Welcome
Bienvenidxs
Tlazohtla
Itzel is a Mexicah from Tepetlixpa, Mexico, living in Alaska and a bilingual researcher working within the Abya Yala (Latin American) diaspora community towards localized community-based solutions.
Zagal is a committed academic with Arctic experiences and Abya Yalan (Latin American) perspectives on issues of food sovereignty and climatic adaptation, continuities of colonization, decolonial migration studies, Indigenous feminism, intersections of cultural heritage and community healing resilience, collective memory and international human rights law, centering Indigenous worldviews for the community’s self-determined needs and care practices.
Passionate for teaching and generating co-production of science and student engagement through experiential-based projects, hands-on workshops, real-world skills learning, and community partnership. Through her teaching and research, Zagal implements Indigenous methodologies and feminist co-research for community-driven projects.
Itzel is a border crosser etnococinera (ethnocook), decolonial curator, Mexicah popoxcomitl carrier, award-winning Nepantlera poet, and co-hosts Radio Latina 106.1 and the podcast Sembranza in Alaska.
ABYA YALA
Raíces Indígenas de Latinos en Alaska
Nuestras Raíces is part of Nuestra Huella, a project by Enlaces Alaska and the Anchorage Museum. The exhibition opens a dialogue between the past and present Indigenous peoples of Abya Yala in Alaska, focusing on three important themes: Memories of Flavor, Our Ancestors Live, and Women Weaving Life.
The exhibition is available starting October 4, 2024, at the Anchorage Museum.
LATEST PROJECTS
Roots: Indigenous Mexico in Alaska
This book compiles the study of 137 Indigenous pieces from the collection of the Museum of the North in Fairbanks, Alaska, exploring how these artifacts arrived at the museum, their origins, and their cultural significance. The project seeks to honor and dignify the Indigenous legacy, offering a deeper understanding of the rich history and meaning behind these pieces.
Indigenous Practices Honoring Life and Death from Mexico to Alaska
Article coauthored with Christina Edwin for Sibirica: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Siberian Studies focuses on the annual Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration held by the Latino community in Anchorage, Alaska, every November 2nd since 2004. The article underscored Día de Muertos as both a spiritual practice and a form of cultural resistance and solidarity.
Radio Sembranza: Abya Yala Alaska
Radio Sembranza is the first Spanish-language podcast produced in Anchorage, Alaska, for the entire Latin and Spanish-speaking community. In the program, we celebrate culture, traditions, and ancestral knowledge and flavors through the stories of our guests—individuals who are part of the Latinx community in Alaska and have found food to be their means of expression.
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Aquí se come dignidad: El tianguis de Ozumba
Short documentary that explores the practices of Buenvivir and food sovereignty at the ancestral market of Ozumba, State of Mexico, as an example of community resistance against the agro-industrial food model imposed by the capitalist system through supermarkets.
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Let's connect
I’m always open to collaborate and listen to wonderful stories and projects.
Feel free to reach out—I’d love to hear from you!