Intertwinedrootz (Marlyn Arzate)
Intertwinedrootz (Marlyn Arzate) was raised in the Inland Empire with early memories of making tortillas from scratch alongside their grandmother and picking fruit in the yard. As they grew older, they began to notice a growing disconnect between the foods they grew up with and what was available in their community. Through language and reflection, they came to understand that this separation impacts not only access to ancestral foods and practices, but also how communities relate to one another. Marlyn’s work centers on creating spaces to reconnect and heal through community and ancestral foodways.
Living Cultures Grant Program
2024
Guided by Corn Spirit: A Path to Healing
Funding will support the development of a community space in the Inland Empire where participants can reconnect with ancestral food practices through planting, tending, and preparing corn. The project will support nixtamalization—the traditional process of preparing corn—as a way to deepen cultural knowledge, nourish the body, and build collective healing through shared food and practice.
