((PKG)) TACO / MOSQUE
((Banner:…Through Food))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Adapted by: Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((Banner: Taco Trucks At Every Mosque is an initiative aimed at building a Latino-Muslim coalition))
((NATS))
((BEN VAZQUEZ, CO-FOUNDER, #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
Right now we’re in an African American mosque. And Muslim can also be Asian American. Last week we were in a Cham Mosque of folks from Cambodia.
((NATS))
So, Muslim is worldwide, multi-ethnic, very diverse. Latino as well is multi-ethnic, worldwide. We’re light skinned, blue eyes, dark, Moreno. We’re African descent. We’re everything. So, we mix as well.
((NATS))
((RIDA HAMIDA, CO-FOUNDER, #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
All of our sisters and brothers in humanity...Whatever happens to an oppressed community will eventually happen to another oppressed community.
((ALONDRA MORALES, DACA RECIPIENT))
We face a lot of dehumanization every day, you know, as women, again, as DACA recipients, as people of color. So, again knowing other communities are going through the same thing, it’s very heartbreaking, but again, it leads back to coming to events like these, really getting to know every community, getting to know why we all belong here and why we all have a reason to be here and why we all deserve and should be here.
((RIDA HAMIDA, CO-FOUNDER, #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
We’re already struggling with people trying to define us in the way that demonizes us and demoralizes us.
((BEN VAZQUEZ, CO-FOUNDER OF #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
So, the idea of just pigeonholing either group into one place is like a falsehood. We’re many things. We’re all human and we’re being pushed and attacked, so we come in solidarity to support each other.
((Reporter Genia))
Do you like tacos?
((DACA RECIPIENTS))
Yes, of course.
((Reporter))
So, what was good about it?
((DACA RECIPIENTS))
Well, we got the veggie option, but it was good. Yeah. The rice was amazing. Yeah, the rice was amazing.
((BEN VAZQUEZ, CO-FOUNDER, #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
A lot of food, that we got that we created, comes from Arabic influences.
((NATS))
((JIHAD SAAFIR, IMAM, ISLA LOS ANGELES))
In regards to what we see in our holy book, our Koran, the emphasis is on serving our neighbors. So, in reality our neighbors, some are documented, some are undocumented. We’re in South Los Angeles. So, of course, we have our undocumented brothers and sisters here. So, regardless of their status, they have been honored as human beings and God honors them. You know, so with that, we see them as our brothers and sisters and we are here. We have been a resource center. We offer resources for our neighbors. When our neighbors come and they need something, we don’t ask them if they’re documented or undocumented. That’s not our concern. They’re human beings. They’re part of the human family. So, we make sure we figure out what are their needs and we serve them.
((BEN VAZQUEZ, CO-FOUNDER, #TACOTRUCKATEVERYMOSQUE))
We wanted to bring two communities together to strengthen themselves, to show a strength, not only for each other, but like in face of community and come in solidarity with each other. We are something beautiful within each other and as we talk and we break bread with each other and we’re able to talk, we take off those prejudices that was put upon us by other people.
