- Date: Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
- Time: 2:00-4:00 p.m.
- Place: Chinese Cultural Center
Location: PSFA Building, Basement, Room 130 - Speaker: Elena Yu, Ph.D., MPH Professor Emerita, San Diego State University
- Discussant: Chef and author, Jaime Iram Vargas Barrientos Universidad Vizcaya de las Americas Durango, Mexico
On October 13, 2026, the SDSU Chinese Cultural Center hosted a cultural and educational program featuring presentations by Dr. Elena Yu, Professor Emerita at San Diego State University, and Jaime Iram Vargas Barrientos, a doctoral student in Anthropological Sciences at the National School of Anthropology and History in Mexico. Dr. Yu’s presentation, Pellagra and the Science of Indigenous Foodways, explored the relationship between nutrition, public health, traditional food systems, and the historical impact of colonization on Indigenous communities. Vargas Barrientos’s presentation, From Milpa to Table: Plant-Based Foods and Culinary Knowledge in Mexico, introduced traditional Mexican ingredients, culinary techniques, and recipes rooted in the milpa farming system. Together, the presentations highlighted the importance of preserving Indigenous food knowledge, traditional culinary practices, and cultural heritage.
