Celebrating the rich culinary traditions of our neighbors across Arizona
Taste la Tradición: A celebration of Latin American cooking and immigrant stories in Arizona
Come hungry, not just for food but for community, so you too can experience Taste la Tradición.
Food That Tells Our Story
Welcome to Taste la Tradición, a celebration of flavor, family, and community.
This cooking series was born from a simple truth: food connects us all. Each episode invites you into the kitchens of students, parents, workers - people who might remind you of your neighbors, friends, or even yourself. Here, food is more than just nourishment, it's memory, pride, and love.
In a time when immigrant communities are often misunderstood or reduced to headlines, we wanted to create something that cuts through the noise, something human, warm, and real. Presented by ACE, this series is not just about what's on the plate, it's about who's behind it.
In many of our cultures, the kitchen becomes a storytelling space where stories, laughter, (and sometimes chismes), are shared. Food is also resistance—each dish preserves traditions that migration cannot erase, keeping our cultures alive across borders and generations. Our goal is to shift the way we talk about immigrant communities, to show the dignity and joy in our everyday lives, and to remind people that behind every dish is a story worth knowing.
Presented by Arizona Center for Empowerment
Food is more than just nourishment, it's memory, pride, and love - it's a form of art and resistance.
Join the Taste la Tradición Community
Don't miss our upcoming episodes, recipes, and community events
Be part of our growing community celebrating cultural traditions and working toward a more inclusive Arizona. Whether you're here for the recipes, the stories, or the mission, there's a place for you at our table.
Follow us on social media for regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community stories.
Watch Our Stories Unfold
Step into kitchens across Arizona as community members share their cherished recipes and personal journeys. Each episode offers a unique glimpse into the cultural traditions that shape our collective identity.
Episode 05
Laura’s Chicharrones 🇲🇽
Step into the kitchen with Laura, a DACA recipient with deep roots in Mexico and an inspiring story of resilience. In this season finale of Taste La Tradición, Laura shares her grandfather’s beloved chicharrón tacos. A dish that connects her to her family, culture, and cherished memories.
Past Episode
Episode 01
Guatemalan Chuchitos with Nataly 🇬🇹
A mother-daughter duo shares the tradition of making chuchitos, corn masa dumplings filled with savory meat and wrapped in corn husks. Learn how this dish connects them to their homeland while building new memories in Arizona.
Episode 02
Margarita & Constanza's Tamales 🇨🇴
Find your seat at the table! The second episode of Taste: La Tradición is heading to Colombia 🇨🇴. Margarita and Constanza will show us how to make the rich, flavorful Tamales Tolimenses, a true traditional delight.
Episode 03
Juana & Virginia’s Honduran Enchiladas 🇭🇳
It’s time to dig in! The third episode of Taste la Tradición is now making its way over to Honduras 🇭🇳. We meet Juana and Virginia, a mother-daughter duo who show us how to make Honduran enchiladas and the value of togetherness.
Episode 03
Carmen’s Pupusas 🇸🇻
Grab a plate and meet Carmen—a mother with big dreams and a deep love for pupusas. For her, these dishes hold powerful memories of home and family. Carmen’s journey began in El Salvador, where poverty forced her to leave everything behind. Though she faced hardship and loneliness, she never stopped moving forward.
Meet Our Chefs
Our featured chefs are community members who bring their unique cultural backgrounds and personal journeys to each dish they prepare. Their hands tell stories of resilience, tradition, and the universal language of food.
Guatemala, Central America
Nataly & Natalia
Nataly learned to make chuchitos alongside her mother in their family kitchen. 'This recipe connects me to my roots in Guatemala while creating new traditions here in Arizona. Every time I make chuchitos, I'm honoring my culture and teaching my siblings about their heritage.’
Making Chuchitos
Chuchitos are a traditional Guatemalan dish similar to tamales, made with corn masa, filled with seasoned meat, and wrapped in corn husks. They're typically served during celebrations and family gatherings, representing the coming together of community.
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Preparation Time: 2 hours
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Cooking Time: 1 hour
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Serves: 8-10
This detailed recipe includes step-by-step instructions, cultural context, and family stories that bring the dish to life.
All recipes available in both English and Spanish.
All recipes available in both English and Spanish / Todas las recetas disponibles en inglés y español
Be the First to Know
Sé el Primero en Saber
Join our community to receive exclusive recipes, episode announcements, and stories delivered directly to your inbox.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events, cookbook updates, and opportunities to share your own cultural recipes.
"Being part of Taste la Tradición brought me back to my roots in a way I didn’t expect. I made a meal my abuelo used to cook, something I thought was lost forever. As I cooked, it felt like he was right there with me. It reminded me that food carries memory, and through these stories, we keep our loved ones and our culture alive."
- Laura
Our Stories, Our Cookbook
Taste la Tradición:
Take home the flavors and stories from our community with our upcoming bilingual cookbook.
This beautiful collection brings together recipes from our video series alongside additional contributions from community members, creating a tapestry of culinary traditions from across Latin America.
The cookbook will be available in Fall 2025. Sign up now to be notified when pre-orders begin and to receive a special community discount.
Bilingual Content
Every recipe presented in both English and Spanish, making these traditions accessible to everyone.
Spanglish
Guide
Learn the cooking terms your abuela never explained—from 'un cachito' to 'echale al ojo'—with our humorous and practical terminology guide.
Cultural Context
Each dish includes the historical and cultural significance behind the ingredients and preparation methods.
Food as
Resistance
Discover how cooking traditional foods has become an act of cultural preservation and resistance across generations.
Personal Stories
Read firsthand accounts from contributors about what these recipes mean to their families and communities.
Beautiful Photography
Vibrant images capture not just the finished dishes, but the hands and hearts behind them.
Beyond the Kitchen
Más Allá de la Cocina
Immigration is about more than just paperwork, it's about people, families, and the right to feel safe and seen.
That's why our work goes beyond the kitchen, providing essential immigration resources that inform and help protect our communities.
From Know Your Rights presentations to advocacy at the state and national level, we stand alongside our community every step of the way. Our services include legal clinics, educational workshops, and ongoing support rooted in dignity and justice.
Explore our resources below and see how you can make a difference. Get involved with us today and help us build a stronger, more inclusive future!
Explore All Resources
Support Our Work
Apoya Nuestro Trabajo
This work belongs to all of us, whether you came to the U.S. many years ago or you were born here, you're part of a powerful community rooted in love, resilience, and collective care. Our stories, struggles, & dreams are interconnected, and when we show up for one another we build something bigger than ourselves.
By sharing this series, joining our advocacy efforts, or making a donation, you help keep our programs alive and accessible. It takes all of us to keep this movement going. Together, we can uplift the voices waiting to be heard.
Your support makes a difference.
Just in the last year, we have completed the following (and counting):
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100
media stories featured ACE
200
Over
individuals received critical services from ACE this year
120+
community members met with their elected officials to advocate for people-centered AZ State Budget
Nearly
10,000
voters were registered across the state of AZ
Your contributions directly fund our community programs, including this video series, free immigration workshops, and advocacy efforts. ACE is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.
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About The Teams
Arizona Center for Empowerment (ACE) is a 501(c)(3) member-led social justice organization that empowers undocumented youth, adults, students, and LGBTQ individuals to lead change and fight for economic, social, and racial justice. Through leadership development, citizenship, civic engagement, advocacy, and education, ACE builds collective power to create a more inclusive and equitable Arizona. Our key priorities include immigrant rights, income equality, public education, and access to health care. At its core, ACE believes that lasting change starts with the people most impacted leading the way.
Ojo y Alma is a creative multimedia collective born at the intersection of vision and spirit—where storytelling becomes a practice of empathy, memory, and truth. Our founders, Noemi Gonzalez, Joel Farias-Godinez, and Steven Luna, bring over 25 years of collective experience in shaping narratives that reflect, resonate with, and uplift our community.
The Abundant Futures Fund is an innovative funding initiative that connects social justice organizations with creative resources to amplify their impact. By providing flexible creative support hours, strategic guidance, and access to professional services, the Fund helps transform grassroots visions into powerful, professionally-executed campaigns for change.
Neta is a creative and marketing agency dedicated to advancing social justice through transformative storytelling. Neta brings lived immigrant experiences and cultural understanding to every project, creating authentic narratives that challenge anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Resource Media is a nonprofit creative change agency that creates powerful narratives and strategies that transform public opinion, policy, and behavior around the most urgent issues of our time.
At Wonder, we partner with changemakers to create Heartwired strategies that accelerate progress. We believe curiosity and smart research create amazing, breakthrough moments to jump start progress and behavior change.
Wonder strategists have led audience research and developed messaging and communications strategies to make progress on some of the most emotionally complex issues of our times — from winning the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in the United States, to immigration, to medical aid in dying.