alejandra cadena

Welcome to a rapidly growing city of Laredo, Texas. I live in a Bordertown connecting two very beautiful yet different nations. Growing up on the border to Mexico and the United States, I experienced things that many other Americans or Mexicans didn’t completely understand. I always did things mixed with both cultures, and I genuinely thought that was how everyone else lived. I was neither completely “American” nor “Mexican” but a blend of both. Living in a Bordertown, I see two nations merged as one. I am proud to say I’m a Mexican-American. Laredo is not only growing as a city, it’s also growing in culture. The U.S Mexico border is a controversial topic talked about in today’s political world. Often times, the misconceptions of Laredo are linked with drug cartel and illegal immigrants.  I for one, am neither concerned with those misconceptions. To me, I live in a city where I get to eat authentic tacos and burgers in the same day. Personally, whether or not the violence exists is irrelevant. I believe that every place you’ll go will pose some kind of danger or threat. If you can see past it, you’ll find beautiful magnificent things. In my photo series, I decided to photograph a topic that is so dear to me, something I take almost for granted per say. Food is a major aspect of most cultures. Mexican food is so rich in culture and flavor. However, I decided to capture the “Tex-Mex” version Laredo has to offer. We sometimes don’t speak Spanish or English but “Spanglish.” Merging two countries, we have created our own snacks and dishes. I went all around town photographing street food vendors including food trucks, paleteros, eloteros, and other street vendors. At first glance, some photos resemble parts of Mexico. When I began to ask permission to photograph their establishment, stand, or truck, they would respond; “pasale, mija.” It doesn’t translate well directly because “mija” is slang for “my daughter”, but it is meant as “come in, sweetie.” The vendors were extremely sweet and intrigued in the type of work I was doing but not all. After putting my photographs together, I realized that it if outsiders were to see them without giving the location, many would think they were taken in Mexico. All photographs were taken on the United States side of the border, and the Mexican culture is very alive in most of them. I wanted to show as many people as I could that the U.S is rich in international culture and that’s okay. We are a country built on immigrants and we are overflowing with culture. To me, Mexican food is my culture. I wake up in the morning hoping to find breakfast tacos in the kitchen and craving a Mexican corn in the evening. If I could, I would like to continue with this series to expand it. Laredo is my hometown and is so unique to us. Perhaps one day, I will get the opportunity to photograph Mexico’s food culture to contrast the series.