Erika Toledo works as a caregiver. It鈥檚 a lot of work, pays little and does not satisfy her. What she would really like to do is open a little restaurant and cook up tasty meals to satisfy her customers.
But living on the south side there are more obstacles 鈥 lack of capital, training and networking 鈥 than opportunities for Toledo and her barrio neighbors, many of them longtime residents mixed with newly arrived immigrants.
However, Toledo and several other women from the south side, are getting their start in the food business through La Doce Barrio Foodways Project. Toledo is part of La Cuchara de Abuela Catering Collective, which since its launch late last year has already catered at several events.
鈥淚t is a good beginning,鈥 said Toledo.
This start is the result of a collaboration of the south-side community group Tierra y Libertad Organization, the Community Food Bank of Southern 蜜柚直播, the Southwest Folklife Alliance based at the University of 蜜柚直播 and the city of 蜜柚直播. La Doce is the commercial corridor of South 12th Avenue and its adjoining neighborhoods, and it was the focus of the small band of enthusiastic collaborators in the past year.
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La Doce project engaged residents, business owners and students to learn about sustaining and strengthening the barrios along South 12th Avenue, identifying and increasing food resources such as home and community gardens, and developing ideas for future endeavors and projects like La Cuchara catering.
鈥淎ction starts in the kitchen,鈥 said Nelda Ruiz of Tierra y Libertad, one of the lead individuals in the Foodways Project.
One of core aspects of La Doce project was seen through the prism of foods. By focusing on La Doce鈥檚 residents鈥 traditional knowledge of food, cooking and growing, new possibilities can be imagined. By reclaiming those food traditions 鈥 nopales, squash, chayote and quelites 鈥 which have become chic and hip in some places in 蜜柚直播 and around the country, the community of La Doce can build on its strengths and leverage them for business and communal opportunities.
Ruiz said by emphasizing the food traditions of the families, 鈥測ou give value to what鈥檚 already happening.鈥
Beyond exploring food and how to transform residents鈥 traditional knowledge of recipes into opportunities, the Foodways Project also explored what is missing throughout La Doce.
Tierra Y Libertad worked with artists Alex Jimenez and Johanna Martinez on 鈥淭he Talking Mural鈥 on the Raspados Oasis building at 4126 S. 12th Ave. La Doce Foodways Project engaged residents, business owners and students to learn about sustaining and strengthening the barrios along South 12th Avenue.
When Claudio Rodriguez, who works for the Community Food Bank and is a member of Tierra y Libertad, toured the neighborhoods with students from Pueblo Magnet High School, the students saw La Doce differently.
鈥淭hey saw where green space exists and where it is needed,鈥 said Rodriguez. 鈥淭hey saw the lack of infrastructure.鈥
The students鈥 appreciation for their neighborhoods grew, he said. They began to see and understand that their families and neighbors have much to contribute to La Doce and the wider community, added Rodriguez.
鈥淚f you teach everyone to love the land, they鈥檒l value it,鈥 he said.
On Friday, La Doce organizers celebrated the end of this first phase and released publicly its report, recommendations and a documentary film.
Among the recommendations is the creation of La Doce Community Land Trust 鈥渢o govern local development and guide efforts of urban agriculture and food micro-enterprises.鈥 Another is the development of La Doce Community Fund 鈥渢o support the acquisition of land and properties and micro-lending programs for emerging food enterprises,鈥 and third, create 鈥渁n inclusive La Doce Community Council to coordinate a shared vision for systemic changes.鈥
The first phase of the project received financial help from a grant from the national Sustainability Funders Network and Partners for Places, with matching local support from the Community Foundation for Southern 蜜柚直播.
Ruiz proudly pointed out that 90 percent of the grant stayed in the community in forms of compensation for the participants鈥 time and knowledge and efforts.
Now comes the second phase. Ruiz, Rodriguez, Toledo and others intend to transform the recommendations into something real with the help of further funding. But Ruiz said 鈥渢hat we can鈥檛 always be depending on grants for this work because that isn鈥檛 sustainable.鈥
She added: 鈥淭o truly make a systemic change, we need partners with resources to actually fund this work for the long run.鈥
Ernesto Portillo Jr. is editor of La Estrella de Tucsón. He can be reached at 573-4187 or netopjr@tucson.com. On Twitter: @netopjr
