Our Heart Within Us

Francisco and Lucia are Mayan refugees from Guatemala who arrived in Colorado in the 1980s. By farming with their community and growing plants indigenous to Guatemala, they have been able to hold on to a piece of their homeland.

In addition to participating in many events within their tight knit Latino community in the small town of Alamosa, the couple also tends to a small farm with other Guatemalan families. "We have a piece of Guatemala here with us," they say.

The farm allows them to grow their own Guatemalan herbs and vegetables and raise organic poultry as they did back home. Their harvest helps them cook traditional meals while eating healthy.

Despite discrimination they have encountered in Colorado, they are appreciative of how welcoming the U.S. has been. "It's a country of opportunity if you know how to make the most of it." But their heart is within them, they say, as they will never forget the land where they were born. "The Mayan community is one of family," Lucia says. "Sharing and co-existing. And that's what's so beautiful."

Courtesy of Perennial Plate