Although the BU Gastronomy program offers a multitude of courses, the class that caught my eye for the first summer session this year was actually at Tufts University, in the Urban and Environmental Planning program. Louise Dunlap specializes in social change writing, which is why this course stuck out to me.

Louise Dunlap got her start during the free speech movement of the 1960’s. Since then, she has been giving activists the tools they need in order to communicate with the public effectively. The class centered on one main writing project that we worked and reworked each week using the tools from Undoing the Silence. One of the Louise’s former students had used this project to write the business plan for Equal Exchange. A tough act to follow, but inspiring nonetheless!

My project was focused on how dietitians can help reduce hunger by supporting sustainable food systems. We also had a short letter to the editor assignment, as well as journal and freewriting activities. The class was held in a picturesque red home on the Tufts Medford campus, which was the perfect setting for an intimate class of nine. If you are interested in social change writing, then check out a copy of Undoing the Silence.

Image via Undoing the Silence

– Kelly