Oxfam America and Social Justice League collaborated to host a hunger banquet Wednesday night in an effort to spread awareness of the 85 percent of people in the world who go hungry every day.
Some students who attended the hunger banquet said they were not quite sure what to expect from the event. As they waited in line to receive cards that determined their socioeconomic classes, they began seeing a glimpse of reality.
"A lot of college students aren't aware of the issues overseas, and I think that it's up to us to find out what the real problem is," participant Tyler Fox said.
A few students looked like they were disappointed to be separated from their friends before they could even walk through the door. Once they were assigned to high, middle and low income classes, they were treated accordingly.
While those in the high and middle income groups sat at tables, the low-income group was placed on the floor. The murmuring of the crowd turned to silence as soon as the food distribution announced.
Members of Oxfam told the audience a little bit about the differences between the high-income, middle-income and low-income groups; however, they let the experience do the rest of the talking.
The amount of food students were served was determined by the socioeconomic classes they were divided into.
The high-income group was more than happy that they would be enjoying a full-course meal. The middle-income group seemed satisfied with the rice and beans they were served. The look of disappointment covered the faces of those in the low-income group when they were served rice and water.
Shelby Nichter was placed in the high-income group.
"I feel kind of bad because we didn't choose this, and my friend is sitting on the floor," she said while eating the first course of her full course meal.
As the high-income group was served its meal, the low-income group waited in line for its rice and water.
Fox was in the middle-income group.
"I just think that this should be a lesson for everybody to appreciate what we have, and that we should not be wasteful," he said.
From this event, Oxfam members said they hoped to get across the message that everyone on earth has the same basic need. It's only our circumstances that differ.
Vice president of Oxfam, Katie Harms, said she found humor in the event being called a hunger banquet and called it an oxymoron. She said she hoped that those participating would have a better understanding of how the food distribution is worldwide.
Harms said she believes awareness is the very important. She said the goal of Oxfam is to inform others so they know more about the issue of hunger.
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