OLIVIA'S ROOTS
In 2017, I was invited to document a week-long quinceañera celebration happening between Los Angeles and Tijuana, Mexico. What I experienced was much more than a quinceañera party. These are some photos from my documentation of Olivia's Roots.


El Mercadito, a three-floor indoor shopping center that sells traditional Mexican food, indigenous herbal treatments, household items, clothing and more. They also have live Mariachi bands in the basement. Olivia’s mother has fond memories of visiting El Mercadito with her father, who brought the family there to eat and listen to Mariachi bands, often until as late as 2 am.


blury-preloadresized-preloadDoña Ofelia makes Birria for Olivia’s welcome party, a spicy Mexican meat stew originally from the state of Jalisco.
blury-preloadresized-preloadThey dance to norteño music and share a laugh after "la mordida", where the cumpleañera's face is pushed into the cake.
Doña Ofelia makes Birria for Olivia’s welcome party, a spicy Mexican meat stew originally from the state of Jalisco.
blury-preloadresized-preloadThey dance to norteño music and share a laugh after "la mordida", where the cumpleañera's face is pushed into the cake.
Doña Ofelia makes Birria for Olivia’s welcome party, a spicy Mexican meat stew originally from the state of Jalisco.


Nohemi, one of the six daughters of Ofelia and Cruz Barrios shows a tattoo on her pregnant belly that reads “Somos o no somos”(Are we or are we not). Cruz Barrios used to say this phrase constantly to his family: “¿Somos o no somos?”, referring to their Mexican identity. Each of the six sisters has this phrase tattooed on their body.
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Olivia's mother, Ofelia, tells me one of the fondest memories she has of her father: during her 7th birthday (having recently migrated to Los Angeles) Ofelia was really upset because none of her school friends agreed to come to her birthday party. When she mentioned it to her father, he told her not to worry, that he would fix it, and proceded to put up posters around the neighborhood inviting everyone to his daughter's party. Over 100 people showed up and Ofelia had an unforgettable birthday.