Packing a Legacy of Leftovers: Bento

I conceived of Packing a Legacy of Leftovers in the spring of 2023 after a frightening and frustrating situation in the school district both my kids attend. After a third grader brought a loaded gun to school, the fourth such incident that school year, the district banned backpacks for all students. My elementary and middle schoolers were forced, along with thousands of other students, to figure out how to bring the necessary books and materials to school without any bags. Lunch boxes were the one exception. 

This felt emblematic to me for all the ways we “solve” the big problems of our time, saddling innocent and vulnerable members of our community with consequences (i.e. burdens) that do not enact any significant systemic change. We pass off the problems to others and avoid any real discomfort for ourselves. We adults aren’t doing our part to solve big problems, and it’s the future generations who will suffer for it.

By centering the daily task of preparing food for our children and our loved ones, Packing a Legacy of Leftovers connects to the universal drive to provide basic needs. No matter our income or race or politics, we all want our loved ones to be healthy, to eat good food, get an education, to be safe while they are away from us. What if, in the same way we engage in the daily rituals of care, we also each took a small piece of the larger burden and shared it. Maybe then we could pack a lighter and healthier legacy for our loved ones.