It was luck of the draw that determined how much some UNM students ate for lunch during a hunger demonstration on Wednesday.
The New Mexico Public Interest Research Group hosted a hunger demonstration near Smith Plaza in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
As part of the demonstration, students drew cards labeled with different socioeconomic class levels, and the socioeconomic class the student drew determined what he or she got to eat. Students who drew the lower class got half a bowl of green chile stew, the middle class got half a tortilla with their stew and the upper class feasted on a whole tortilla, stew and a cookie.
Student and NMPIRG member Margo Tucker said the goal of the event was to show the disparities between different income levels.
“The point of today is to serve as an educational tool to let people know the disparity between social groups and to draw attention to this issue in a city like Albuquerque where there is such a high homeless population,” she said. “(Also) just to realize how gifted we are to be able to come to school and afford college like this and eat three meals a day like we do.”
NMPIRG Campus Organizer Rashi Mangalick said a lot of students don’t realize how many New Mexicans hunger affects.
“New Mexico is the third poorest state in the country, and here in Albuquerque 18 percent of people live under the poverty line,” she said. “It’s much easier to disregard it when you’re on a university campus and living day-to-day.”
Other hunger and homelessness awareness events are scheduled throughout the week including a food drive all day Thursday.
Students can bring canned food to NMPIRG’s office in Castetter Hall.
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