Lunch is served. Homa Assadi records as her daughter Razia is celebrated with both a citation from the AG and the Board of Alders. Over plates of chicken shawarma and muhammara, before the tea came out, a state attorney general and a recent high school grad connected over shared journeys that began in immigrant kitchens. The lunch was served on Tuesday at Sanctuary Kitchen’s Legion Avenue commercial kitchen, where the immigrant women who lead the catering and culinary training program had cooked up plates of hummus, Nepali dumplings, salad, rice and beans, fresh bread, and more. The occasion called for it: Attorney General William Tong was visiting. Tong had stopped by for lunch with Razia Assadi, who graduated from Metropolitan Business Academy in June as valedictorian, and her mom Homa, who now works as a supervisor at Sanctuary Kitchen after training with the program herself. Razia said that she had been shocked to learn that the attorney general wanted to have lunch with her. After the lunch, she said, “It was amazing. He felt ordinary, just like us.” His story as the child of immigrants, she said, resonated with her. Razia and Homa immigrated to New Haven from Afghanistan alongside Razia’s dad and siblings in 2015, when Razia was 8 years old, during a period of heightened violence by the Taliban. In her valedictorian speech, Razia honored the girls in Afghanistan who were not provided the same educational opportunities that she was, and she highlighted her parents’ sacrifice of moving to an unfamiliar country for the sake of their kids. She is set to attend Columbia University this fall and hopes to study neuroscience and philosophy. Tong had met Homa years before; the two of them wrapped dumplings for an NBC30 segment. After seeing Razia’s recent achievement, he paid Sanctuary Kitchen another visit. Tong, the child of immigrants himself, spent his younger years working in his parents’ Chinese restaurant. “I grew up in a kitchen like this, and when I see your mom, I see my mom,” he told Razia. Of immigrant parents, he said, “What they do and the sacrifices they make are for us.” So, he told Razia, get Homa a big window sticker. “Remember this place and remember these people,” he said. “Some people think it’s hard to fight for the people who you love. It’s not hard because it’s real. It’s not hard to talk about because it’s true.” Over lunch, at a long table that included Sarah Miller, Fair Haven alder and executive director of Sanctuary Kitchen umbrella org CitySeed, as well as Sanctuary Kitchen staff and immigrant advocates, the immigrant women who lead the program described its impact to Tong. “When I came, I didn’t speak any English at all,” said Culinary Director Aminah Alsaleh, who immigrated from Syria. She didn’t have a work certificate. The only way she could support her kids was through cooking. While she first trained with Sanctuary Kitchen in 2018 with hopes of graduating and opening her own business, she found herself loving the organization enough to stay. “I think if you love your job, you will do amazing,” said Rawaa Ghazi, who came from Iraq. “Even if you don’t have the language.” Ghazi said that as a refugee, she can think of herself as a “stranger.” But she isn’t treated like one by the community. Her kids have been educated in New Haven schools; she found a work opportunity at Sanctuary Kitchen. “The way that they are welcoming us, I’ll never forget.” “What do you think of our program?” Alsaleh asked Tong. He held up his plate, scraped clean. “What do you think I think about your program?” After the meal, everyone helped themselves to black tea, served in small tea glasses atop saucers. Petals floated on the surface. “This is Iraqi tea,” Ghazi explained. It has cardamom and rose, and in Iraq, you have to respect the ritual of the drink. It’s not something to rush through for the caffeine boost; it’s drunk collectively and requires patience. “This is the gathering. The people share the love together with tea and sweets.” “It’s delicious,” Tong said. “I like the rose.” Homa said that in Afghanistan, the tea is brewed with just cardamom. But it’s served the way Ghazi described. “The first time the guest is coming to your house, you have to make this,” she said. “You have to make tea with a sweet, and then after one hour, you can serve food.” After lunch, Tong bid his goodbye, leaving Assadi with a citation from his office. (Miller also provided her a citation from the Board of Alders.) “He made me feel very comfortable to talk to him,” she said. Now, she’s savoring her last weeks in New Haven before her move to New York. “I’m so excited.” Iraqi tea, elevated by cardamom and rose petals. Fair Haven Alder (and CitySeed director) Sarah Miller presents Razia with a citation from the Board of Alders. The post AG, Valedictorian Connect Over Sanctuary Kitchen Lunch appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less