Power of the Pickle: Building a Community
Before residing in Anacostia, I lived in a high-rise apartment building in Virginia. Oftentimes, I did not see my neighbors with the exception of a brief trip in the elevator. Occasionally, I heard their keys rattle in the hallway on a quiet evening. However, when I embarked on the journey to find a home in the District, I knew I wanted to be a part of an authentic community. I wanted to know the names of my neighbors and build relationships with them. And, of course, engage in some fun stuff!
On Saturday, June 29, 2013, there was a grand opportunity to reach all my community-oriented goals at the Anacostia Arts Center, sponsored by LUMEN8Anacostia! Fellow neighbors participated in a demonstration to transform cucumbers with zesty spices to delicious pickles!
We also shared “food stories” with Carmen C. Wong in an art project called Tactile Anacostia. She asked participants about their favorite foods and ceremonies surrounding food. Who knew you could laugh, chat and have fun surrounding a pickle? I had an awesome time that lead to discussions about garden projects in the community, sharing funny adventures about cooking, etc.
By the way, here is a short list of the activities on Saturday:
1. Enjoyed meeting new neighbors.
2. Enjoyed the company of known neighbors/friends
3. Engaged in a fun activity and learned some new information about pickling
4. Shared a “food story” with Artistic Director, Carmen C. Wong from Banished Productions (www.banishedproductions.org)
5. Had the opportunity to take a jar of pickles home 🙂
If you couldn’t attend, you still have a chance on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 @ 4-8 pm or Saturday, July 13, 2013 @ 12-5 pm.
P.S. If you ate all your pickles, please return your empty jars and place it in a box located in the hall of the Anacostia Arts Center. 🙂