“To speak a true word is to transform the world.” — Paulo Freire
Who are we? Fundamentally, Cornell Dining Student Workers is an organization of workers from across the dining halls, cafes and eateries on the Ithaca campus. Many of us student workers are first-generation college students, international students, students far from home and students dealing with increasing financial pressure alongside the demands of an academically rigorous institution. All opinions expressed here are those of student workers whose lived experiences have long been overlooked and underrepresented. To tell their stories is to claim space that is owed to these essential workers that Cornell could not operate without.
Cornell Dining is the one of the largest employers of students on campus, and many seek employment here in order to support themselves through university. We work early morning shifts before class, late nights after labs, and weekends when our fellow peers are resting, because we need to. Despite our large presence in campus life, there is little testimonial evidence of the complex lives of student workers in Cornell Dining. With the aim of amplifying these voices, we welcome any student dining perspective and believe they are all worth sharing. We do not, however, support or amplify the voices of the administration or of Cornell Dining, as their mission is fundamentally unaligned with the mission of this column. It is indeed the sad reality that we are not free to fully express our opinions without fear of retribution from the University.
Our organization exists because student experiences deserve to be heard and not silenced through fear. Whether it is frustration with a policy, a reflection on what it means to work while studying or even to share a moment of kindness someone experienced during a shift, every story shared here adds to the picture of what student dining work looks like in reality. These experiences will at times be contrary to the University’s portrayal of the student working experience, which has been carefully curated by its public relations machine. Despite this, we believe that the people who actually keep this campus fed have something more valuable to say, and that saying it openly is an act of dignity in itself.
Our hope is that these pieces, which emphasize the personal experience of student workers, illuminate both the variety and similarity in the dining worker’s experience, serve as a protected space to truthfully detail different perspectives without fear of retaliation, and elucidate the intersection of the student worker with their private life and other social identities.
The Sun is interested in publishing a broad and diverse set of content from the Cornell and greater Ithaca community. We want to hear what you have to say about this topic or any of our pieces. Here are some guidelines on how to submit. And here’s our email: opinion-editor@cornellsun.com.
Cornell Dining Student Workers is a student-led platform amplifying the lived experiences and voices of Cornell’s dining workers. Feel free to email cornellstudentdiningworkers@gmail.com for any inquiries!
