As more and more people cook at home during quarantine, family recipes and comfort foods are quickly becoming the norm. Immigration advocacy organization United We Dream has decided to crowdsource recipes for what they’re calling the “Undocumented Cookbook” to showcase authentic, accessible and affordable recipes in honor of June being Immigrant Heritage Month.
They recently posted a call for recipes on their Instagram and according to Juanita Monsalve, creative and digital director of United We Dream, they’ve already received entries from countries including Brazil, Mexico and India. She also shares that model-turned-chef and author Chrissy Teigen liked one of the tweets from their staff member about the cookbook, so they’d love for her or her mom (Pepper Thai)to submit a recipe.
“We are looking for recipes that showcase people’s immigrant experiences and what the memories those recipes hold. We want to share a wide array of experiences, so anything that puts a twist on a classic would be wonderful, like a vegan pozole or a recipe that mends together a household with immigrant experiences from different countries,” Monsalve tells Remezcla.
The submission process is two-fold with a page for your information, including whether you’re an immigrant, ally, or educator. The second half allows you to submit your recipe and tell your story. As the undocumented community is impacted by the effects of COVID-19, the organization wanted to bring the community together and celebrate not only the food but the love put into these meals.
According to Monsalve, recipes will start being released through Instagram and Twitter throughout the month and the cookbook will be available online. Donations will go toward the National UndocuFund, where 100% of the proceeds go to undocumented families in need of financial assistance.
“[We] wanted to provide an opportunity for undocumented immigrants to feel in community during Immigrant Heritage month while many are still separated from family and loves ones,” Monslave says. “Particularly now during the COVID-19 pandemic—we think it is important to use our cultural organizing skills to ensure our members know they are not alone. We are taking submissions to create a digital cookbook that is welcoming of all immigrants and inspires memories of joy, comfort and togetherness.”