A mirror set high on a wall reflects the scene: in the center of the oval room stands an enormous wooden table. It is covered with mismatched plates holding piles of beef kabobs and samosas, as well as enormous pots of full of different curries. Around the table stand groups of people holding plates of food that they use to gesture with as they speak. This was the atmosphere on Friday, April 1st, at this year’s Eat for Equity, an annual charity dinner held by the HER house.
The HER house is a co-op focused on providing affordable housing for female students. Over 20 girls live in the beautiful brownstone at 191 Bay State. They hold several charity events throughout the year. Eat for Equity is held annually. The girls of the house choose a charity to support and then make a dinner that reflects the charity in some way. This year, all the proceeds of the dinner went to Developments in Literacy, an organization that helps provide education in Pakistan.
Rachel Bennet (CAS ’12) chaired the committee that planned this year’s Eat for Equity. “For me, it’s just a really good way to give back to charities. I feel like its kind of our moral obligation to do this,” she said.
The food followed the Pakistani theme and was a resounding success. The beef kabobs were flavorful, the samosas were satisfyingly crunchy, and the sugar and cinnamon cookies were addicting. Ura Nahar (COE ’11) was in charge of food preparation for the event. She drew on her Bengali roots while planning the meal, especially for the chickpea curry.
“I always make chickpeas. Whenever my mom didn’t have time or she couldn’t get me to eat anything else, she would make chickpeas,” she said. The homemade food reflected the homey environment of the house. “This is my home away from home,” said Ura.
Great homecooked food and an even better cause — all in all, an excellent evening.
To learn more about HER house, check out its Facebook page.
