Toi here, and welcome to another episode of Knauthentic.
Topic of the day: Are food restrictions disabilities?
If you’re tuning in from Substack, be sure to check out today’s poll.
1. So, I went to AWP for the first time. Overall, it was a wonderful social and professional experience. I learned so much and met some cool people. I’ve been to small writers conferences and large ComiCons, but this was different. I loved being around so many people who love books and writing, but I was a little out of my element. I’ve been so immersed in the genre world for long, that being in the deep end of the literary world was a little scary. Still, if I’m serious about publishing my memoir, I need to get more comfortable on the literary scene. But all that aside, there was one major downside to attending AWP.
2. One of the things that I initially thought was so impressive about the AWP conference, was how assessable it was. Aside from all the measures put in place to help guest address their physical limitations and needs, they also had measures in place to support mental and emotional needs, such as quiet spaces and adaptive equipment. In additional to all their accessibility measures, the was so much emphasis on the cultural diversity of the programming. There was something for everyone, with programming geared towards various POC cultures, various religious groups, many other marginalized communities.
The question I have about all this accessibility and diverse programming is, what were the planning on feeding all these various peoples if they didn’t want to or could eat hot dogs and pizza? While Nathan’s hot dog are Kosher, you can’t live off just hots. Plus, there was a sizable Muslim community present and no Halal food. I’ve been to small cons where they attempted to offer gluten-free and vegetarian options, but this event was mostly void of that. There was a slight attempt to address vegetarian needs, but they were so underrepresented that they sold out on the first day. I never even saw them, only heard about them. Did you see them? Please let me know. Maybe I just missed them.
3. I consider myself a realist and don’t expect to be accommodated for my extreme food restrictions but to not have nothing to work with is disheartening. Is it too much to expect there to be basic food accommodations for thousands of people, for a three-day conference. In this day and age, it’s odd to me that food isn’t taken into consideration when providing accessibility. How assessable can an event be if your there for hours at a time but can’t eat anything? At least, every time, I had to walk back to my hotel room and prepare myself a meal, I was able to use the Keurig to quickly heat up some hot water so I could have favorite tea. It was a real comfort.
Now, it’s time to talk about how I make a simple cup of Bengal Tea Plus.
Be sure to visit my Knauthentic YouTube channel if you want to see the short.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Add ¼-½ tsp of ground ginger to the mug along with a single pitted date.
3. Add the tea bag and pour over the hot water.
4. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the tea bag and optionally add ½ tsp of a preferred sweetener, I added honey.
Question: Do you think food restrictions are a disability? I’d love to know. I never thought they were until my AWP experience. Now, I feel like I have a whole new area of advocacy to explore.
If you, or someone you know, has a health or food journey story or recipe you think others might benefit from, please check my Be Featured links on social media, and share your story in the way that suits you best.
Until next time, stay safe, eat well, and be blessed.
Credits
Knauthentic Season 1, Episode 19.
Starring Toi Thomas.
Featuring no one else at this time.
Topics discussed: Food Restrictions vs Disabilities, Accessibility, Cultural Diversity, Bengal Tea
Produced by Toi Thomas in association with The ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnivale.
Directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas.
Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack, YouTube, and wherever you can hear this podcast. This is all for you!
