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Power of the 'sopa': Hispanic Student Council uses tasty dish to bring people together

BY NICOLE SACK
THE SOUTHERN

Monday, October 10, 2005 2:34 AM CDT

CARBONDALE - Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup made with pork, peppers and hominy. Once the soup is spooned into the bowl, lettuce, oregano, lime and onions are added.

Not only is it a tasty dish, but it is also a proven way to bring people together. The power of the "sopa" could be observed Sunday afternoon as the congregation of St. Francis Xavier Church emptied out from Mass and regrouped in the basement of church hall.

The first groups to show up were members from the Hispanic Student Council, then a family with a handful of small children. The more people who came in, the more diverse and colorful the event became.

And just like the ingredients of pozole, the more ingredients added the better the taste.

"The idea is to bring students and the community together," said Jose Rodriguez, president of the Hispanic Student Council. "There seems to be a divide when it comes to having these two groups understand each other. A lot of students aren't aware of the community in Carbondale, and the opposite is true as well."

St. Francis Xavier Church conducts a Spanish mass in addition to regular services.

Robert Alcala, who is a graduate assistant with Southern Illinois University Carbondale's multicultural programs, was the chef on scene. As he ladled out the pozole, he was reminded of Chicago, where he said the soup is a standard on Sunday afternoon.

"This really reminds me of one of my family's gatherings, where everyone is mixed together," Alcala said. "You have the older people sitting down talking after church, while the kids are just running around."

Angela Rankin of Murphysboro sat at one of the tables eating her pozole. Rankin sings in the church choir, something she reacquainted herself with after a two-year hiatus from Carbondale. Since her return, Rankin has noticed changes in the church community.

"Before, the choir was mostly Hispanic, now it seems like there are mainly non-Hispanics," Rankin said. "The songs are in Spanish. Some people know the meaning of the words, while others just sing. It's not a good thing; it's not a bad thing. It just is what it is."

The Hispanic Student Council has approximately 45 members. The goal of the group is to be a diversified Latin-American student association dedicated to assisting and supporting its peers at SIUC. The top goal for the group is to strive for excellence and pursue Hispanic cultural enrichment within the university and the community.

The next event sponsored by the Hispanic Student Council will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Newman Center, 715 S. Washington St. in Carbondale. The group will be wrapping up Latino Heritage Month with food, festivities and maybe even some more pozole.

 

nicole.sack@thesouthern.com

618-529-5454 x 5816