Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) recently revived the Bite of Stafford, a cultural celebration last hosted about six years ago. Inspired by regional food festivals like The Taste Northwest and The Bite of Seattle, the event brought people together through food, cultural expression, and community spirit.
This year’s Bite of Stafford welcomed more than 700 incarcerated individuals over two sessions lasting about three hours each. The event was made possible thanks to the dedication of 33 incarcerated individuals who helped plan and host the event, 32 performers who shared their talents, and dedicated staff members from Stafford Creek and DOC headquarters who supported the day.
“It left like such a good brotherhood; all of us helping each other and coming together to learn about one another’s culture, said Robert, an incarcerated individual and cultural committee member at Stafford Creek. “The setup was just as great as the event. It was so fun to work towards something together outside of our day-to-day life. It had such a great, positive, energy all around.”
Seven cultural booths gave attendees the chance to taste food from around the world, including Hispanic, Native American, European, Pacific Islander, Asian, African-American, and American cuisines. Each booth, aside from the American booth, had its own committee to plan its display and menu. The American booth was a collective effort decided on together by all committee members.
Thanks to the facility kitchen’s support, each cultural group developed three small meal ideas and, together with kitchen staff, narrowed them down to a signature dish. Visitors were able to enjoy a range of flavors, including mac and cheese with sweet barbecue chicken at the African-American booth, carne asada tacos at the Hispanic booth, Korean beef barbecue with rice at the Asian booth, chicken and vegetable hum bao with rice at the Pacific Islander booth, Indian tacos with buffalo on fry bread at the Native American booth, French dip sliders with au jus at the European booth, and a mixed berry shortcake with a red, white, and blue cookie at the American booth.
“I believe events like this are so important as they provide incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to educate others about their culture, as well as encouraging broader engagement and understanding,” said Toni Grun, Secretary Senior at Stafford Creek and organizer of the event. “These events play such a vital role in dismantling barriers and fostering a stronger, more cohesive community within Stafford Creek that benefits both the staff and the incarcerated population.”
Beyond the food, traditional performances filled the day with energy and cultural pride. These included traditional Polynesian dances like the haka, breakdancing and spoken word performances, a Hispanic band singing in Spanish, and a traditional Native American drum circle.
Support for the event was strong, with many individuals' expressing gratitude for the opportunity to do something meaningful outside of their daily routine.
The Bite of Stafford stood as a testament to what can be accomplished when staff and the incarcerated population work together to share culture, build community, and create new opportunities for understanding and connection.
