The End of the Capstone Food Fight

First thought was how am I going to get to this early class on time. The class itself was good. I liked how class was an open forum and very flexible. Also, liked how we changed from the elementary school topic( kinda hard to get there between 9 and 3). I knew the food i was eating was terrible but i didnt know how it was terrible, and this class taught me that. Now that its over i wonder...how did i get to that early class on time.

This was my first women's studies class and I really hoped I would like it because that's the major I want to pursue. It far exceeded my expectations. This class really challenged me to rethink what I knew about poverty and hunger and to reexamine my own relationship with food. I learned so much from the readings and from listening to everyone's insights in our class discussions. People shared such different experiences than I've lived through and it taught me a lot. Before I came into this class I didn't realize the extent of poverty and I tended to see things in black and white between the people who wanted to help and those who didn't. This course showed me how much more complicated it is then that and allowed me to start looking more critically at the entire system. I never had the chance before to get out of the classroom and do hands on work and that really helped me understand things in a way I hadn't before. Visiting the public school for class and then again for lunch in the cafeteria, and our work in Holy Apostle's and St. Paul's House gave me a better sense of what people are dealing with every day. But this class went beyond what I've ever been taught before because it didn't just show me how fortunate I am, it inspired me to work towards change and believe things could be different. I gained so much from this experience. I will really miss this class but I know I'll take what I learned with me as I go forward. Thank you Professor Bernard for a wonderful semester!

I wish more professors would be like Dr. Bernard and would actually 'teach' us valuable lessons for life and simply be more passionate about what they are teaching. Most professors don't care about that they have a group of young, intelligent people in front of themselves & that they could have a positive impact on them, but unfortunately most classes are not that memorable.   When we first started out the semester and talked about gender differences in children's literature, I was definitely intrigued but as soon as we started to get involved into the BCP, I actually felt like we were making a difference and giving back. I always wanted to get involved and help others, but I never really knew where to start. Dr. Bernard opened my eyes when it comes to daily eating habits and poverty in NYC. I will never go through a grocery store the way I used to and I'll probably will be talking about this class for a very long time since it has been my all time favorite. For once I feel I didn't just got some credits, but I actually learned something I will never forget. We all usually take classes because of our requirements, but what Dr. Bernard is teaching can't be summed up in credits or tuition. Living in NYC without any relatives & far away from home taught me to appreciate friends an family even more than I did before and somehow our class made me feel like home and like we were a family. I will truly miss everybody and I really hope that we can all stay in touch. BCP will remain a part of my life going forward and I'm proud that I can consider myself a student of Dr. Benards'. In my opinion everything happens for a reason and we were all put into this class for a purpose.  Thank you Professor Bernard!

I must admit that at first I thought a three hour class would be incredibly boring, but after the first few classes I realized that would not be the case at all. We discussed some real topics. All of the readings we did pertained to real life and not some useless propaganda about derivatives or some other crap. Not only did we learn, but we "did". We helped serve people in need and raised nearly two hundred dollars that will go toward helping people. This is the only class I have ever taken that I actually felt had a real meaning. My favorite aspect of this class was the fact that it was like an open forum. Everyone had the opportunity to voice their opinions without fear of judgement from the professor or other students. I was able to meet some great people throughout the semester, including Dr. Bernard, who are all people who I hope to see again. Thanks for a great class everyone, have a fantastic summer. By the way Professor, I read this http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol2no10/2.10_The_Critical_Pedagogy_of_Black_Studies.pdf not long after our first class, which is how I knew that it would be a meaningful course. Your really a great writer.

Dear Professor, When I came into the class I thought wow a 3 hour class? But honestly this has been My Best class. I loved how Professor made us feel very comfortable in the classroom setting and giving everyone a chance to talk. I believe if we did not have a time limit for the class we all would be there the whole afternoon because of how good our discussions were! When Professor assgined to us the Holy Apostle Assignment, I thought it was a great experience but yet a real eye opener. We can always read something and state an opinion about poverty, but until you are actually at a soup kitchen or food pantry you don't know what it is like to say you are privledged. The readings were interesting to read because I was able to go back to my mother and tell her all the information I have learned in your class. Professor when you said in class one day, in New York you can always get a free meal I was shocked because if a person can get a free meal then why are so many people starving in New York or eating unhealthy food such as roman noodles? I really enjoyed all of the outside work we did as a class, including St. Paul's. It was an enjoyable experience to say how we were apart of these people not physically but spiritually. Professor, you have opened so many doors and shared your knowledge of what you know in regards of life, food justice,soup kitchens, food pantrys, how food is being handled, why the government is not doing anything about, and how we can make a difference. Thank you Professor for everything!! I will always stay in touch!!

I truly didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for this class. I saw a 4900 class and thought it would be a long boring class that would waist my time and just consist of dates, names and meaningless information. I would have never expected to dive into a world where I would rethink my daily life to such an extensive degree. From bias in the education of children to food injustice taking place in our country, I feel as if we touched on it all. The hands on work we did with Holy Apostle gave me a whole new outlook on my past as well as my future. I realized that a lot needs to be done, but part of the battle is knowing that it can be done. This is the first class that I took where most of the readings were actually interesting to read. Our class discussions were some of the best I ever had. These discussions flowed so well that it took my out of a boring academic setting and placed me in a stimulating one. Not only where we able to learn from Professor Bernard, but we were able to learn from each other. A lot of my classmates brought ideas and concepts to the table that I had never considered. The passion my classmates had for their particular subjects surprised me. They were enthusiastic to gain knowledge as much as they were to share it with the class. I had a great time and experienced things I would have never experienced anywhere else, and I can honestly say that. I have changed my outlook of food, and from a person that loves to eat I can tell you it’s a hard thing to do. I would like to thank Professor Bernard and my fellow classmates for a wonderful semester and a wonderful experience. Good luck to all your future endeavors. Hunter Weaver-Daniel

There was definitely something special about this class. All of the students, if not most, made significant contributions to the class with thoughtful comments and creative ideas. We listened and talked to each other, sometimes making jokes, as if we knew each other for years. However, all of this would not have been possible without the blessings of our professor who gave us the space and opportunity to be ourselves. As far as course content goes, I think that it is safe to say that everything I learned in class could have been immediately applied to experiences in my life. I work with children and when we began to study gender roles in children’s books, I began to take a closer look at the books that the children were reading, and also made some suggestions to parents to look for books that weren’t very stereotypical. The highlights of the course, however, came once we made the switch to Food Insecurity. This was a topic that everyone could connect with, and what made it even more interesting was the passion that came from the professor as we discussed it. The readings, along with discussions, gave some insight on what it means to experience food insecurity. The trip to the soup kitchen suddenly gave faces to the people we were reading about. The “Hunger in America” video showed us that hunger does not discriminate against children, and “Food, Inc” revealed some of the dirty secrets that major food companies do not want their consumers to know. In my opinion, I feel as though it is impossible to have walked out of this class the same way that you came in, because once you learn all of the given information, it is hard to see the world in the same light as you did before. And as you walk to your next destination, there is a little voice on the inside telling you, "Something has to change."

Dear class, Should I start by saying that this class exceeded my expectations by far. During this semester with all of you, I did not feel like I was in class but part of a team instead. Coming to class had become like going to basketball practice, and that means a lot!!! The learning environment that Professor Bernard had created through her teaching style (round circle, open debates, interesting readings) is definitely one of the best I have been exposed to so far at Baruch and even before. I truly believe other professors should take this "Bernard" model and apply to their classes, as it optimizes the learning opportunity for each student. There was not one day that I could sit in class and zone out, or just be a passive, receptive student even if I wanted to; I had to be somewhat engaged and therefore learning. So thank you Professor Bernard for giving us our dollars' worth if not more. But most importantly, what made this class so successful and memorable for all of us is its content. With both themes of "Race and Gender in Children Literature" at first, and "Food (In)Justice in NY" later on, Professor Bernard constantly challenged us to think outside the box, and go beyond what we had already done before: leaving the socially constructed assumptions to figure out ourselves what the reality is out there. Going out on the field, interviewing people, interacting with people outside the class, were all activities that gave so much more sense to what we were reading or talking about, and that is the number one thing that makes me appreciate this class most. I certainly remember times when my views on specific issues completely changed after reading really life experience of people and actually seeing some of it (Questions like: Why can't the guy begging on the street go get a job, as he looks more fit than me?). The two Highlights of the class for me, and I believe for some of my other classmates. were volunteering at Holy Apostles and watching Food Inc., both very strong experiences that made me reconsider a lot of things. Holy Apostles showed me that reading Hunger and seeing Hunger are two VERY different things. I was able serve, watch, and even feel the struggles of these "hungry" (yes they were) people. I was not judging them anymore, I was judging myself, my classmates, the system. "What is really being done for them? Why am I not doing more?" And the best aspect of it is that that feeling was unanimous, as a class we were feeling responsible and were willing all together to do some more to make a difference. Professor Bernard's army was born!!! Food Inc. clearly laid out to us that simply "eating" was completely different than "eating well and healthy" in this society we are living today. We therefore need to act, for our own sake and the one of our future generations. Finally, it is very hard if not impossible not to go through the metamorphosis this class exposes you to, when you have a guide like Professor Bernard whose genuine care and interest can been seen through the passion that she has while teaching us about these topics. She seems to pick the best readings every time, share the best documentary, start the best discussion, because this is something she actually knows really well, spend a lot of time on and is truly dedicated to. She does not just tell about things or asks us to do them, she does it and in doing so she motivates and inspires us. THANK YOU very much professor Bernard for all the knowledge and eye opening experiences you gave us. Going out of this class I feel like I have matured some more and I am sure some, if not all, of my classmates share this. Once again thank you for what you did for us, but also for what you do for this society through BCP. To all my fellow classmates, it was a real pleasure to be in this journey with you all, thank you very much for each of your parts of the experience and I hope that we will keep in touch and keep on working on what we have started here.

Dear Professor Bernard & Capstone Class, Coming into this class I was expecting a headache that lasted 3 hrs! Why? Because that's exactly what I went through in a previous 2+ hr. BLS/HSP course that I took with a professor that let's just say wasn't all pleasant (you know who I'm referring to Professor Bernard, and I'm not talking about Profesora Gil) Because of "Professor you know who" I disliked long hour classes! She almost made me want to change my minor, and to top it off I heard how Professor Bernard was worst than "Professor you know who". It was such in a stressful position with her! But I ended up saying to myself bite the bullet that its only for 2+ hrs and a couple of weeks!! And so I signed up for your class. The first day of class, I remember I came in late because of the train and as I entered the room I didn't think that my professor standing by the table was Professor Bernard. I thought you were some fellow student. And to my surprise it was the famous Professor Bernard. I remembered we shared a couple of words as we were leaving the classroom. You took the time to explain the course to me which at the time wasn't something you had to do. Most professor's here at Baruch would have dismissed me and went about their business. You didn't. That very moment I appreciated you because I noticed you actually cared about your students. Those couple of minutes spoke a lot about you and that's something I will never forget. The second class session really opened my eyes. For the first time I felt like I was treated as a College student. You always made us feel comfortable and showed how passionate you were about everything you taught us. Time flew every session. That's how amazing the class was. 2+ hours never felt so short in my life. That just goes to show how when your learning and your enjoying the educational atmosphere time goes out the window. The first eye opener that this course had me live I would say was when I had to observe my brother's high school classes. There I learned how in a high school setting, in certain subjects like reading materials in History and English; race, class and gender play a large role in teaching the faces of the future what society was like and how it is now. The way these high school educators go about it you can tell that they have to teach a certain way because the school system wants it in a particular order. I learned a lot just by observing that Charter school that day. Overall, every class session had its life changing moments. From the first research paper that required me to actually physically observe my brother's high school classes, to the readings like 'Gender Stereotypes in Children's Books', to serving the hungry and homeless at Holy Apostle's, to preparing a meal for the less fortunate at St. Paul's, to finally putting the team group presentation together. In every one of these class sessions I've learned the importance in the meaning behind it. You sure knew how to challenge us to really understand what reality is and why the word "change" makes a difference. Since day 1 you were always professional, respectable, full of energy and ready to teach. I want to thank you for that as well as for being the type of educator that doesn't change who they are when they walk in the building because they have a title and feel "big" with it. You can relate to your students which is something most professor's don't show. I guess that's why your as passionate about what you teach because you understand what the word struggle means. I can say I've invested my money well with this class because you've taught me to understand life on a larger scale. I didn't think I'd enjoy a class as much as I did in this Capstone! I've taken in nothing but reality-checks and I want to thank you for paying us well. To my fellow classmates, I hope you too experienced an amazing semester like I did and take these life lessons Professor Bernard had in stored for us for future reference. We can all agree that this course helped us grow and helped us appreciate the life we live and in addition to that, how we CAN help make a change. Take care everyone!! Its been real.

Dear Capstone To be in this class was an amazing journey for me. I truly did learn a lot especially the ugly truth about poverty and the businesses of people. When I enrolled in this class, I had in my mind topics of culture, gender and race but as we changed the topic on food justice, I saw the truth about poverty in USA and in many other nations. It was challenging for me to see people in pain. Being in Holy Apostle really changed my view. I observed many people were there to get help especially with food. It was appalling to see that people who work would eat there. I used to think that if a person has a job, the person can have a healthy meal but not all people can. Many people don't make enough to eat a healthy meal when the person has to use the money to pay bills and rent. I thought people who are in poverty are getting real help but as I read the readings and we had discussion in the classroom, I saw they weren't getting real help at all. It was great having you again as my professor and seeing you be enthusiastic and challenging about food justice.You had changed my perceptions about poverty that even a little help by people can go long way. I have gained a lot of knowledge from you which will help me in the years to come and in every path of my life.Thank you so much Professor Bernard!

This class was so amazing! I loved it and it really opened my mind to a lot of things and the way how you taught it was great! You really exposed me to many real life situations and it made me look at many things differently. When we all went to holy apostle's i felt as if i did a great deed to try and help out others and you really made me appreciate the little things in life! The professor really made us understand to not take things for granted in life because there are many people in the world that don't have the opportunites that we have. This class is by far one of the best classes i've taken at baruch and the most interesting! Thank you professor for such a great class!

Dear Capstone, When I first entered this class, I expected to breeze through the semester, as I had most of my cultural studies. I expected to sit in a room for 3 hours and zone out, do some readings, write a couple of papers and be done in May. What I got was an intense 3 month experience, where I was expected to contribute vocally, physically, and at times financially. This class was most definitely a challenge. One that I didn’t welcome openly at first, one whose mission I didn’t believe in at first. I believe my opinion of the class, the material we were studying and the mission of food justice, all changed the day we went to Holy Apostle’s. It’s one thing to read about poverty, discuss it in class, or even write a paper on it. But to be amongst them, to be in their midst, to observe their condition—it was the game changer. I got to see with my own eyes and to feel with my heart. This class continued to challenge me, something that I fought against, but in the end it won. We were held accountable, we were given tasks, which created a sense of duty and responsibility. Not just to the class, but to those who need our help. The class discussions we had made those 2+ hours fly by. I didn’t dread coming to class, I kind of looked forward to it. There was a sense of community that I haven’t felt in many other classes. We weren’t just these people who strolled in Tuesday morning’s, sat there emotionless and left. We were challenged to think critically, fight against the system, question it and come up with solutions on how to better help out the impoverished and forgotten. In one semester, in this one class, I had my eyes opened to things time and time again. More than any of the other classes I’ve had at Baruch combined. I want to thank Professor Bernard, for her honesty and passion, without it, this class would not have been as impactful. To my fellow classmates, I hope your experience was similar to mine, because it means you got more than your money’s worth for your education. No matter where we go from here, we will carry with us the lessons and experiences of this semester.

This class was amazing. I can honestly say that I learned the most from this class than any other class my entire college career. To begin with poverty, I never knew the degree in which poverty exists even in modern times as today. There has always been a shadow casting over this situation and prof Bernard, you helped unraveled the ugly truth behind our government, and the lack of justice served for homeless individuals. I now think twice about not only the food I eat but also how much I waste every time I don't finish my plate of food. Though it is not definitive that the problem of poverty can ever be eliminated, I do now see the importance and difference it makes volunteering and helping out those in need. My experience volunteering at the NYC Food Bank food pantry was a life changing, eye awaking experience. Real people having real issues feeding themselves and providing for their family. It is humiliating to ask for help because many volunteers do not treat these individuals as equals. They talk down on some people, offer them crappy foods and get mad when they say no thank you. I realized that this system isn’t just and needs a lot of repairing done. Overall, I had a wonderful class experience that fostered learning about my community and of course myself. In other words, I changed and I helped changed the mentality of those around me. I learned about children’s books in the beginning and how many of these undermine female gender without people realizing it. This class helped me to teach my niece that there shouldn’t be boy- girl- labels on books, games, toys or tv shows ; she should watch or play with anything she wants. It helped me to show my mother how to better choose her meat selections from a butcher rather than the package selection from the supermarket. It helped me to be a better person towards other people regardless of class, race or gender.

Dear class, Coming into the class I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I was eagar to learn something other than business and capatislim. Baruch college is a school where we are taught about business and we forget sometimes that there are bigger things out there. Everything is not just about money. We live in a world where there are millions of people starving. This class has truly reminded me that we as a society have become very materalistic, and we lose touch with eachother. I believe Professor Bernard truly tried to help us understand that every little bit of help counts. I strongly believe that we as a class made a difference in the world, well at least a little bit. I am very proud to say I was part of such an amazing class and I hope everyone will stay in touch this summer and fight against food injustice. Thank you Professor Bernard. You are a different kind of professor. Your not here for just the pay stubs you truly believe that we college students can make a difference. You made us believe that we can make a difference. Have a wonderful summer everyone. It has been a great journey.