THE COUPLE CHASE AND JACK ROLDAN run Maya Ophelia’s food truck, serving locally sourced, plant-based comfort food inspired by their Filipino and Mexican heritage, and the pop-up bakery Moon Cherry Sweet.
Their impact is so much more than the food they serve: The pair aims to cultivate community through food and create a safe space for marginalized people to gather and share meals at their food truck and catering events, all the while promoting a message of inclusion and acceptance to a broad audience. They’ve gained national attention in Bon Appétit for their efforts to serve food at no cost to the trans community, who often incur significant medical costs in their transition care.
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“When we first met, met, we bonded over our shared plant-based lifestyle. There weren’t too many places in Milwaukee to get a vegan meal together, so we started making food for and with each other. That’s how this whole passion project began. We never intended to start a business; we just wanted to do something for the community.
We started hosting pop-up events, with the goal of sharing good vegan food that was familiar to people who didn’t grow up in the U.S. or who didn’t grow up eating traditional American food, like us. But good vegan food can be expensive, so we operated on a pay-what-you-can basis. We also encouraged people to bring non-perishable food items to the events, so people who attended could take some if they needed to.
The demand increased, and we eventually got a food truck to subsidize the free meals. Even when we’re financially struggling ourselves, we never turn away anyone who needs food but can’t pay for it. We implemented our “trans folks eat free” policy to let trans people know we’re a safe place for them. We’re saying, “We see you, we hear you and we know it’s tough out here.”
We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but this work is worthwhile for us. In Milwaukee, a lot of trans folks hide away and don’t go out. We’ve tried to build a space where people feel like they belong and can make connections with one another, and we extend the same acceptance to people who aren’t trans. When a customer tells us they’re having a bad day or it’s their birthday, we’ll often sneak a sweet in their bag. It’s our way of creating community through food.”
“We’re excited about this new mutual aid collective for trans folks who need help, whether with buying groceries or covering their hormone expenses.”
– Chase and Jack Roldan on Sun-Seeker MKE Collective
