Digging In Dallas
The “Digging In” project is grounded in the deep questions of membership, belonging, and culture that animate humanities scholarship. By studying the ways that food, culture, and class interact and affect the integration of Asian immigrant communities in Dallas, this study builds linkages between three areas of scholarship- Dallas history, Asian American studies, and food studies. The use of oral history to explore the stories of Asian entrepreneurs in the Dallas food scene creates important primary sources and expands the archive for future scholars interested in race and ethnicity in Dallas, Texas, or in the South. The oral histories, digital exhibits, and contributions to the archive that came from the “Digging In” Project document the ways that beloved restaurants and food markets played a role in building a sense of community within groups and, as an unexpected consequence of the rise of “foodie culture,” built a bridge to other parts of the North Texas population.