I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, raised in Los Angeles and moved to Oakland, California in 2013. Since moving to Oakland, I’ve mostly had access to Oaxacan food made by non-Oaxacans. The commodification of Oaxacan food and culture has created misinformation and misrepresentation. As a Oaxacan native, I want to build with other Oaxacans so we can share our own culture, our stories, and share our values of mutual aid and ecological well being.

Additionally, I worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years to help pay for college and my master’s degree because I was undocumented. I am a mother to a young child, and I enjoy dabbling in Muay Thai, boxing, powerlifting, and soap making.