The story of Afro Taco and our unique food notes begins halfway across the world. I was born in Accra, Ghana. A bustling city on the shores of West Africa. My mother brought me to America at the age of 7 and we planted roots in Newark NJ. Growing up in Newark. Known as “The Brick City,” by its natives, you had to adapt fast to survive and thrive. Our parents worked two and sometimes three jobs to keep our family sustained. I had no idea my earlier cooking duties would spark a love for creating new flavors and spreading love with my food. Fast forward to the current, I transitioned from an Assistant Director; working with some of the toughest kids from the state of New Jersey to bet on myself in my community. I desired to create opportunities for the same at-risk young men I served over the years.

Community Involvement

Afro Taco is more than a food truck, idea, or dream. It is a community resource; Afro Taco provides real solutions for real problems. We are committed to the people, the local businesses, the law enforcement, and our communities to improve the culture of every city we touch. We want to serve as a beacon for positivity, self- love, and mutual respect for every human being.

Afro Taco is committed to aiding in uplifting our communities. We continued to build relationships and collaborate with the City of Newark in several community improvement projects. The Honorable Mayor Ras J Baraka and Newark

City Parks have been instrumental in cultivating an environment for new community synergy. We have also created a partnership with the Newark YMCA as one of our primary non-profit organizations we love to serve. The YMCA Greater Newark is committed to families, youth, and the residents of Newark. They serve as a bridge for individuals in transition. Afro Taco has a bi-annual giveback in which we provide food, clothes, books, hats, gloves, and more for residence at the YMCA prior to and throughout the pandemic.

Afro Taco also provided lunch and gift cards for the Essential workers during the height of the pandemic. Afro- Taco also participated in a month-long reading initiative in collaboration with I.M.P.A.C.T. Women's Forum in August 2022. We read books and provided snacks for over 100 children during this initiative. We also gave away over 200 books courtesy of a collaborative community effort.

Afro Taco also understood the financial impact on small businesses during the pandemic. This prompted us to initiate an Annual Food Truck Festival to help small businesses sell their products and stimulate the local economy in Newark.