I was born in the highlands of Guatemala and studied at the Catholic University in Guatemala City, the University of Louvain in Belgium, and obtained a master’s degree in educational administration at UBC.

I also worked for the World Council of Indigenous Peoples and continue to work with Indigenous peoples and organizations in BC. I believe that it is important for Indigenous and other people to maintain a spiritual relationship with Mother Earth.

I am Maya-Mam from Western Highlands of Guatemala. I have been living in Vancouver BC for 26 years. I grew up in the country farm learning from my mother and father how to grow crops-it was part of my childhood. When I came to Canada I missed working in the corn fields and the connection to the land I had back home.

We grew up in the country fields in Guatemala. Cultivating crops was part of our way of living. Francisca is a weaver and learned when she was 8 years old. It is important to us that the Maya-Mam culture is not forgotten. We are passing down this  knowledge to our grandchildren to continue the growth of our ancestral roots.

An organic agriculture enthusiast who rediscovered his cultural heritage through food. After dropping out of school to pursue culinary arts, he migrated to Vancouver to work in the visual effects industry. Missing his culture, he immersed himself in Mexican cuisine and developed an interest in agriculture. He spends winters in Mexico and time with Maya Elders in Vancouver. Luis contributes to the Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty and started his own business crafting foods with love and respect for his culture.