Madison Martin | Broadcast Reporter

This month, Baylor is extending student dining options to introduce an array of local food options that support small Waco businesses.

Many of the food trucks partnered with Baylor sought coming to campus as an opportunity to for more social interaction to give students a side of cultural diversity with their meal.

The owner of Waffle Chic, Shamica Evans, shared her positive outlook towards the pandemic and the opportunity it has provided her to change the community.

“I’ll be glad when COVID is over but, then again, I’m thankful we’re going through this experience in order for all of us to learn,” Evans said. “It’s given us the opportunity to speak to each other more, because daily you don’t see that anymore — everybody just passes by.”

Other businesses used the partnership to spread awareness about the need for more cultural diversity in the city.

The CEO and co-owner of Waco Cha, Devin Li, shared his inspiration for connecting his home culture with local Wacoans through tea.

“We are so assertively vocal about diversity, especially in this current political climate,” Li said. “We see a lot of diverse customers here of all cultural backgrounds. More than anything, we try to create a safe space.”

People on campus shared why they’re eager to take a bite of the new mobile dining option offered at Baylor this month.

Kara O’Connell, a Baylor campus missionary intern, talked about what small businesses have to offer people in the Waco community.

“There’s a lot of diversity. [You’ve] got food trucks, tea trucks … it’s not just one single thing,” O’Connell said. “It’s all over for different passions, desires, cultures and that’s just a way to express them.”