Episode 66 - Karina Mora -Season 6 Finale

Heeeeeeey!

We’re wrapping up another amazing season of the Elevating la Cultura podcast. And we have reached over 3300 downloads! Thank you so much for all my listeners and for your continued support through each season. I’m especially grateful to each guest that takes time out of their day to share their story and offer education to our listeners. 

What an incredibly amazing season. There were times that I was transported back to my childhood as I remembered great memories around food. I shared in the intro episode of this season that my relationship with food wasn’t always positive. As I’m sure many of us can relate to comments or mixed messages about our bodies. But as I talked with each guest I could hear the excitement and passion about them choosing a career in the food industry, and more importantly they shared about how they were bringing their cultural roots into the products that they share. 

I love how each and every guest’s passion started from the heart of what Latine food is…love.

Last week we heard from Big Mich and I was just blown away by their intentionality when building a business. They’re not just offering an amazing product, but are literally thinking of every interaction with their customers, and employees. Their whole business embodies the heart and culture of their Mexican roots. 

I think back to my conversation with Rachel from Borinken Cake and you could just hear the joy she had when creating new flavors for her cupcakes, and then sharing them with her customers. There was so much hope in her story as she gave it all she had even when everything seemed uncertain. And how she is providing for her family by sharing the love of her Puerto Rican flavors. 

And how she shares her entrepreneurial spirit and knowledge with her friend Vanessa from Su Taqueria Thalys. I think as a generation we are working hard to build onto what our parents have sacrificed so much for. It’s beautiful when we have the opportunity to grow with a family business especially when you’re able to share your family's recipes like Vanessa is in her restaurant. 

Speaking of incorporating your family into your business, what Jessica and her sister’s have built is amazing! That is the very definition of taking your knowledge and skills, seeing a need in the community, and doing what you can to fill that need. They’re doing that with their Puerto Rican products as well as offering opportunities to their community for work. I was blown away and truly inspired by the story of Soul Boricua. I especially loved how she shared about how she would fuse her two cultures together when her family cooked. That is such a beautiful image and should be a reminder to those that are in bi or multi racial families to appreciate all cultures shared, and learn about each other’s cultures, differences and similarities. 

As I talked to each guest I love how you could see the joy and nostalgia when talking about their favorite foods as a kid. I hope that as a listener you were thinking of your favorite food too. It was so fun to talk with Brenda from Aguas Laguneras because I LOVE horchata and aguas fresas especially in the summer. And her drinks are like the best. I like how she got real about her mental health and how focusing her energy on something she loves and  can share with her community has been a game changer for her. I truly am hechandole porras. 

And chatting with Norma about how she realized that when she was helping her sister bake, she actually loved it too. And there’s something about going back to your roots or to where your family is from and taking the inspiration from who you already are to continue the legacy that is within you. 

I’m so encouraged that there are people that are advocating for food education, especially as it pertains to Latine and cultural foods. We need these discussions to keep happening. We need to shift the norm from a colonized mindset and showcase the harm it can cause when our foods are viewed from that perspective. I’m thankful for the work that Dalina is doing as a nutritionist to help her community in the health care system. And the work that Valeria is doing by educating about different eating lifestyles and removing the shame around those choices. Mary Beth is doing such important work with the youth because all of these mindsets are started when we are young and will be perpetuated if we don’t rewrite the narrative for the next generation. 

And even in the beverage industry, Argelia from Vida Mia Cocktails is helping others understand the diverse culinary traditions of Mexico through food and beverage cocktail experiences. And this is important so that we continue to elevate our culture, and break the ideas that our food is cheap. 

Throughout the season I was reminded of how I was so proud of my father when I saw him building a restaurant business of his own. He actually opened a restaurant in Pilsen when I was really young…maybe about 8 years old. He closed that space, and later opened a restaurant when I was in college. It was a HUGE project. He literally built the space from the ground up. I was part of the building and training of the team and computer system. I think I had every position: taking orders, cleaning up, food prep, washing dishes…pretty much everything except cooking the food. I remember taking my husband (boyfriend at the time) to eat there, and that was where he had menudo for the first time. I was so proud of my father for that restaurant. He sold it several years later, but the location is actually still there, and a few more locations have opened since then. 

I share this because I love how with each story, we can hear how our parents have been a huge influence in our lives and therefore a huge influence in our business. I know family can be complicated, but I think about how I can really lean into all the positive ways my parents have poured into me, and how I can build upon that while healing from some of the not so positive experiences. We need to keep building and healing for the sake of the next generation, and for ourselves.
I’m reminded of a quote from my friend Adriana (@adrianatalksdinero), “Be who younger you needed, then give back and lift your community.” I’ve been thinking of that quote for weeks now…and maybe now you will too. 

And with that….we come to the end of season 6.

With each season I take a break from producing episodes to prep for the next season.So I’ll be enjoying the rest of the holidays and probably come back with season 7 in February. 

As you know I’ve been hosting networking events with my friend Veronica, from episode —- It’s been so great building our in-person network. I’ve also been planning more in person events, and workshops, and collaborations and partnerships, and all of the things for us to continue to build community. And hopefully next year I will have some actual SWAG for all of you as well. Yay! 

Keep following along on IG, and make sure you’re on the email list so you’re up to date on all the good things that we’re planning for next year. 

But for now, it would be super appreciated if you can share this podcast on social, subscribe to our Youtube channel, or leave a review on apple podcasts so we can get more ears listening to these stories and we can continue elevating la cultura.

Alright, enjoy the rest of the day/afternoon/evening whenever you’re listening, y nos vemos next year!