MADISON, Wis. — Daniel Renderos is the owner of El Centro, which is an LA style food truck. 

Renderos grew up in LA. He said his parents migrated to the U.S. before he was born. 


What You Need To Know

  • Renderos grew up in LA. He said his parents migrated to the U.S. when he was a child

  • Renderos said recently everything that has been unfolding in LA has been weighing on him

  • Karen Menéndez Coller, Centro’s Executive Director, said the only way the immigrant community can make it through these tough times is if they stick together

  • Renderos said it is only a matter of time before what is happening in LA starts to happen in Madison as well

“Pretty much growing up with two different cultures, two different foods, I guess if you want to consider it US and two other types of foods,” said Renderos. 

With a mother from Sonora, Mexico and a father from El Salvador, his cooking combines many cultures. 

“Growing up, it was something we always did, have radishes or have cucumber on the side with it. Another thing I do is put cucumber on pico de gallo, which people find interesting,” said Renderos. 

Renderos loves sharing his culture through his food. He said recently everything that has been unfolding in LA has been weighing on him. 

(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)

“It is kind of hard because it is like people in my neighborhood getting picked up and stuff like that and getting treated like, it is just crazy to see everything happen and the way everything is unfolding,” said Renderos. 

Centro Hispano is an organization that offers immigration services and family assistance in Dane County.

The organization held a press conference last Friday to address what is unfolding in LA.

“I think what happened this week for me personally was the straw that made me think we need to be more forceful about coming out and speaking out and saying what we are feeling,” said Karen Menéndez Coller, Centro’s Executive Director. 

She said the only way the immigrant community can make it through these tough times is if they stick together.

(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)

”Many in the community are afraid and I am afraid too, increased enforcement like what we are seeing in Los Angeles and across this country makes you feel powerless,” said Menéndez Coller. 

The feeling of hopelessness is something that Renderos said he is feeling as well. 

”If we could just keep talking about that and just keep bringing more awareness, hopefully in the next like couple of weeks I am going to do a couple more pop ups and try to raise more for people that are affected by this,” said Renderos. 

Renderos said it is only a matter of time before what is happening in LA happens in Madison as well. 

“I think the closest we have seen to us is Minneapolis,” said Renderos. “It is just slowly different states, so we never know when it is going to come to Madison."

Correction: A previous version of this story said that Renderos' parents migrated to the U.S. when he was young. This has been corrected to say they migrated before he was born. (June 18, 2025)