Join us for a vibrant seed exchange event designed to bring together students, local community members, and fellow urban farmers. With tables set up and seed envelopes along with sharpies provided, participants can freely share their seeds. Our gathering will feature an open mic session, offering everyone a chance to share their gardening journeys—be it successes, failures, or memorable lessons learned from their gardens. We welcome all types of seeds at the exchange, although there will be a preference for corn, bean, and squash seeds. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and cultivate a greater appreciation for diverse plant life while fostering community bonds through milpa gardening. We look forward to seeing you there! Special guest, Marlene Aguilar of Irekuarhikua.

Marlene Aguilar

A Xicana and of P’urhepecha descent, born and raised in Tongva territory (in what is now known as East Los Angeles, CA) with roots in the inter-mountain valley region of Michoacán, Mexico. As a community-based cocinera, she draws inspiration from her campesin@ family but has also been shaped by her work in different food equity programs, specifically CSAs (community supported agriculture). She is founder of the food project, IREKUARHIKUA, which aims to offer seasonally inspired affordable plant-based meals while highlighting the resilience of indigenous foods. Her project is currently offering a meal prep service like comida corrida from fondas or cocinas económicas found throughout Mexico.