Josselyn is president of the De la Mata a la Olla agroecological fair in Latacunga, a market created by and for women farmers, many of them indigenous, to sell their produce directly to customers.
“Our produce doesn’t go through middlemen,” Josselyn tells us. “It comes straight from our farms, fresh and alive.”
For Perla, that spirit of care and independence is something she’s grown up with. “From my paternal grandmother, I inherited strength and bravery and the love of vegetables. From my maternal grandmother, confidence and willpower,” she says proudly. “My mother taught me to be honest, to help myself, and to help others. My father has taught me how to harvest, to never give up, and to be a free woman. An independent woman is a free woman.”
Perla helps Josselyn plant, water, and harvest crops that feed their family and community. “Tomatoes are the hardest to harvest, and spinach is the easiest,” she tells us, before admitting that her favorite part is spending time with her mom.
