OUR STORy: Los Tamaleros de la tierra
“Los Tamaleros de La Tierra is re-emerging in this time to share the gifts of the earth with our beloved communities.” – Casey
Our Origins…
My name is Casey Coty. Back in 2009 I was talking with mentor and inspiration, traditional agriculture practitioner, and lands and waters generational caregiver Miguel Santistevan after one of his platicas at the Westside Community Center. It was through Miguel that a few weeks later Travis McKenzie and I met each other at the Indigenous Permaculture Design Course in Española hosted by the Traditional Native American Farmers Association. We then returned to Albuquerque to continue work growing community by helping to create communal garden spaces with schools, our own backyard farm/garden at a house we rented in Old Town, assisting with the creation of edible landscapes for others in our community, and eventually launching Project Feed the Hood with another friend and SWOP organizer, all guided by the experience and wisdom of one of our elders and mentors, Joaquin Lujan. We continue this work today with others in various capacities with genuine relationships and continuity being the seeds to be nurtured.
What Food as Medicine Means
When I hear the phrase “Food as Medicine,” I think about the power of food to heal—not just physically, but socially and culturally. It reminds me that the meals we share, the ingredients we grow, and the traditions we pass down all play a role in health and well-being.
That it is like a seed that has been planted. It requires care and attention, and it is inviting us to be in deeper relationships with one another including all that continues to nurture us.
For me, it’s not about prescribing a perfect diet; it’s about recognizing that access to fresh, culturally meaningful food can prevent illness, strengthen families, and even restore a sense of dignity.
Our Everyday Work
Everyday is grounded by sincere and genuine gratitude; and the obligation we have to ensure future generations have the opportunities to continue the struggle to ensure continuity of abundance for everyone.
From idea to now, what’s your journey?
Every organization has a story. Ours is rooted in the lives, struggles, and love of those who came before us. We honor them by continuing their work and sharing what they’ve taught us. In the early days of Project Feed the Hood (PFTH), we made and sold tamales around town to help cover rent and bills while promoting locally grown produce, especially that fire green chile from our elder and mentor who reminded us that chile is community organizing. Sharing food became a way to build relationships and connect through culture.
This was the birth of Los Tamaleros de La Tierra. Though the group went quiet for a while, people still ask, “Where the tamales at?” We continue cooking and sharing food at special events and have begun cultivating a new communal space in the South Valley Pajarito Vista where youth learn cultural farming, natural building, and community leadership.
What Stays With You About Food as Medicine?
This journey is made possible by the lives, experiences, struggles, sacrifices, wisdom, and love of those who have come before us; those that have taught and shared with us. We strive to honor them by continuing the works they have entrusted to the next generations.
What We’re Reaching for
“To support one another. Build and strengthen relations. Celebrate and care for them.”
