Rich stories and culture are often shared and preserved through food — in this case, tacos.
Taco journalist Mando Rayo recently released the fifth season of his podcast, The Tacos of Texas.
The 12-episode season continues to explore taco culture — from the women who serve as the backbones of Mexican cooking and restaurants, to the role that food can play in politics, particularly with MAGA Latinos.
Rayo, the producer and host of the podcast, said taco journalism can highlight the stories of Latino-run restaurants and chefs who are integral parts of keeping communities thriving.
“They’re paying their dues — whether it’s the work that they’re doing making great food (or) bringing what I would say is the culture with them,” he said. “For me it’s all about, ‘Tell me more stories like this,’ because we need them now more than ever.”
The podcast’s most recent episode dives into how gentrification and redlining has impacted the food of the region.
“When you think about this whole idea around the generation wealth gap in the United States, that’s part of the story,” he said. “(Gentrification) is happening all over again.”
Hear the episode below:
