[0:00] I cook for my family a lot. My  kids and my husband love this food. [0:23] My grandmother teach me how to cook since  I was young in Africa. [0:28] It's traditional West African soap. Egusi Soup. [0:36] Since our family immigrated here about  two decades ago, [0:39] we have noticed since the time we've been living here that there's a huge  gap where there should be [0:44] African cuisine in the city and although we have a diverse population [0:50] with people from different places everywhere here we notice that there aren't spaces for [0:54] everyone in the culinary scene and we want to change that by starting this [0:58] West African  restaurant where anyone from anywhere can come and eat our dishes and [1:02] truly experience  our culture while getting to know us as well. [1:15] We have been thinking about a way that Nunaa  can serve more than just creating food [1:20] but it's also going to provide a space for  us to exist and [1:23] for me that's one of the most important things because it truly gives me  and other people of my ethnicity [1:29] a chance to shine, because it really shows that we do exist in  this city and we want everyone in [1:34] Bloomington to see us for who we are as people so  that we can share ourselves with them. [2:09] It's more than just food, it's home.