Tacos

Delicious brisket tacos. November 4, 2025, by Justin Rodriguez.

Tacos, Identity, and the Space Between

by Justin Rodriguez

On most Wednesday nights, my kitchen turned into a small assembly line. The pan smoke spread a cumin and onion aroma throughout the house, corn tortillas warmed like folded blankets, and the soft crackle of the skillet filled the kitchen like background music. My family called it “taco night:” quite basic, but it has always held a special place in my heart. Each person made their own, and like clockwork, my mom always handed one across the table to offer a bite of her unique combination. Since the day this tradition began, it’s always been a reminder to me that food can bring people together in a way that most things can't, and made tacos my time machine back home.

I’m Hispanic, and even though I’m not actually Mexican and tacos weren’t on a family heirloom recipe passed down for generations, they were a weeknight solution that became a custom for me. That’s what makes them so powerful, in my opinion; they’re both particular and generous. They’re particular because they come from a distinct Mexican heritage, but they’re also generous because they invite anyone, like my family, to make them our own and indulge in a different background. Alterations like adding chicken instead of carne asada, using cheddar cheese, or switching the type of salsa made our tacos our own. Some sources, such as Domínguez, suggest the word “taco” comes from the Nahuatl tlahco, which means “in the middle,” describing a filling tucked into a tortilla (Domínguez). The idea of existing “in the middle” would end up meaning a lot more to me than I expected.

Tray-style taco station from my Dia de los Muertos celebration with my business fraternity. November 2, 2025, by Justin Rodriguez.

Friends gathered around talking while finishing up their self-made tacos. November 2, 2025, by Justin Rodriguez.

Learning the dish’s history made the memory of my Wednesdays even more valuable. Historians have traced one early use of the word taco to describe paper-wrapped gunpowder charges that were shaped like rolled tortillas (Friesen). Early miners even used tacos as portable bundles they could eat with one hand, so they were practical for long hours underground. Over time, migration and media aided in the transformation of tacos from local street food to a greater worldwide symbol of Mexican identity, consumed everywhere (Friesen). However, scholar Michael Soldatenko explains that the transformation wasn’t necessarily neutral. He says, “the globalization of the taco cannot be separated from U.S. imperialism,” since its spread usually came through cultural appropriation and commercialization instead of genuine mutual exchange (Soldatenko). Chains like Taco Bell and other places marketing “authentic” Mexican flavors show how power and profit shaped which foods were accepted and which were not. Knowing this doesn’t make tacos any less special to me and actually just makes their story more layered. It reminds me that the simple food I grew up eating is connected to a much bigger history than I realized.

This realization was further cemented for me at a Día de los Muertos gathering with my Phi Chi Theta pledge class. The room smelled different from my house: less cumin, as well as more roasted peppers and citrus, but the energy was familiar. The warmth from the crowded kitchen made the space feel like a small, cozy pocket inside the house. The tacos were tray-style, served with rice, fajita veggies, chicken, and salsa. Two salsas sat on the table side-by-side, with one being mild and bright and the other so spicy your eyes watered just looking at it. Warm tortillas steamed on the tray, and as I made my plate, the comfort I always felt at home draped over me.

We stood around the small Ann Arbor house, creating our personalized plates and telling stories, just like I would back home. People teasing each other about toppings or squeezing lime over someone else’s plate because “trust me, it’s better.” In that moment, I thought about how Jose Ralat talks about how tacos travel well, adapting to local ingredients and communities without losing their essence (Ralat). Whether it’s a Texas breakfast taco, a Los Angeles K-Mex taco, or the chicken-and-veggie kind we shared that night, tacos continue to evolve while still connecting people from different cultures.

Being “in the middle,” as the Nahuatl root suggests, feels similar to where I belong too: between Latin and Asian cultures, between home and school, between tradition and change. Tacos have become a way for me to understand that balance and find my space in between it all. They hold different pieces together without losing what they started with, and remind me that no matter where I am, or who I’m becoming, there is always a way to feel at home.

Works Cited

Domínguez, Luis F. “The Origin and History of Mexico’s Most Famous Food: The Taco.” Spanish Academy Blog, 25 Oct. 2022, https://www.spanish.academy/blog/the-origin-and-history-of-mexicos-most-famous-food-the-taco/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Friesen, Katy June. “Where Did the Taco Come From?” Smithsonian Magazine, 3 May 2012, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/where-did-the-taco-come-from-81228162/. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Ralat, José R. “A Comprehensive Guide to the Most Popular American Taco Styles.” Serious Eats, 30 Dec. 2024, https://www.seriouseats.com/american-taco-styles-guide-8696700. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Rodriguez, Justin. Delicious brisket tacos. 4 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Rodriguez, Justin. Friends gathered around eating tacos. 2 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Rodriguez, Justin. Tray-style taco station from Día de los Muertos celebration. 2 Nov. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Soldatenko, Michael. “Tacos and Coloniality: A Review Essay.” Diálogo: Reflections/Reflexiones, vol. 18, no. 1, Spring 2015, pp. 135–142. Center for Latino Research at Digital Commons@DePaul University, https://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1408&context=dialogo. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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