Elkader, Iowa (population 1,500) is a town with an unusual namesake - American settlers named it after the Algerian jihadist and anti-colonialism fighter Abd al-Qader in 1846.

This story charts the efforts of an openly gay Algerian man and his partner as they create an Algerian-American restaurant on Main Street - and wrestle with cultural adaptation, American identity, and small town politics.

This week's Global Perspective contribution is produced and presented by Andrea Wenzel for WAMU - American University Radio in Washington, DC.