All it took was one conversation with General Manager of Metz Culinary Management Jeff Davis before spring break, and when I came back, I saw four new gluten-free options at The Grinds: We Proudly Serve Starbucks.
It was that easy. Why didn’t I think to do it earlier?
Before our conversation, there had been zero gluten-free options available at The Grinds. I’d watch people walk away with beautiful-looking sandwiches along with their drinks and wonder why I couldn’t do so too.
I’ve been complaining about the lack of gluten-free options for years now, but I wasn’t complaining to the right people. A couple of weeks ago, I asked an employee at The Grinds about gluten-free meal swipe options, and he directed me to Davis, who has open-door hours every Thursday at 2 p.m. for those with questions or concerns.
I decided to go the Thursday before spring break, and I was the only one there. I was surprised; with all the dining complaints I had been hearing from friends and Yik Yak, I thought there would be at least one other person looking to have their voice heard.
Davis and I spent 30 minutes talking through my concerns. I asked for more consistent labeling and more diversity in the gluten-free options at Baldwin apart from pasta every day for both lunch and dinner, and I’ve seen results there in addition to The Grinds. Earlier last week, Baldwin offered pizza instead, which was one of my suggestions.
I felt empowered to see my words put into action in a way I’ve never seen before. I’m the type of person who usually sits back and lets everything pass by; I’m not used to standing up for myself. In my mind, I had already decided that even if I tried, I’d be ignored.
But I wasn’t ignored. Davis talked to me in a way that wasn’t demeaning or dismissive at all. In fact, we walked around Baldwin together, and Davis showed me how to view the online menu using QR codes and pointed out where I could expect to see the correct gluten-free labels. It was an active conversation where he took notes and asked detailed follow-up questions in order to deliver the results I needed.
I didn’t make these requests just for me; I know more people at Albion who can’t eat gluten than I ever have before, and we all share the same opinion that more needs to be done for us. Being the one to take initiative makes me feel like I can stand taller, and hearing from my friends about how excited they are to have new options makes me feel proud that I stood up for us.
It’s also important to mention that the new options at The Grinds are actually appetizing. Gluten-free foods aren’t cheap by any means, and when Davis was so receptive to my request, I was expecting something tiny that would crumble to pieces before it reached my mouth, like usual.
In baking, gluten is the protein found in wheat that holds the pastry together. Without it, the structure of the pastry is weaker and more likely to crumble apart. Companies have started to improve their recipes so this doesn’t happen as dramatically, but of course, it’s always pricier eating gluten-free.
The first time I walked away from The Grinds after getting a gluten-free wild berry muffin, I was downright giddy. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. I walked over to the KC with my eyes on the muffin the whole time, quite literally holding the fruits of my labor in my hand.
It was at that moment I decided I was done letting myself remain inactive in inconvenient and frustrating situations. Now that I know that my voice is loud enough to be heard, I feel more confident to start seeking the most direct avenues to people who have the power to help me make the changes I want to see at Albion.
I would encourage every student here to do the same. If there’s something happening on campus that you think isn’t beneficial or is actively harmful, there are faculty and staff on campus who will be able to help you or direct you towards someone who can.
Don’t be discouraged if the process takes longer than you thought; nothing worthwhile is ever simple. It’s easy to ignore the encouraging messages that tell us to speak up for ourselves, because we’re all expecting our concerns to be pushed aside.
But if no one speaks up, how do we make change?
It was hard for me to finally believe, but as students, our voices really do matter. If all of us keep taking action and working together, we can create the Albion College we want to see.
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