Latin American Resource Center

We stayed the city for our last day of the institute. We began at the Oaxaca Lending Library, a bilingual, volunteer-supported space that serves local youth and international residents alike. We were joined by representatives from local nonprofits Libros para Pueblos and Fundación En Vía for a conversation about access to education, intercultural literature, and community development across Oaxaca and its surrounding towns.

From there, the group walked to Nunduve for a honey tasting with local biologist and founder Diego Contreras, whose Mixtec heritage led him to the world of beekeeping and, ultimately, to becoming one of Oaxaca’s most passionate voices for environmental stewardship and cultural preservation. Tasting honey by region was a surprisingly moving way to end our time in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca Lending Library Mieles y café
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This summer institute is made possible by funding to Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI National Resource Center program.

In Oaxaca, graphic art and printmaking are woven into the city’s cultural fabric and fundamental to its identity. It is at once a tool for political activism, a vehicle for community education, and a celebration of indigenous heritage. Much of it lives in the public domain, on the walls and streets where it is accessible to everyone.

On the first day of our institute, we visited Lapiztola (𝕷𝖆𝖕𝖎𝖟𝖙𝖔𝖑𝖆), a stencil and street art collective formed in 2006 in support of the Oaxacan teachers’ protests. Their name blends the Spanish words for pencil (lápiz) and pistol (pi***la). Participants got hands-on in a screen printing workshop, creating original collaborative designs.

Later in the week, several participants took a woodblock relief printing class at Subterráneos (), a collective, school, workshop, and gallery for young graphic artists whose captivating work one can find all over the city.

Fun fact: the seed for this summer institute was planted during the 2025 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, when our Senior Program Manager for Public Engagement met and was inspired by the founders of Lapiztola while volunteering.

World Cup fever was alive and well during our time in Oaxaca. Between sessions with community partners, our group found moments to cheer on Mexico’s undefeated run, as well as the home teams of participants. There’s nothing quite like watching the World Cup in the host country! 🇲🇽

Two of the most compelling conversations during our K-12 Educator Summer Institute in Oaxaca came from women whose work is shaping the future of their communities in profound ways.

Lily Palma of Zapotec Travel by Lily (Indigenous woman owned in Oaxaca, Mex), one of National Geographic’s 2024 Travelers of the Year, joined us to discuss her model of indigenous and women-led tourism, her decision to rematriate to Oaxaca, and what she wishes U.S.-based educators knew about the communities they visit.

Sofía Guendulain, president of Trans-Difusión, led a conversation about muxe identity, a third gender rooted in Zapotec culture that predates colonization, and the ongoing work of her organization to advocate for trans and muxe communities in Oaxaca.

Both conversations reminded us that understanding a place means listening to the people working hardest to protect it. Thank you to Lily and Sofía for your time and for the conversations that challenged and inspired us.

Oaxaca is home to some of the world’s most distinctive and enduring indigenous artisan traditions. This week, participants in our K-12 Educator Summer Institute have been meeting the makers behind them.
 
In Teotitlán del Valle, a town internationally renowned for its textile arts, the group visited Taller Huella Carmín , a family of master weavers now in their fifth generation, learning how wool is processed, spun, and dyed using all-natural, organic materials. They also visited the home studio of Doña Viviana and family (Casa Viviana Oaxaca ), celebrated for their artistry and precision in making ceremonial candles. From there, participants got their hands dirty at Nacuanda ‘s añil workshop, where founder Isabel Gijón introduced them to a the indigo dye locally grown and processed in Oaxaca’s isthmus region, and guided them through dyeing their own fabrics.
 
This week, the group also visited Taller Manos Que Ven 🤲🏽 in Ocotlán, where accomplished ceramic artist Don José García, who lost his vision over 20 years ago, and his wife Teresita Mendoza, continue to create and teach a visual medium to new generations.
 
We are deeply grateful to all of the artists who welcomed us into their homes and studios and shared their craft with us.

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This summer institute is made possible by funding to Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI National Resource Center program.

Oaxaca is home to some of the world’s most distinctive and enduring indigenous artisan traditions. This week, participants in our K-12 Educator Summer Institute have been meeting the makers behind them.
 
In Teotitlán del Valle, a town internationally renowned for its textile arts, the group visited Taller Huella Carmín , a family of master weavers now in their fifth generation, learning how wool is processed, spun, and dyed using all-natural, organic materials. They also visited the home studio of Doña Viviana and family (Casa Viviana Oaxaca ), celebrated for their artistry and precision in making ceremonial candles. From there, participants got their hands dirty at Nacuanda ‘s añil workshop, where founder Isabel Gijón introduced them to a the indigo dye locally grown and processed in Oaxaca’s isthmus region, and guided them through dyeing their own fabrics.
 
This week, the group also visited Taller Manos Que Ven 🤲🏽 in Ocotlán, where accomplished ceramic artist Don José García, who lost his vision over 20 years ago, and his wife Teresita Mendoza, continue to create and teach a visual medium to new generations.
 
We are deeply grateful to all of the artisans who welcomed us into their homes and studios and shared their craft with us.

___________________
This summer institute is made possible by funding to Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI National Resource Center program.

This week, during our K-12 Educator Summer Institute, participants explored the living culinary traditions of Oaxaca at La Cocina de Humo, the teaching kitchen of Michelin-starred restaurant Levadura de Olla, where they prepared a menu featuring heirloom tomato and pepita salsas, cranberry mole, tamales with bean and hierba santa, and a wild greens stew. Then they sat down together to share and enjoy the meal they made.

Earlier in the week, the group visited Mo-Kalli (“your house” in Zapotec) in San Marcos Tlapazola, where chef Catalina Lucas guided them through a mole tasting that brought together modern and prehispanic culinary traditions.
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This summer institute is made possible by funding to Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI National Resource Center program.

The Latin American Resource Center’s K12 Educator Summer Institute in Oaxaca: Community Knowledge and Cultural Continuity kicked off this week, and we’re excited to share a few highlights from their first activities!

On Tuesday, they had their welcome dinner at Zandunga, which is well known for its dishes from Oaxaca’s isthmus region. Yesterday, educators heard from guest speaker Lily Palma of Zapotec Travels, a local business that offers tours coordinated by indigenous communities. The group later visited Taller Lapiztola, where they practiced screen printing technique and created original collaborative designs using the “cadaver exquisito” method, a creative hands-on experience!

Stay tuned as we keep sharing moments from LARC’s Summer Institute in Oaxaca, Mexico!

Cristina Rivera Garza in conversation with Creative Writing students at NOCCA. Students read “Liliana's Invincible Summer” in preparation for the visit, and their questions and insights made for a truly memorable exchange about craft, memory, and storytelling.