Oral History Interview with Khalipha Kane on September 1, 2020
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Interviewee
Kane, Khalipha
Interviewer(s)
Siddiq, Naimah; Perkins, Dr. Alisa (Research Director)
Description
Oral history interview with Khalipha Kane conducted by Naimah Siddiq on September 1, 2020. Interview written by Dr. Alisa Perkins (Research Director) and Naimah Siddiq. Khalipha Kane was born on December 23,1975 in Detroit. Her parents were born in Detroit and New Jersey, and she traces her family’s roots back to the southern United States. Kane was born into a Christian family and attended Catholic schools for part of her education. As a young adult, Kane became a member of the Shrine of the Black Madonna where she was influenced by Black Christian Nationalism. A few years later, she began to learn about Islam after a friend gave her a copy of the Qur’an. Kane embraced Islam after attending classes and services at Masjid Al-Haqq and took her shahada with Al-Haqq’s founder, Imam Luqman Abdullah. Kane has pursued several careers during the course of her life. After graduating from Redford High School, she attended stenography school and worked for some time as a court reporter. After several years, Kane was inspired to draw on her talents as a chef and pursue a career in the culinary arts. Over the years, Kane has established a successful catering business called Khalipha’s Katering and draws on knowledge passed down from her grandmother to specialize in Halal Soul Food. To produce this cuisine, Kane adjusts her family’s recipes to accommodate halal dietary restrictions. In the interview, Kane reflects on her family’s southern legacy and how it has helped her create her own style of cooking. After developing her catering business, Kane purchased a food truck, and Khalipha’s Mobile Kitchen allows her to expand her business’s reach across various communities. Kane combines her career in food service with her religious ethics by partnering with Islamic organizations to provide free iftar meals for the community during Ramadan. She volunteers on the Sister’s Committee at Dar Al-Rahma, where she helps organize the menu for programs and contributes to building the center in a variety of ways.
Date of Interview
9-1-2020
Location of Interview
Detroit, MI (Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center)
Keywords
Imam Luqman Abdullah, African-American history, African-American Muslims, Alabama, Albert E. Winship Elementary & Middle School, Bangladeshi American, Beauty and barber supply store, Bennett Business Management, Black Christian Nationalism, Black Student Association (BSA), Black Student Union (BSU), Black-owned business, Anthony Bourdain, Branding, Career change, Career Day, Catering service, Catholic parochial school, Christianity, Chrysler Corporation, Community building, Conversion to Islam, Cooking, Cooking classes for children, Cooley High School, Court reporting, COVID-19 pandemic, Culinary arts, Customer service, Dar Al-Rahma, Dawah, Detroit, Eastern Michigan University, Entrepreneurship, Family reunion, Florida, Food distribution, Food influencer, Food truck, Ford Motor Company, Friday prayer service, Genealogy, George E. Parker Elementary-Middle School, Georgiana, Grandparenthood, Great Migration, Halal food, Halal soul food, Halaqa, Henry Ford Community College, Iftar, Intergenerational learning, Iraqi Americans, Islam, Islam in America, Islamic study circle, Jumu'ah, Khalipha's Katering, Lebanese Americans, Lomax Catering, Masjid Al-Haqq, Michigan, Modest dress, Muslim Americans, Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center, Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS), Muslim-owned business, Muslims, New Jersey, Newark, Nursing, Pensacola, Plantation, Prayer, Precious Blood Grade School, Qur'an, Ramadan, Redford High School, Representing Islam, Reversion to Islam, Saint Martin de Porres school, Fred Sareini, Shahada, Shrine of the Black Madonna, Sisters' Committee at Dar Al-Rahma, Slavery, Soul food, Soul Food Sunday, Southern culinary tradition, St. Gregory school, Stenography, Sunday school, The Black Church, Vacation Bible School, Women entrepreneurs, Women's resilience, Women's roles in Islam, Yemeni Americans, Youth Leadership Group
Disciplines
African American Studies | Africana Studies | American Studies | Civic and Community Engagement | Digital Humanities | Food and Beverage Management | Inequality and Stratification | Islamic Studies | Nonprofit Administration and Management | Politics and Social Change | Race and Ethnicity | Religion | Urban Studies and Planning
Language
ENG
Document Type
Interview
Rights Statement
Dream of Detroit Interviews were made possible by funding from the Pillars Grant and Whiting Foundation. Content is for educational purposes only and non-reproducible; interviews are not to be duplicated, but may be linked through ScholarWorks with appropriate attribution. Please direct any questions about copyright to scholarworks@wmich.edu.
Funder
Pillars Fund and Whiting Foundation
Grant
Dream of Detroit
Length of Video
1:27:43
Recommended Citation
Dream Storytelling Project Team, "Oral History Interview with Khalipha Kane on September 1, 2020" (2020). Dream Storytelling Interviews. 13.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dream-storytelling-interviews/13
Notes
Interview conducted by Naimah Siddiq at the Muslim Center Mosque and Community Center. Interview written by Dr. Alisa Perkins (Research Director) and Naimah Siddiq. Interview recorded under the direction of Ismaeel Dhul-Quranayn. Videography by Abdul-Zahir Sadid. Video Edited by: Mandy Weiss. Transcribed by: Delaney Novak and Dr. Alisa Perkins. Transcription edited by: Dr. Alisa Perkins. Metadata prepared by: Melissa Paduk. Metadata edited by: Dr. Alisa Perkins and Sophia Wimberley.