1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha and welcome to Stuff 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: I Ever told you production of iHeart Radio. 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: And welcome back to another edition of Activists Around the 4 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 2: World on March tenth, Lord, twenty twenty six. Hey, I 5 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 2: got it right this time before I throughout any random 6 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,480 Speaker 2: date right. And as per spring season, I have once 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: again lost my voice. It may partially have to do 8 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 2: with the fact that I'm now teaching and yelling over 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: loud music, but I'm gonna go with the changing of 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: the seasons because that's usually what happens. And I do 11 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: sound like an eighty year old grandma who's been smoking 12 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: since two But apologies in advance if you hear my 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: creepiness and are disturbed, I'm okay, though I'm still here. 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: We're still here, Annie, I'm proud of us. Still here 15 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 2: to win is a win. Speaking of being proud, today 16 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: we are talking about the works and inspiration of baker chef, 17 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 2: social justice activists and author PAULA. Vellees. Very excited because 18 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: I love talking about food anyway, and I have a 19 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 2: feeling this might come back up because she did release 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: a book a year ago called up Bodega Bakes, which 21 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: sounds like something that would be fun in general, just 22 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: to have. Yeah, you know, like I love a good bodega. 23 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: And I say this as a person who's never grown 24 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: up around bodegas, and I feel like that's something I 25 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: have missed out on. 26 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, me too, you know. 27 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I definitely had little stores where I would visit 28 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 2: as a kid, Like I went to a drug store 29 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: near our elementary school to get our little snacks. I 30 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: got crackers Minnesota, and we would sit on our public 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: library steps and hang out after school. Oh okay, did 32 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: you have anything like that. 33 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: No, not that I'm thinking of off off the top 34 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: of my head. We had like restaurants the place. The 35 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: place I lived was far away from like a lot 36 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: of stuff. 37 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, so it kind of was a This was when 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: I would like walk from my elementary school to my 39 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: grandmother's house, which was in Little Town Square, so it's 40 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 2: close enough that we could get a few things. I 41 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: think we got a little older. We would get breadsticks 42 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:27,679 Speaker 2: from the Papa's Pizza, not Papa John Papa's Pizza. Yeah. Yeah, 43 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 2: and I think they still exist in l J by 44 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 2: the way. But anyway, I was just thinking about all 45 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: those childhood things and bodega's you know, as we read 46 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: in different stories, especially when it comes like the Bronx Brooklyn, 47 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 2: New York City, like that, they have a whole. They 48 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: are a historical icon for so many people growing up 49 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 2: and obviously for a valas it was something that was 50 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 2: big to her and she talks about it. But we're 51 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 2: not necessarily talking about her book, although again we're gonna 52 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: put this as one of our comeback tos, but we 53 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: are talking about what she has been doing. She has 54 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: been growing in her field. She is known as an 55 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: Afro Dominican chef who has made sure to go beyond 56 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 2: just her love of cooking and baking, but using her 57 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: profession her talents to give back to her community. In fact, 58 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: she talks about how her community influenced her in her childhood, 59 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 2: talking about Bodega's growing up in New York City, inspired 60 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: by nearby bodegas and neighbors who are always kind and giving. 61 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: Here's a bit where they interviewed about her book for 62 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 2: amNY dot Com. Two pala Las, New York City begins 63 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 2: in the Bodega corners of Kingsbridge Heights. Bronx raised in 64 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 2: an environment with three neighborhood shops. She remembers not just 65 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: the snacks and staples, but the core of the community. 66 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: Everybody knew everybody. When somebody did not have a dollar, 67 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: the owner of the bodega would tell him not to worry, 68 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 2: it was an iou and they would not cash it 69 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: in the lessas the lesson of that generosity was the 70 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: kind of chef she would grow up to be, and 71 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 2: that kindness in community are as basic as flour and sugar, 72 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: and I love that. Again, there's something so sentimental in 73 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: these thoughts. Once upon a time when children would just 74 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: go from place to place. There's like TikTok videos right now, 75 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 2: even like neighborhood gas stations and Bodeka's where it is 76 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 2: obvious that the community love the owners or the workers 77 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: there and would come back and have conversations and meaningful 78 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: moments where they were just like kidding around. There's one 79 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 2: dude who actually gives money to the kids if they 80 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 2: make a's and like he's changed his perspective for those 81 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: kids because he would let them have anything in the 82 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: in the store, as well as giving them a cash 83 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 2: prize saying great job. Like there's such a level and 84 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 2: community in this But the fact that she has used 85 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 2: this to create her first and write her first book 86 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 2: as Phenomenal. I'm always excited about the stories like that, 87 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: But again, like it's not surprised. She's raised by her 88 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: mother in that area, and just like we see in 89 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,119 Speaker 2: those types of communities, she had a lot of help 90 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 2: from people around her, including her cousin who owned a 91 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 2: tex mex restaurant, so she kind of was familiar with that, 92 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: and also that she would actually visit her grandparents in 93 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: the Dominican Republic and watch her grandmother cook and talk 94 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 2: about how it inspired she was to see the fresh 95 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: food and vegetables that would be around those areas and 96 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: how her grandmother would make magic with all of those 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 2: fresh ingredients, and she talked about again the love of 98 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: food and the generosity of our people. Eventually, she would 99 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 2: go on to graduate from Lake Cordon Bloom in two 100 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: thousand and nine, and she spent two years under the 101 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 2: mentorship of Jacques Torres, a master chocolate tier. I think 102 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 2: she called the mister Chocolate, which is kind of funny 103 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 2: to me. And here's a bit about her background from 104 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 2: the Kennedycenter dot org. In twenty sixteen, Paula moved to Washington, DC, 105 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 2: to work with celebrated chefs Christina Tosi at Moltbar, then 106 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: as lead pastry cook at the critically acclaimed Edros. Paula, 107 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 2: served as a patriy chef at neighborhood restaurant groups iron 108 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,799 Speaker 2: Gate Restaurant in twenty eighteen, Keith and Kin in twenty nineteen, 109 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: and most recently served as the executive chef of critically 110 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: acclaimed Compass Rose and Michelin starred Maiden and by the way, 111 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 2: she was also nominated for James Beard Award as well, 112 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 2: So of course she's got all these accolades under her belt, 113 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: not surprising, and she became more successful in her career 114 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 2: she started reaching out to do more for the community. 115 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 2: In twenty twenty, she co founded a donut pop up, 116 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 2: a Donia Dona, which raised money to help support an 117 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: organization that provides services and legal help in DC for 118 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 2: immigrants as well as Bakers Against Racism. And here's what 119 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 2: NPR wrote about her work. Specifically, they were preparing for 120 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 2: their virtual bake sales as part of the Bakers Against 121 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 2: Racism movement that was founded by three Washington DC chefs. 122 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: Was started with a goal of eighty participants, now has 123 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 2: thousands of professionals and home bakers raising money for organizations 124 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 2: that support black lives. So we love to see that. 125 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 2: I believe they raised a million, at least a million 126 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 2: dollars in funds through these types of things and is 127 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 2: currently again I'm gonna put this with an asterisk because 128 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 2: you never know, with verse the largest bake cell ever 129 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 2: to have raised that much money. So like it's a 130 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 2: pretty big deal. Oh what she has done with them. 131 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: And this is a little more information from that Kennedy 132 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: Senator dot org article about her. During COVID nineteen, valaz 133 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: Co founded Donia Dona, a Latin American pop up to 134 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: fit benefit I U that DC, an organization that supports 135 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 2: a restaurant industry undocumented workforce, and later co founded Bakers 136 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: Against Racism, a worldwide bake sell that has raised over 137 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: two million. I was wrong two million and counting for 138 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: organizations that support black lives and black communities globally. So 139 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 2: I was I was off double what I said, y'all. 140 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: So obviously she is doing some amazing works, and she's 141 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: talked about how this is so important to her. She 142 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: even talked about the fact that the first uh Donia 143 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: Dona I believe raised like eleven hundred dollars, and she 144 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: was so disappointed that she thought they could do so 145 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 2: much more, and so that kind of the rise of 146 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 2: the Bakers against racism was really encouraging for her to 147 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 2: continue in her work. She talks about how COVID really 148 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 2: impacted obviously the whole restaurant industry, and then seeing undocumented 149 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: workers at restaurants, which pretty much make up a great 150 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 2: big portion of the service industry, and how they did 151 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 2: not have funding and how they did not have the 152 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 2: support that was really needed during this time when so 153 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: many things and so many restaurants were closing down. So 154 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 2: it was something that she felt really passionate about, and 155 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 2: in an interview with Food and Wine, she talked about 156 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 2: her leadership work outside of the kitchen and how she's 157 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: kind of blown up in this industry as a leader. 158 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 2: She said, at Yale, I talked about sustainability and equity 159 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: with the Latino and a Black community, and I tried 160 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: to expand it even as far as all people of color, women, LGBTQ, everyone, 161 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 2: because I was like, this isn't us one group. I 162 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 2: explained to the students that when we band together, united 163 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 2: one voice, we become so much more powerful than if 164 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 2: we're all fighting for our individual causes. So I love 165 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 2: everything about this. I really do want to check out 166 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: the Bodega Bakes. I have a hard time with a 167 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 2: lot of cookbooks because they're so difficult, but I'm so 168 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 2: interested in what this is because she would describe she 169 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 2: describes this book as not only about food, but about 170 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 2: neighbor and community and what it looks like when that 171 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 2: all comes together, and something that she loves and has 172 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,719 Speaker 2: a passion for, which is baking. And obviously she has 173 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 2: talent way beyond my own skills. My skills who has 174 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: to watch and reread recipes fifteen times to make sure 175 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 2: I've got the right you know, measurements because oftentimes album 176 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 2: like it's a teaspoon or tablesoon, teaspoon or tablespoon, And 177 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: when it comes to baking, it is really specific to science. 178 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 2: It's a science. And of course she has gotten the 179 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: claims for this book as well as many other things. 180 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 2: Gus constantly winning, y'all, and we love to see it. 181 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: We too love to see it, and I am very 182 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: excited to check out that book as well. That sounds 183 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: really cool. Well, listeners, if you have any recommendations for 184 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: us for the segment or for cookbooks. We do love 185 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: a good cookbook, as intimidating as they may be. You 186 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: can email us at Hello at stuffnevertold you dot com. 187 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: You can find us up loose Guy at mom Stuff podcast, 188 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: or on Instagram and TikTok at stuff We Never Told 189 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: You for us on YouTube. We have the merchandise at 190 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,959 Speaker 1: Coombureau and we do have our own book wherever you 191 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: get your books. Thanks as always too our superduce Christine, 192 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: our executive produce My and your conturder Joey. Thank you 193 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,079 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening Stuff and Never Total 194 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: Instruction by Heart Radio. For more podcast from my heart Radio, 195 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: you can check out the heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 196 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: or where have you listen to your favorite chops