By Gavin Godfrey, CNN

(CNN) – Last year William Turner lost his job with a religious non-profit organization. That was the impetus for him to pursue a longheld dream: owning his own restaurant. Turner's research led him to the creation of his food truck (and alter ego), The Blaxican, which serves up what he calls, "Mexican soul food."

Turner says he's aware that some people have strong reactions to his name and concept.

[2:33] "We live in a politically incorrect or correct society where we're so hypersensitive that even if we're not offended by something we think we should be offended by something. The Blaxican, it evokes an emotion, especially here in the south where race relationships for years have always been a hot-button for our society."

The son of a cook, Turner says that soul food is universal and in every culture there is cuisine that comes from the struggle to survive.

[3:32] "Soul food to me is food that is birthed out of struggle...Mexicans got soul food, it's called the tortilla. It's not a delicacy in Mexico. It's a piece of bread, but out of struggle they had to come up with ways to use that and frijoles and different things to try and feed their bellies."

From race relations to the history of the Philadelphia cheese steak, Turner's story goes far beyond his collard green quesadillas and jalapeno macaroni and cheese.