You probably remember the picture of himself, both thumbs up, that Donald Trump posted on social media with the caption, “Best Taco Bowl.” It was his ode to Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo 2016. The picture mocked relentlessly, and deservedly so. For Latinos, taco bowls aren’t really a thing. And even if they were, it’s doubtful that Trump Tower would serve the best of them. For Latinos, Cinco de Mayo is less of a thing than it is for other groups. But most importantly, Trump was celebrating Mexican food at the same time that, on the campaign trail, he was denigrating Mexican immigrants. Lori A. Flores’s new book, Awaiting Their Feast: Latinx Food Workers and Activism from World War II to COVID-19, effectively explores this tension between many Americans’ love for Mexican food and their simultaneous distaste for Mexican people. Fortunately, Flores doesn’t make us relive the cringe of Trump’s post—as I’ve done here. Instead, she introduces us to the Latina and Latino food workers; Latina and Latino–owned restaurants; and American consumer’s taste for Latin American and Latino cuisine in New England, especially New York. I’m so glad to kick off Season 3 of Writing Latinos by talking with Flores about her new book. We discuss the popularity of tamales in New York during the 19th century, Latino workers’ demands for healthy food and food from their culture, the Mexican proprietor of a high-end Mexican restaurant, the laborers who assemble our Christmas wreaths, and the workers who harvest the mighty sea cucumber. All these subjects are original contributions to the field of Latino history, but they’re also just super interesting, as you’ll see when you listen. Flores is a professor of history at SUNY–Stony Brook. Awaiting Their Feast, published by the University of North Carolina Press, as part of their Latinx Histories series, is her second book. Enjoy!
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Credits:
Writing Latinos is a production of Public Books. The show’s host is Geraldo Cadava, co-editor-in-chief of the magazine, and show’s producer is Tasha Sandoval. Our theme music is “City of Mirrors” by Dos Santos.
