My Story

I am a documentary filmmaker, food justice advocate, and a Food Studies professor at the University of Southern California. I have created and produced a series of  documentary films that capture the stories of Mexican grandmothers, highlighting their connections to food and migration, in 4 U.S. border cities.

​

In 2021, I curated a museum exhibition and produced a documentary film that told the stories of 10 Mexican and Mexican American grandmothers in Los Angeles, focusing on the rich connections between food and migration. Titled  ​​​“Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories,” this multimedia exhibition was featured at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. The following year, I was awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities grant to create a documentary series. As the creator, co-director, producer, and co-executive producer of Abuelitas on the Borderlands, I filmed the series across Tucson, El Paso, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Mexico.

​

I've been a dedicated food justice activist for many years, deeply involved in the movement to legalize street vending in Los Angeles and share the stories of L.A.’s sidewalk vendors. My advocacy extends to promoting school and community gardens, a cause I've championed through my long-standing service on the board of the Garden School Foundation.

When I am not teaching or taking students to Oaxaca, I love to cycle, eat Oaxacan food, and  spend time with my two teenage boys, husband and dog Dante.