The Conversation (0)
Lowenna Waters
May 07, 2019
A group of people have taken action in the best possible way against a 'racist' woman dubbed 'Taco Truck Tammy' who threatened to call ICE on some Mexican food truck workers.
Instead of reacting to hate with hate, people from the local community in Dallas, Texas, gathered in a parking lot near a local school, where they listened to a mariachi band, as well as indulging in a whole load of delicious tacos. Perfect!
The lighthearted reaction was in response to a headline-grabbing exchange between an East Dallas homeowner, who threatened to call ICE on two Hispanic women running a food truck in front of her home on 10 April.
Footage of the East Dallas woman, identified as Valerie Jacobs, quickly went viral after it was shared to YouTube by one of the owners of the truck, Claudia Lopez. Since it was uploaded, it's had more than 175,000.
In the footage, Ms Jacobs is seen holding up her cell phone to record people inside a truck selling tacos as someone inside the truck also films the action. Lopez, who posted the footage, claims that she had a permit to be in the neighbourhood, reports the Daily Mail.
In the video of the incident, Ms Jacobs can be heard saying:
OK, baby girl, vamanos.
I’ll call ICE.
In response, one of the truck workers can be heard saying:
I’m not your baby girl.
They then add:
OK, call ICE. Call them. You can call them. Call them right now.
The joyful protest, held on April 14, in response to the 'racist' incident, was spearheaded by a local chapter of the League of United Latin Citizens, a rights group for the Latino community, reports Newsweek.
The event's organiser, Domingo Garcia, set up a Facebook page for the protest called Mariachi & Tacos Party for Taco Truck Tammy, which described the event as:
We are responding with a love for our culture, sharing our understanding of our history, our food and a respect for people who are out there every day trying to make a living or simply living their life.
Speaking to NBC5 about the viral video, Ms Jacobs said that she is not a racist, and expressed that she was frustrated at not being able to sell her house amid construction work in the area:
I wish I’d used my words better.
She also added:
I like tacos! Just not in my neighborhood!
A real estate agent with which Ms Jacob's house was previously listed has now cut all ties with the woman, telling the Daily Mail:
The house is now terminated and we no longer represent her.
Taco Truck Tammy is the latest in a long line of white people who have threatened to call the police or ICE on people of colour in the United States going about their day. In May 2018, a woman dubbed 'Barbecue Becky' went viral after she called the police on an African American family for having a barbecue in a public space.
This also isn't the first time that people have trolled someone's 'racist' behaviour with Mexican food and music. In May 2018, people sent a mariachi band and taco trucks to troll a Manhattan lawyer who shouted at a restaurant worker for speaking in Spanish.
HT Newsweek
More: People are sending mariachi bands and taco trucks to troll the lawyer who shouted at Spanish workers
More: A mariachi band played outside the house of the 'racist' lawyer who shouted at Spanish workers