Center for Cultural Fluency

Mount Alum ('06) Bricia Lopez inspired Mount faculty and staff with her workshop about regional cultures of Mexico at her family's Guelaguetza Oaxacan Restaurant (www.guelaguetza.com). The Food 4 Thought attendees delighted in an authentic Oaxacan food tasting including 4 types of moles, meat cooked in imported chiles and spices and large corn tortillas with Oaxacan string cheese. Bricia spoke about the Oaxacan regional cuisine as well as the social and cultural differences within Mexico and Los Angeles. She described the culture shock she experienced when first coming to the US as a child ( not being able to freely play outside and never having eaten or heard of a Burrito), and her family's commitment to promoting Oaxacan culture in Los Angeles. Now a restaurant owner herself- Bricia filled us in on the food scene in Los Angeles and what she's learned as an entrepreneur in the industry. It was truly an afternoon to remember - thank you Bricia!