Activists in the primarily Mexican-American Westwood neighborhood want to change that, and for the third year in a row, community partners there are holding a wide-ranging celebration of their culture.
Frida Kahlo, woman empowerment, local artists, chefs and mole, gallons upon gallons of mole, will collide this weekend for two events at the RISE Westwood Campus at 3738 Morrison Road.
“This event is just our first one, but we hope it can continue for many years to come,” Luong said. “Who knows, maybe this can help preserve this area. Like just letting the city know that this area cannot be pushed out because these cultural things all happen here.”
About a dozen chefs will be earning that recognition Saturday as they present their variation of mole. Ronkanen said folks will see common mole such as mole poblano and mole Oaxaca. There’s mole negro and amarillo. One local chef will have mole blanco, which uses white chocolate. And remember, not all mole has chocolate in it, like mole tamarind, a sweeter mole that uses tamarind pulp which may also make an appearance on Saturday.
“My mom’s from here and she grew up in that time where people were pushed to be more Americanized, so I never learned Spanish growing up. I never learned about my ancestors,” Rodriguez said. “I was very disconnected from my culture as a kid. My mom tried her hardest to educate me as much as she could… but now I know I’m indigenous. I’m Chicana. I’m a woman. I’m just so many different things.”
No part of the animal goes to waste. The bones are used to make broths, and the charcoal in the pit becomes compost for the garden at Re:Vision, a nonprofit based in Westwood. The Re:Vision campus is where Avila prepares the lamb in the commercial kitchen and cooks it in a permanent barbacoa pit.
Día de los Muertos officially starts Nov. 1 but the celebration, preservation and reclamation of the holiday begins Nov. 3 in Westwood.