Progressive activist Peter Jacob attends the fundraiser for “Quesadillas for a Cause” wearing the traditional attire from Kerala, India, where he was born.
Somerset, New Jersey, -based nonprofit, Quesadillas for a Cause, organized its first annual fundraiser, the guest speaker wore a traditional attire from his state of Kerala in India to stress upon America’s diversity
President Trump’s recent twitter tirade against four Democratic congresswomen urging them to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came” triggered a debate within immigrant communities all over the United States.
People across America have reacted sharply to the president’s comments. From civic organizations to Indian American members of the congress strongly condemned the remarks.
It also started a new wave of assertion of belongingness. Many immigrants across the country decided that that the time is opportune to stress how much they belong here on social media and other platforms.
Recently, Quesadillas for a Cause, a non-profit that runs a food truck which provides warm meals to those who are in need through churches, homeless centers and other avenues organized its first ever annual fund raiser in Somerset, NJ.
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While the symbolism of quesadillas, a staple Mexican dish proving food to hungry in America, in itself speaks of the diversity that makes this country, guests at the event stressed upon how differences can be celebrated.
New Jersey community organizer and progressive activist Peter Jacob, who was a guest speaker at the event, arrived wearing a ‘mundu’, a traditional dress from his home state of Kerala in India. Talking about the significance of wearing his ethnic attire, especially at a time like this, Jacob told the American Bazaar, “Quesadillas for a Cause is a non-profit, pay-what-you-can truck with a very noble mission of feeding the hungry. It was their first annual fundraiser and it also honored the memory of the founder’s brother, Sgt. Glenn Paul Casey, a US military veteran. I wore traditional Indian attire in his honor and memory. He served our nation in hopes of a better world.”
Jacob added, “We are living at time when the Commander and Chief of our nation, our president regurgitates racist statements such as “go back to your own country.” But the nation, Lee Casey, who is the founder of Quesadillas for a Cause and her brother Glenn believes in and served for, is one that has welcomed people across the centuries who arrived speaking different languages, wearing different attire, and bringing different food, whether they be samosas or quesadillas. And that’s what it means to be part of America, that’s what actually makes America great.”
Jacob hopes that with efforts such as these there will be a day in America, when no one can tell anyone to “go back to their country.”