The first annual Global Food Fair organized by the Diversity Initiatives Support Committee (DISC) took place on March 10. It seemed to be a success, especially since it was intended to be a two-hour-long event, but most of the food ran out in the first 20 minutes. For only five dollars, one could get four different foods including samosas, falafels, shawarma, tacos, ceviche, dumplings, and tamales.
According to Aaron Thomas ’26, an international student from India and Hong Kong, events such as the Global Food Fair are very important. “I think, especially in a small town like Northfield, Minnesota, watching my roommate’s face as he experiences all of these different foods that he probably hasn’t tried before is just a beautiful experience.”
Thomas’s roommate, Logan Samuelson ’26, said he thought that the Global Food Fair was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy great food with friends from the international community and his fellow domestic students. Samuelson said, “Food is a really good avenue to bring people together so I think the event was really successful that way, and I look forward to going again next year.”
Fernanda Hernandez ‘25, who worked at the Somos food stand, stated that the Global Food Fair is important because you get to show food from different parts of the world, and you also get to bring a little bit of home to other international students. Another member of the Somos executive team mentioned that one of the best things about the event is that each organization was able to choose the food they wanted to have at the fair. This allowed them to bring to campus Latinx foods that are less popular and that come from less represented countries and cultures. For example, for most people, it was the first time they had ever tried Peruvian ceviche. For Peruvian students, it was the first time they had the opportunity to have Peruvian food on campus.
Many people interviewed described the samosas as their favorite food of the fair. A samosa is a fried South Asian pastry that is usually savory and commonly a triangular shape. It is said to be inspired by the Persian “sanbosag” dating back all the way to the 11th century. In the present day, samosas vary by region with countless variations in their filling, shape, and flavor profile. Just like samosas, every dish present last Friday has a history. The Global Food Fair was a great experience for the nine multicultural student organizations that had the opportunity to share that history and, in the words of Fernanda, bring a bit of home to campus.
