Urban Unrest

26 September 2007 | Politics | Ernesto Aguilar

Mujeres Unidas needs help finding a ‘licensed’ kitchen

By Ana Amaya and Graciela Balderas,

We need your help. Mujeres Unidas/Women United is the Latina women and girls’ group in Fargo-Moorhead. It is the oldest grassroots Latino group and has been here since 1989. The group was founded by Sister Carmen Rodriguez and other Latina women. The group works very hard to educate and empower Latina women and youth – especially to graduate and seek post-secondary education.

Our group hosts the “Fiesta de Mujeres” celebration of Latina women and girls each fall at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead. We give out the Latina awards to people such as Dean Hornbacher and others who have helped the community. We bring the Latina success story speaker, who is a young woman succeeding through Mujeres Unidas. Past speakers have included an RN at the Mayo Clinic and a teacher helping other Latino youth in the Twin Cities.

For the past four years we have used the kitchen at St. Frances de Sales Church in Moorhead to make the meal for the Fiesta de Mujeres. We make authentic Mexican food from our personal recipes. This year, the city of Moorhead, has a new and very efficient inspector who is enforcing the licensing of kitchens. Needless to say, almost all church kitchens are not “licensed” even though they are commercial kitchens. Because of this, food cannot be made that will be transported off site.

We have contacted everyone we can think of for a “licensed” kitchen. One church wanted $1,100 to use its hall and kitchen. A post-secondary institution wanted a $2 million insurance policy that costs $500 to use its kitchen. Another church had the date available for their “licensed” kitchen, but the church women didn’t want non-church people in their kitchen. A civic organization only allows its kitchen to be used for benefits for people with illnesses and medical bills. And the list goes on. …

We desperately need your help. If you have a licensed kitchen you can loan us for a few hours on Saturday, Oct. 27, we would be extremely grateful. The kitchen can be on either the North Dakota or Minnesota side.

The Fiesta de Mujeres is our one annual fundraiser. The funds raised help us pay scholarships for Latino children and youth and to run our weekly youth programs, which serve up to 100 Latino youth each week during the school year.

We thank the communities of Fargo, Moorhead, Dilworth and West Fargo for any help you can offer to us in the loan of a licensed kitchen on Saturday, Oct. 27. You can contact us at (218) 236-9884 or mat4codirector@yahoo.com.

Amaya and Balderas are chairwomen, Mujeres Unidas/Women United, Moorhead

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