Mujeres del Mercado

In a quest to help provide for her parents and escape the violence that permeated her country, Fabiola Sánchez left México City behind twenty years ago as a 16-year-old mother. Upon arriving in the United States, Fabiola and her family found refuge with relatives, and in a short span of three weeks she and her husband managed to find a home of their own in Hemet, California, a city in the San Jacinto Valley.

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It was in Hemet where Fabiola became acquainted with the Soboba Reservation and where she embraced the Native American culture that would later inspire a symbol that would restore balance, protection, and positivity in her life. While Hemet became home for Fabiola and her family, the high unemployment rate due to a poor economy, as well as the extreme weather conditions forced them to relocate to Los Angeles; where she found work as the manager of a Belizean restaurant.

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When the restaurant underwent changes in ownership, Fabiola found herself seeking employment once again. One day, after a visit to the DMV, she was captivated by the facade of a building sitting across the street. Fabiola set off to explore what lay beyond those walls and, like many new visitors to Mercado La Paloma, she was taken aback by the beauty and unique vibrancy housed under such an unassuming structure in a quiet neighborhood.

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Fortunately, as Fabiola’s search for work continued, she was approached by Gilberto Cetina Sr., the chef and owner of the highly successful Chichén Itzá restaurant, who asked if she needed help. Fabiola explained that she was waiting to be interviewed, but the vendor was running late. Gilberto Cetina Sr. then inquired about her skills and instantly offered her a job. Almost six years later, Fabiola is now the manager at Chichén Itzá, where she was mentored by the best, Chef Gilberto Cetina Sr. and Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr., and oversees a team whom she holds in high regard.

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While Fabiola found success at work, her personal life took a heavy toll when she entered a new relationship that would ultimately stifle every fiber of her being for nearly seven years. Fabiola had no idea that she would find herself in an abusive relationship where she would no longer smile, have friends, or speak freely as any intonation in her voice would be misinterpreted and trouble would arise. Fortunately, Fabiola found the resolve to leave that unhealthy relationship and today, she is a survivor of domestic violence who has reclaimed her identity and found her zest for life again. Fabiola appreciates the lessons she learned on her journey and proudly wears a tattoo of a Native American dreamcatcher, not only as a reminder of those lessons, but also as a symbol of protection.