Summary:

“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
-James Beard

*Launch a fully functional, licensed and self-sustaining Halal Hotdogs food cart/truck to serve as a platform for community engagement and cultural acceptance.*

One outward symbol of the Somali community and Muslims in Minnesota is the word Halal, found on scores of shops in the Twin Cities. Halal is the practice of slaughtering meat according to Islamic law. Although Halal is not so different in practice from Kosher, the word Halal and its religious significance is frequently misunderstood. Likewise, with negative images of pirates and terrorists dominating the media, Somali Minnesotans are often misunderstood by their non-Somali neighbors.

By combining the Halal practice with one of the most American of foods, the hotdog, we aim to create an approachable ‘toe-dip’ into Somali culture – with the goal of providing a jumping-off point for more substantive interaction across communities. With the Twin Cities food truck craze continuing to build, the timing is perfect to reach out to Minnesota with food.

In addition to bridging faiths and cultures, Halal Hotdogs will provide an economic boost to newly arrived Somali immigrants. The first food cart will be not-for-profit, teaching job skills training and entrepreneurial development to young immigrants while paying them a living wage. After completing the initial training, they’ll then have the opportunity to buy into their own Halal Hotdog cart. We hope to scale the model across the Twin Cities and look to incorporate some way of generating humanitarian support to Somalia.

For more about the project please visit www.halalhotdogs.org