Centro Hispano of Dane County, in collaboration with PBS Wisconsin, will host The Evening of Dreaming virtually at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2. This free, online event will showcase the diversity of Latino cuisine and explore the cultural significance of food. 

Hosts Karen Menendez Coller and Luke Zahm, host of PBS Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Foodie, will virtually guide attendees through an educational culinary journey alongside renowned chefs and activists chef Elena Terry and chef Anthony Gallarday. 

Now in its sixth year, the theme of this year’s Evening of Dreaming is “Decolonizing Dinner,” which encourages people to reclaim the power of their native food by returning to traditional practices. Menendez Coller explains that at Centro Hispano of Dane County, “We recognize that the loss of our native traditions has intentionally and detrimentally impacted the well-being of people of color in the United States today.”

Speakers will discuss the importance of traditional foods to Latino cultures and why it is important to rethink our connection to agriculture. The event will also examine how food is grown and cooked as a form of advocacy, and how re-commitment to indigenous food is a way to preserve Latino heritage and identity.

This interactive virtual event will encourage participants to engage in a candid conversation about food appropriation, colonialism and activism in the context of native culture. The featured dinner ingredient will be Zea mays (maize or corn).

For free registration and more information about The Evening of Dreaming, visit micentro.org/an-evening-of-dreaming.html.

PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PBS Wisconsin is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV, Madison; WPNE-TV, Green Bay; WHRM-TV, Wausau; WLEF-TV, Park Falls; WHLA-TV, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV, Menomonie-Eau Claire.

-END-