Artist Christine Lopez's adopted home of Todos Santos is an area steeped in supernatural legend, and a deep connection to the plants, animals, and landscape that surround it. It's name alone (which translates to "All Saints") implies a reverence for, and commune with, the spiritual world. In Mexican folklore, “El náhuatl" are humans who have the power to shapeshift into an animal form at night. These legendary creatures are rooted in the belief that each person possesses a deeper, limitless self, represented in their tonal animal counterpart. Nahuales are in some cases believed to be guardian spirits, who protect their community and provide a bridge to the metaphysical realm.
In Todos Santos, the many rabbits that populate the landscape are often said to be secret nahuales, able to traverse both the physical and spiritual worlds. In many Mesoamerican folk religions, rabbits are also associated with the moon, and creation/origin stories that are passed down through generations to this day. In "La Magia de Tochtli" or ("Magic of the Rabbit"), Christine draws inspiration from these legends to pay homage to the “pueblo de magica” that can be felt from the land and people of Todos Santos.
Platos Con Amor is a non-profit organization started by Elisabeth Chávez. Like many local businesses in Todos Santos, Elisabeth's catering company was forced to close temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the absence of events to cater, Elisabeth and her team pivoted to address a rising need in the community. They redirected their efforts to cooking and delivering meals to local residents without access to kitchens or with disabilities that prevented them from cooking at home.
Realizing that this was an ongoing need in their community, Elisabeth teamed up with Denise González to found the Platos Con Amor Community Kitchen, the first of its kind in Todos Santos. Today the organization works tirelessly to address and reduce food insecurity in the Todos Santos Community by guaranteeing access to healthy meals for single mothers, disables resident, and seniors.
Christine knew she wanted to support an organization that was doing direct work to support the Todos Santos community, and Platos Con Amor was a perfect fit. She told us that she felt so welcomed and embraced by the Todos Santos community when she moved there, she knew she wanted to give back directly. We're honored to team up with Christine to support this incredible organization!
platosconamor.org/
