People of the Mercado

When Blanca Ruiz was a child, her father migrated to the United States from Oaxaca to ensure that his wife and Blanca had everything they needed. While her father was away, Blanca would join her mother, after school, at the local market, where they sold handmade tortillas. Blanca’s father shared stories of his struggles as a migrant in the United States, and as a result, Blanca never felt inclined to leave the small town of Tlacolula de Matamoros.

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Unfortunately, Blanca’s father passed away when she was 21 years old, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves. Although she was an only child, Blanca’s mother taught her the value of hard work, and together they managed to get by. However, seven years after her father’s passing, Blanca lost her mother. Feeling alone, Blanca hesitantly agreed to join her cousins in the United States. Terrified to embark on the journey, having heard all too many horror stories from her father, Blanca promised that she would return home if the first attempt to cross the U.S. border failed. As fortune would have it, Blanca’s journey went smoothly, and she united with her already established relatives in Los Angeles.

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Blanca quickly integrated into the tight-knit Oaxacan community in Los Angeles and secured employment as a hotel housekeeper. Soon, she met her husband, and when their first daughter was born, Blanca’s fate to remain in the United States long-term was sealed. Serendipitously, a neighbor suggested that Blanca try Oaxacalifornia, a restaurant serving traditional Oaxacan dishes located within Mercado la Paloma. When Blanca visited the restaurant, she met the owners and fellow compatriots, who, by the end of the conversation, offered her a job as a cook where she would remain for the next nine years. Blanca later transitioned to her current position at Taqueria Vista Hermosa, also located inside the Mercado.

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Today, Blanca is grateful for the opportunities she found in this country. One of her three daughters has graduated from nursing school, and she anticipates the other two will also pursue higher education. Blanca insists on passing her native Zapotec traditions to her daughters and grandchildren and hopes to one day retire to Oaxaca to finally enjoy the home that she has built.