisine: Exploring French Culture Through Food

This immersive language and culture course invites students to explore French identity through the art of cuisine. Taught entirely in French, it examines how history, regional traditions, and social customs are expressed in the preparation, presentation, and sharing of food.

Students move beyond recipes to analyze how the French table reflects values of community, ritual, and creativity — from family kitchens to world-renowned restaurants. Through readings, discussions, and culinary observations, students gain cultural fluency while strengthening their language skills. The course highlights food as both a cultural artifact and a living expression of French life, connecting taste, tradition, and communication.

Course Project — Family Recipes and Traditions
As part of the course, students shared meaningful recipes and food traditions from their own families and cultural backgrounds. The project encouraged reflection on how food connects to identity, memory, and community. Students presented the stories behind their chosen dishes, exploring how traditions are passed down and how meals bring people together across generations. This project transformed the study of French cuisine into a broader cultural exchange — celebrating the diversity of food traditions that shape who we are.

View Student Recipes

More Artifacts to come!

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