"Food traditions like snowballs and seafood connect New Orleans and Baltimore, two places with their own complex histories as major Southern port cities. But beyond the crabs and snowballs, our team-- Andy Dahl, Fernando Lopez, and I-- wanted to examine links between the two places through themes of migration and Mexican food. Thus, as part of the Homegrown Foodways Series: Baltimore and New Orleans, we introduce "El Camino del Pan y el Mole," which takes a visual ethnography approach to document these rich stories and relatively new Mexican foodways traditions in each city." (excerpt from Prof. Fouts LOC American Folklife Center Blog Post)

Behind the scenes selfie with Fernando Lopez, Andy Dahl, Sarah Fouts, and Jose Vargas lounging while his wife, Angela, is being interviewed at their house in Rosedale, Maryland. Photo by Fernando Lopez.

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Jose Vargas in front of his bakery on S. Highland Avenue, East Baltimore, Maryland. Photo by Andy Dahl.

El Camino del Pan a Baltimore

Gilberto (left) and Ivan, stars of El Camino del Mole a New Orleans, posing for Project Neutral Grounds in New Orleans's City Park. Photo courtesy of Fernando Lopez.

El Camino del Mole a New Orleans

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You're invited to El Camino del Pan y del Mole event on November 9 at the Creative Alliance from 6-8 PM Please reserve your spot here.

The event features programming and two short documentary films that chronicle the lives of Mexican restaurateurs living in Baltimore (Jose Vargas) and in New Orleans (Ivan Castillo). From their work as street vendors to building community through their food traditions, Jose and Ivan have each taken unique approaches to carve their own niches in these urban places. The programming will feature a panel discussion that links New Orleans, Baltimore, immigration, and foodways. Cash bar, light snacks, dance performances by Jovenes en Accion, and a drag show performance by Ivette Donnelly. Plus the event will feature zines researched and designed by UMBC PUBH200 students. The event will be bilingual.

Special thanks to the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress,  UMBC Public Humanities, UMBC Department of American Studies, Maryland State Arts Council, Whiting Foundation, and the Southeast Community Development Corporation.

Les invitamos al evento, El Camino del Pan y del Mole, el 9 de noviembre en el Creative Alliance desde las 6 hasta las 8 de la tarde. Favor de reservar su lugar aquí. 

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El evento cuenta con programación y dos cortometrajes documentales que narran la vida de restauranteros mexicanos que viven en Baltimore (José Vargas) y en Nueva Orleans (Iván Castillo). Desde su trabajo como vendedores ambulantes hasta la construcción de una comunidad a través de sus tradiciones gastronómicas, José e Iván han adoptado enfoques únicos para crear sus propios nichos en estos lugares urbanos. La programación incluirá un panel de discusión que vincula Nueva Orleans, Baltimore, la inmigración y las costumbres gastronómicas. Barra de efectivo, espectáculos de danza hecho por Jóvenes en Acción, y un show de drag con Ivette Donnelly. Será bilingüe.

Un agradecimiento especial al el American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, las Humanidades Públicas de la UMBC, el Departamento de Estudios Americanos de la UMBC, el Consejo de las Artes del Estado de Maryland, Whiting Foundation, y la Corporación de Desarrollo Comunitario del Sureste.

Baltimore City Schools has become a FoodCorps host site -- a nationwide AmeriCorps service-year program focused on food access and education. Great Kids Farm will host 3 food education fellows beginning in August of 2023. Job description: LINK. 

How to apply: see below.

We'll train our food education team in all of our programs, and the team will teach both at the farm and at schools across the city. We're eager to hire a passionate educator team which reflects the diversity of Baltimore City and City Schools students. The position is an 11-month role from the end of August 2023 to the end of July 2024. AmeriCorps members earn "living stipends" in place of salaries. This year's stipend is $33,000 for all 11 months. Applicants receive basic health and dental insurance, and are eligible for a $6,895 award toward education expenses at the completion of the year.

There are some additional benefits! See below for:

• Who are we looking for?
• The job application information for all Baltimore and DC area openings.
• Application instructions
• Additional benefits information

Who are we looking for?

LINK: Baltimore & DC Job Description

Instructions To Apply: Read all steps carefully!

1. Review all the information about Food Corps as a program: foodcorps.org/apply
2. There are 2 tracks, Great Kids Farm is only 1 track - Review what it means to be a Food Education Service Member, which is the track available at Great Kids Farm
3. Read the full application here, before selecting on the link which takes you to the Google Form - https://foodcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/PY24-Service-Member-Application.pdf
4. Prepare your resume and the answers to all of the questions noted in #3 above.
5. As you prepare your answers, prepare to let the FoodCorps team know that you are interested to work for the Baltimore Site and tell us why! You can include this information in the motivation section and/or the 'anything we didn't ask that you want us to know about you' section.
6. Fill out your application: https://foodcorps.tfaforms.net/4942118
7. LET US KNOW IF YOU APPLY! The applications go to a central application system for all FoodCorps locations. If you let us know that you applied, we can help bump your application and/or ensure that it gets to us. We have no way to know that you applied unless you tell us directly. Email: lnmenyuk@bcps.k12.md.us

Additional Benefits:

Education Award: After successfully completing your FoodCorps term of service, you'll be eligible for a $6,895 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. You can use the award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current or future educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. The award is good to use for up to 7 years. Please note that this award is considered income for tax purposes.

Health insurance: You'll receive basic health, dental, and vision coverage.

Student Loan Forbearance: Most student loans are eligible for forbearance. This means that you can wait until the end of the year to start paying off student loans, without penalty and without adding extra interest onto the loan.

Relocation support: To support the transition into service, all incoming service members will receive $500 to cover relocation costs or to support a gap between jobs. These funds can be used for rent, gas, moving van rental, security deposit, and other costs associated with starting in a new role.

Partial Childcare Reimbursements: For eligible participants who would need this in order to participate.

SNAP: Some service members are eligible to receive SNAP benefits

Need-Based Funding: FoodCorps members can apply for funding to cover costs related to medical or family emergencies, natural disasters, or other unexpected costs related to service throughout their year of service.