A task on an application became something much more important for Valentina Velasco. 

The Barrington High School sophomore was applying to the United World Colleges program and needed to come up with an event that would solve a problem by bringing her local community together. 

“I chose to solve the problem of interaction across cultures,” Velasco wrote in a message to the Barrington Times. “Barrington is about a 90% white town. Growing up in a predominantly white town as a latina, it was difficult to find people I shared common interests with.”

Velasco said she has learned over the years that there a few things that bring people from all sorts of culture together — and one of those things is food. 

“You can learn so much from sharing a meal with someone,” she wrote. “I think it’s the biggest thing that brings us together which is why I decided to host an international potluck night.”

She sent out invitations to family friends and asked them to bring others along. The word spread and more than 25 people, including about a dozen residents from Barrington, attended Velasco’s international potluck. 

“Each person brought a dish from their culture that they resonate with. Everyone was able to try dishes and meet people from other cultures,” she wrote. 

More than 15 different cultures were represented at the dinner. The dishes included Pakoras (from India), Empanadas (from Colombia), tortillas (from Spain), and fried rice (from Laos).

Velasco was so pleased with the final product that she plans to make her international potluck dinners into regular community events. 

“Not only were people able to share food from their culture but new friendships were made across cultures,” she wrote.