Breaking Bread, Building Bridges At Bexley High School, equity is not only discussed. It is experienced. Through the Healthy Cuisine program, students are exploring the connections between food, culture and community in a project titled Breaking Bread. The initiative connects students with members of Central Ohio’s immigrant community, allowing them to hear firsthand how personal journeys, cultural traditions and faith shape the way people gather and eat. Healthy Cuisine teacher Marybeth Motasem invited local immigrant restaurant owners to share their stories. One owner described moving from Dubai to Columbus and opening his restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained the importance of Halal food in Islam and how religious beliefs guide food preparation. Students also learned about Ramadan and how fasting from sunrise to sunset shifts throughout the year. In class, students examined concepts such as food sovereignty, food deserts and food apartheid, studying how access to fresh food varies across neighborhoods and affects health outcomes. The project’s next phase moves from learning to service. Students are preparing a “Welcome to America” experience for 19 immigrant families from Haiti, Tanzania and Afghanistan. They will design meals tailored to each family’s culture and dietary needs and create a cooking video and translated recipe to deliver alongside the ingredients. “Food connects people in ways we don’t always think about,” said Hazel Lee a BHS 9th grader. “Hearing someone’s story and then cooking something that reflects their culture makes it feel real. It makes you think differently about what belonging means.” Through this work, students are learning that sharing a meal can also mean sharing understanding, and building a more inclusive community in the process.
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