I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA but my parents are from Mexico and Guatemala. For as long as I can remember, my family has always been very united. They left their hometowns at a young age and began their new life in Los Angeles. As our family continued to grow, they created a sense of community, love, and embracement for their cultures. I was able to learn about my cultural identity through all the meals they cooked, music, and traditional practices. 

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My parents did not have the opportunity to further pursue their education in the United States and it was something that they always encouraged for my siblings and I. Throughout high school, I recall instances where they would bring me drinks and snacks as I was studying hard. After school on Friday's, my mom would have our favorite meals ready to celebrate the end of the week. Eventually as I grew older, cooking became one of my favorite things to do with family. I loved listening to all the stories that came with cooking each meal and learning more about our culture. 

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Coming to college was a huge achievement for my family and I. I was the first to go to college and to leave my home. It was a difficult transition and there were many times where I felt lost and out of place. However as I found my community at UCSB and continued to embrace my cultural identity, I managed to make UCSB my home too. These recipes are just a few of the meals that got me through my time here. They were my comfort meals that reminded of my purpose and the support system I have back home. I will now be graduating and hope that these meals can provide other first generation students the motivation to keep going.