Season XI: Roberto Monge, village builder, San Luis Obispo, California
Roberto Monge was born in a village near Suchito, El Salvador, and lived there until he was 8 years old, when his family had to flee the war-torn country of their birth. Since landing in the United States many years ago, he has poured his life into rebuilding the village of his youth, wherever he lives. And that’s how I met Roberto: at a barbecue in his backyard years ago, surrounded by our neighbors. Gathering people together for celebration, grieving, and marking time is an art that Roberto practices regularly, and of course, food is the thread that runs through it all. He built an earthen oven in his backyard that turns out legendary chicken, and whenever he celebrates Dia De Los Muertos, like he did last weekend, and which I attended at his house, there is a tamale-making party the day before. We chatted about the importance of building a village, supporting one another, and bringing what you have to the table.
BONUS: Roberto shared a song from his COVID-project band, The Loving Mosh, called “TacoLove,” written about a kind friend from El Salvador who made the band a tasty batch of tacos. You can listen to it here — just don’t do so on an empty stomach.