Trina is an American-Venezuelan New Yorker. Trina is the writer/producer of De Moda, The Thread’s Spanish language sister show on Yahoo! en Español. Trina is also the executive producer and casting director of the on-going series “Habla” for HBO Latino (U.S.A.). Her documentary, “I’m the Tourist: The Gypsy Song of Luis Agujeta,” is distributed by Discmedi (Barcelona, 2007). Trina is currently developing a new documentary series in Spain called “Duende.” 

Adriana is a writer with a background in advertising and marketing communication. Having lived in Belize, Costa Rica, Miami, DC, and Chicago, she is now preparing to continue to document her cultural escapades, travel, and eats from Cape Town, South Africa.  For a chuckle or two, check out her blog, "The Unconventional Guiri," at www.cafeychanel.blogspot.com.

Aldo grew up in Mérida, Yucatán and has also lived in Cholula, which proved to be essential to the development of his sophisticated palate. Sánchez is trained in the Humanities and Curatorial Practice, but is, above all, a Latin Lover. He is a furious fan of telenovelas and avidly listens to baladas románticas. Sánchez is also a disc jockey, known as dj papichulo.

Alejandra is a lifestyle photographer in New York, specializing in architecture and interiors, food, children and family photos. With a marketing background, Alejandra studied at Photo Manhattan and Lima’s Center of Photography before she became a freelance photographer. Also a blogger, Alejandra is the author of www.zestcatcher.com, a blog where she shares her own photos recipes and life in the big apple.

Alex Ureña came to the doors of The River Café from the Dominican Republic at age 16. Later, Alex worked as Executive Chef at Dan Barber’s Blue Hill. He spent seven fruitful years with David Bouley. And, while working as executive chef at Marseille, Ureña earned two stars from The New York Times. Ureña began experimenting with an Ferran Adrià-inspired menu at Suba on the Lower East Side, which opened in 2002. He is now at Rayuela.

Alexandre is a resident researcher at the Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique (CNRS) and member of the Laboratoire d’Anthropologie Sociale, Collége de France, Paris. He teaches Anthropology at EHESS and has been a visiting scholar at various European and American universities. His books include Au coeur du sens; perception affectivité, action chez les Candoshi  and the co-edited anthology, The Land Within: Indigenous Territories and Perception of Environment.

Ana is a Peruvian visual artist based in New York. Her interdisciplinary art practice explores different aspects of the individual or social psyche through the use of popular iconography and staged situations. She has also created images for musician’s records. Recipient of a 2008 NYFA, NALAC and En Foco fellowships, her work has been widely exhibited. Her project Vírgenes Urbanas, based on colonial paintings of the School of Cusco, is to this day the most locally exhibited art project in Peruvian history. 

Born in communist Poland, and having lived many years in Germany and the U.S., Andrzej is a globe trotter, permanent student at the University of Life and enthusiastic photographer. His travels have made him understand that roots can be anywhere.

Executive Chef Angel Ramos cultivated his talents for eight years at Candle Café, then moved on to open Candle 79. Angel has been acknowledged in the New York Times for his mastery of vegan organic cuisine, and has consulted with sundry chefs on the menus for galas at The Plaza, Cipriani, and the Beverly Hills Hotel. His recipes have been featured on Good Day NY, the New York Times, Vegetarian Times, Pilates Style magazine and others.  

Anna is a documentary and social photographer and a yoga teacher: “I was born in Poland, in a beautiful little village in the mountains. Simplicity and nature are what I considered beauty. New York had shown me the dirty side of life, teaching me that the real beauty here is hidden under sophisticated lifestyles, make up, perfume. I’m loving it!”

Antonio is a freelance writer and the author of more than twenty books, including novels, essays, memoirs and short story collections, His books have won numerous prizes, including the Icaro Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Critics Book Award, and have been translated into more than fifteen languages throughout Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. From 2004 to 2006, Antonio was the Executive Director of the Cervantes Institute in New York, and he has also taught as a visiting professor or writer in residence at several universities. 

Since childhood, the kitchen has held a deep fascination for Antonio. It’s a passion that can be traced to his roots in the Western Mediterranean Coast (Alicante), where he was born. He owns “Garlic & Parsley’s,” a food catering service, and works as a private chef, based in NYC.

Ayu is a Tokyo-based freelance illustrator and designer, who finds inspiration in the cuisines and ingredients of cultures around the world. Ayu is also inspired by swimming in the sea and mountain climbing. 

Benny is a Peruvian journalist currently based in New York City. He reports for newspapers and magazines in his country and is finishing his first novel. He also teaches Spanish in prestigious New York institutions, such as NYU, Cervantes Institute and Queen Sophia Institute.

Brian is a social entrepreneur. Most recently, as Managing Director at Institute of Play, Brian explored play as a powerful creative force and context for learning and engagement, with young people, adults and communities. Brian was trained as a poet and has worked as a management consultant, a literature professor, a cook and a gardener. He divides his time between New York City and Rio de Janeiro and is a founding partner of LatinLover. 

Bruce is a political economist, writer, and investment analyst specializing in global themes and emerging market economies. He has a special love for Latin America, and particularly Brazil, where he lived for several years in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, while researching the politics of sustainable development. While he would never be caught cheering for Argentina over Brazil in a futebol match, Bruce has been known to enjoy a tango while his Brazilian friends aren’t looking.

Bryan is a writer from Carolina del Norte who teaches in central Virginia. He is also a father and husband, a graduate of the Appalachian Trail, a reformed lawyer, and an occasional swamper. Bryan is currently at work on a novel about a Vietnam veteran, set in the early 1980s in eastern North Carolina and Honduras.

Caitlin is a writer originally from Rochester, New York. She recently moved back to the U.S. after living in Lima, Peru and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, where she studies Comparative Literature at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking and all things Peruvian, especially pisco. 

Camila has created set designs for dance, theatre and film productions; illustrated publications, and designed commercial and industrial products. Memorias de Salmo Trutta, her first stop-motion animation film, co-directed with Cayetana Carrion, was exhibited in diverse international film festivals and has won two awards in Perú. Currently, she is living in Rio de Janeiro with her husband and daughter.

Carla is an award-winning illustrator based in New York City. Her work has been exhibited in venues locally and internationally. Her latest news: being selected by DOT Urban Art Program to create a temporary public artwork in Tribeca; an Award from Applied Arts Magazine; a lecture at The University of Manitoba School of Art Canada; a mural commissioned by Materials for the Arts; and publication of her children’s book, Larry & Friends.

Chris is a designer and a producer from Lima, Peru. As a designer, he has overseen campaigns from HBO, Miramax Films, Spike TV, IFC Films, the Weinstein Company and others. He has his own New York City-based design studio, called Eyestorm Design, which works with a variety of companies and cultural institutions. He created LatinLover in 2011.

Clair is a freelance illustrator based in Cornwall, United Kingdom. She is currently in her final year of study at Falmouth University. Clair likes creating images that make people of all ages smile.

Coco is an architect and a photographer. Martin’s work has been exhibited in various venues since 1991, including the First Biennial of Photography of Puerto Rico, Second Biennial of Lima, Peru, at the Biennial of Photography of Quito, Ecuador, and at the Organization of American States Museum in Washington, D.C. After 8 years as a professor of photography in Lima, Coco now lives and works in New York City. 

Danielle Bell is a Louisville, Kentucky native who came north by way of Sarah Lawrence College. Bell and her Lima-born boyfriend, Pablo Osorio, together run de Porres, a Brooklyn-based dinner series and catering company featuring Peru-centric small plates and desserts inspired by the American South. Bell fills her alfajores with buttercream and ganache and believes manjarblanco is even better with Maldon sea salt. More about de Porres can found at www.de-porres.com. 

Throughout his long career, Domingo has worked as a private chef for several prominent New York families. He has also worked as Executive Chef for Amanda Smith Caterers, and more recently, as Executive Chef for “Montaco,” a gourmet food truck company that was a huge hit last summer at the Hamptons and Montauk beaches.

Eduardo  is a Peruvian human rights activist and writer. A citizen of the world, he has been based in New York for 14 years. He works at the International Center for Transitional Justice, where he specializes in researching war crimes. His human rights advocacy has been featured in The New York Times, El País, Globe and Mail, Al Jazeera, BBC and other media. His blog, in Spanish, “La Torre de Marfil,” is dedicated to topics of culture and politics.

Emmanuel is the TV host of “Sabor y Fusion,” a show about Peruvian cuisine in the U.S. For several years, he was Executive Chef and founder at Panca Restaurant in New York. He’s a master in combining Peruvian flavors with European technique, Emmanuel is one of the pioneers of Novo Andean food. Having worked in one of the world’s best restaurants, “Arzac” in San Sebastian, Spain, Emmanuel then proceeded to open a slew of Peruvian-influenced restaurants on the West Coast of the U.S.

Fumi is a Japanese illustrator based in Tokyo. Fumi graduated from the Musashino Art University in Tokyo and loves to illustrate the simple comforts of daily life, nature, food and animals. She maintains an illustration blog on blogspot. 

Brothers Gabriel and Mateo are artists based in Lima, Peru. They own and operate Hermanos Magia, a graphic design and illustration business. Their work has been featured in various magazines and newspapers, including Dedo Medio, El Comercio, and Cosas. They have also illustrated a number of books. Gabriel currently works as a professor of art at La Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú and El Centro de Imagen, and Mateo is the lead singer of the salsa band Mambo Glacial. 

Gloria is a passionate foodie and tireless traveler. After an extended career as a Telecommunications Engineer, Rodríguez  embraced her true passion and embarked on a new journey of discovery centered on food, culture, and tourism. She holds an M.A. in Cultural Management and Cultural Tourism, focusing on culinary heritage and culinary tourism and continues to conduct research in this area, while also working on the design of cultural activities centered on food heritage and food creativity.

Guillermo is a freelancer photographer who lives in Lima, Peru. He has worked with international organizations, like the U.N., and as a photo editor for Somos magazine and Grupo Editorial El Comercio en Lima. His work has appeared around the world in publications like El Pais (Spain), Revista Don Balon (Spain), Travesías (Mexico) and Food & Wine (USA). He currently works as Photo Editor and Chief of Web News at Espacio360.

Guiselt was born in New York City in 1980 and raised in Washington Heights. After a career in fashion, she dropped everything to pursue her dream of floral design and a family. Today you can find her in the market picking out flowers and foliage for Casa Mezcal—where she works as an in-house florist and event planner. 

Janelle Iglesias and Lisa Iglesias, together Las Hermanas Iglesias, are artists working in a variety of media. 

Izabel is a Brazilian journalist from Recife, doing a Ph.D. in Argentinean Literature in Germany. She knows how to laugh of herself and tries to do it all the time. Trying every day to be a better person, she is learning to hear more, to speak less and to take deep breaths once and while. Fontes also collaborates with cultural magazines like www.suplementopernambuco.com.br.

James is a Collegiate Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at NYU, where he has taught since 1995.  He is currently working on an archival and documentary project regarding the history of Spanish immigrants in the United States: tracesofspainintheus.org.

James was born in Tennessee but grew up in Perú. He’s been teaching ESL at Hunter College for over 25 years and is a big fan of Peruvian pisco. He imported his wife from Peru and has a teenaged daughter. He has a blog on pisco: www.piscoquest.com. 

Javier is a Spanish journalist. Born in Pamplona, and having lived in Spain and Germany, Javier currently resides in New York City, where he contributes regularly on lifestyle, the arts, and food for Spanish media, such as Expansión, Telva and Gastroeconomy. A flamenco and bullfighting aficionado, you can find Ansorena hunting the latest eatery in Brooklyn, or hanging out at a fishermen’s dive bar somewhere on the Mediterranean coast.

Born in Boston but raised in chaotic Mexico City, Jessica would choose a good taco al pastor over clam chowder any day. When she’s not making a living typing furiously on her keyboard, Jessica muses about life, food and other weird things at www.chesterwrites.blogspot.com. The most important goal in her bucket list is to travel around the world. She likes spinning—bikes not bottles—books and wine. She lives in New York.

After working as a photojournalist in newspapers and magazines in Perú for 10 years, Jorge moved to New York to study photography at the International Center of Photography. He then worked as a master color printer for top fashion photographers. Today, Jorge is a freelance portrait photographer.

Jorge is an “almost” architect, “almost” designer, “almost” photographer, and “almost” DJ. He participates in various studios founded with Luis Úrculo (LUJO), Luis Díaz Mauriño (Hot Architects), and Julián López Galán, and he has also collaborated with Herzog&deMeuron, Cero9/AMID, FloresPrats, and Andres Jaque Architects, among others. His work has been published in a number of specialized publications in architecture, photography and design.

Jose Antonio has published two books of poems: La distancia es siempre la misma and El cerrajero. In June of 2007, he opened La Maquina, a café and art space in Lima, Perú. In October 2008, he created the multidisciplinary project AMLT, which is currently being sponsored by Puma Perú. 

Spreading the word about the wealth of unique offerings and ingredients in Jose’s home country—from wines to cheese to olive oil—has always felt instantly second nature to Jose. He currently lives in Barcelona.

Joseduardo is a Mexican writer and columnist. He also practices Shiatsu and writes articles about health and natural medicine. Nowadays, Joseduardo is dedicated to the impossible adventure of being unemployed, traveling and saving money; it did not go as well as he thought, but he’s still trying.

J.R. is a documentary filmmaker and photographer who has worked with the National Writing Project, Gap Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Pearson Foundation, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and other organizations. J.R. is currently the Documentarian at Institute of Play, focused on generating high-quality results-driven stories around games and learning.

Julian Medina—chef-owner of Toloache, Yerba Buena, Yerba Buena Perry and Tacuba—has been creating refined Latin cuisine for over fifteen years. As a young boy in Mexico City, Julian was inspired by his father's and grandfather's authentic home cooking, which led him to become a chef. In 1996, Chef Richard Sandoval met Julian on a visit to Mexico City and invited him to relocate to New York City to work in one of his restaurants. 

Julie Morris is a Los Angeles-based natural foods chef, on-camera personality, and best-selling cookbook author. Julie is also a spokesperson and executive chef for Navitas Naturals, a fair trade company that specializes in 100% organic superfoods. Julie’s mission is simple: to share recipes and nutrition tips that make a vibrantly healthy lifestyle both easy to achieve and delicious to follow.

Julio is an graphic artist, singer, actor and gay activist. He studied at Pontificia Católica University, and at Toulouse Lautrec Art and Design Institute. Julio Granados has won several prizes for his beautiful illustrations, working for famous Spanish and American publishing houses such as Santillana, Alfaguara and Mcgraw Hill. In 2011 his work was exhibited at El Museo del Barrio in New York City.

Kaethe Butcher is a young illustrator in Germany with an attraction to provocative, erotic renderings. Kaethe was born in Leipzig and now lives in Berlin, where she studies fashion design. She wants to go to London some day soon—and Disney World, of course! 

Kathryn is a brand strategist, cultural analyst, and designer with an insatiable appetite for identifying cultural insights that shape consumer behavior and attitudes. She’s a partner at Big Squirrel, a brand strategy and consumer insights company that helps brands navigate cultural currents. She recently traded in the hustle and bustle of New York City for the sunshine, surf, and Baja-style fish tacos of San Diego, California.

Laura was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and moved to the cold American northeast in 2007. Based in New York City, she is a contributing writer for several arts publications, specializing in contemporary art, artists and events. As a cataloguer at Phillips de Pury & Company, she oversees the production of the auction catalogues for contemporary and Latin American sales

Laura has an official persona and an unofficial one. The official: more than fifteen years of experience in philanthropy and public affairs, with expertise in the areas of arts and culture and international relations. The unofficial: avid traveler and explorer. She has been all over: from the Andes, to the Jordanian dessert, to the jungle of Cambodia. Next up? The Atacama in Chile and Uyuni in Bolivia. 

Lauren had broad professional experience in the luxury lifestyle and entertainment industries. She was a New Yorker, born and raised, and counted the city as her most important teacher. She was fascinated by people and their stories, and was a graduate of the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts. Lauren passed away in July of 2013, before publication of her story in LatinLover. 

Lucy is an illustrator and musician from Melbourne, Australia. She is obsessed with realism, human intimacy, the nuances of modern culture, pencil rendering and cats.

Lynn is a freelance writer who lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Her Colombian roots have augmented her interest in Latin American art, with particular affinities for Cuban, Brazilian, and Chilean artists. She has covered the art scene in New York City for publications, such as Whitehot Magazine, Whitewall Magazine, ArtWrit, Hyperallergic, and BOMB Magazine since 2009.

Margarita was born and grew up in Mexico City. She received her bachelor´s degree in Latin American Literature from the Universidad Iberoamericana and collaborated as a copy editor for several magazines published by Editorial Expansión. She currently lives in New York and is working on her first novel.

María Elena works as a Curatorial Assistant at the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). She has worked as the Curator of Contemporary Arts at the Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros in Mexico City. And she has collaborated with institutions such as New Langton Arts, San Francisco; Teorética, San Jose, Costa Rica; the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, San Francisco; and Tate Modern, London. In 2012, she curated Wherever You Roam at the Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach.

Maria Elvira is a painter most of the time. Her primary work is to be a liaison between New York and Barranquilla, where she lives and works. She was one of the co-creators of an exhibition, Gracias por pensar en mi in 2010. In 2008, she started the Art Experience Institute, an informal art school in Puerto, Colombia. This past September she co-created the exhibition Bahia Cupino, in the beach town of Puerto Colombia, with fellow local artists and invited artist from New York and London

Maria is a human rights activist, lawyer, and writer who grew up in Lima, Peru. Now based in Brooklyn, she has spent a decade working in Latin America and the U.S. for Human Rights Watch, where she is now Deputy U.S. Program Director. Maria is working on a book about Colombians’ struggle for truth and justice in the midst of war.

Maricel is a chef, author and co-owner of Cucharamama, Zafra and Ultramarinos in Hoboken, New Jersey. She was the first Latin American woman to have been invited as a guest chef at the White House. She was twice nominated for James Beard Foundation journalism awards. She won Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in May 2012 from the James Beard Foundation, which also named her book, Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America, Cookbook of the Year. 

Mario is an award-winning, Berlin-based creative consultant. He supports top brands in more effectively communicating with and engaging their customers. He also works pro bono as Creative Director for Platoon Kunsthalle, an urban playground for subcultural trendsetters in Seoul and Berlin. Every winter he returns to Miami to enjoy the hybrid Latin-American culture.

In 1987, Mauricio moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he published three poetry books, a story for children, a cartoon compilation, and some musical and literary reviews in South American and Spanish magazines. He works as creative director of graphic design and interactive media studios.

Melissa is a photographer, traveler, foodie, scuba diver and art lover, who is passionate about exploring the world. Born in Peru, Melissa moved to New York City 12 years ago. She has studied International Business and Photography. Her love for food, travel and global culture drives her to always crave her next travel adventure

Michael is a food-focused photographer and writer whose work has appeared in the New York Daily News, The New York Times, and the Edible magazines of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens; as well as in advertisements and materials for PNC Bank, Peter Luger Restaurant, and Pio Pio restaurants. His photography can be seen at www.msbphotography.com. His food blog is www.pizzacentric.com

Michelle is a freelance music, lifestyle and fashion writer from Brooklyn. Active in NYC’s global music scene, she has organized events and booked bands at the infamous Mehanata Bulgarian Bar since 2009, including an after party for Peruvian chicha-revival group Bareto and Chile’s Chico Trujillo. Her cumbia obsession led her to Peru in 2013, where she bought up a suitcase full of fabric and put on an “electro-cholita” runway show for a charity organization upon returning to NYC.

Trained by Iron Chef Bobby Flay, and born in Lima to a family of exceptional cooks—his great grandfather introduced mussels to the Peruvian palate at the end of the 19th century—it is no surprise that Miguel brings the passion, innovation, and artistry of his heritage to his cooking. Complementing fresh ingredients with flavours from around the world, the eclectic yet harmonious cuisine he offers at Surfish Bistro brings a dynamic perspective to classic techniques.

Miozotis is a Jill of all trades, having worked in mediums such as fashion design, illustration, styling, jewelry making, photography and film production. A native New Yorker, she is a first-generation American from a Dominican family. She is a proud advocate of uptown, Spanish rock and sensuality. Miozotis is also known artistically as miopuma, but most of her friends call her mio. 

Nadja started working with the United Nations in Mexico City, then moved to Oaxaca, Mexico, where she works as a consultant in development projects, advising indigenous communities in the Sierra Juarez and Mixe. Although always deeply interested in photography and film, she initiated her career as a self-taught photographer in 1999. She works freelance, participates in several workshops at the Manuel Álvarez Bravo Photographic Center of Oaxaca and exhibits in different galleries

Founder and publisher of SALSEEK.com, a digital magazine about Latin dance and music, Natalie is an avid traveler with an addiction to Salsa and a passion for people, culture, languages and writing. If she’s not dancing, reading, writing, or thinking about Salsa, she’s eating Italian food with good family and friends or playing with her lovable dog Mia. 

Neil was raised in Minnesota, not far from where Bob Dylan was born. Traveling and music brought Neal Patrick to the camera. Having moved to NYC after a science degree in photography at Daytona Beach, Neal has been photographing in Strawberry Fields and had his first exhibit in London at Intoxica Gallery in 2004. He has traveled extensively in India over the past five years  and plans on publishing a book

Nicky is a multi-lingual marketing professional from Argentina. She is the co-founder of Sprouted Creative, a boutique marketing and design firm specializing in small businesses. Nicky has lived in three different countries over the last couple of years and currently lives in Harlem in New York. Nicky loves photography, music and tech

Nicole holds a Graduate Degree in Audio Visual and Visual Arts from HISK, Belgium. Her work has been exhibited in several shows in Latin America, Europe and the U.S., including the recent Havana Biennial, Dublin Contemporary, and Lima Photography Biennial. Nicole currently lives between her native Lima and Berlin. She can be found roaming flea markets, searching for photos, old postcards and objects

Pako is a photographer specializing in event documentation. He takes enormous pleasure in being part of weddings and other special events, in order to produce candid, lively, artfully-crafted images.

Patricia is an architect and urban planner with a focus on affordable housing development. Born in Peru, she now lives in Philadelphia, with her husband and two young children. In between trips to Peru, she keeps nostalgia at bay by bringing the flavors of home into her kitchen , thereby transforming her husband into a true Latin lover.

R.E. has contributed to the Spanish newspaper Hola Tennessee and Revista Esperanza in México City. Her poem "Chilancana" was recently published in the Spring 2012 Issue of Label Me Latina/o. In 2010 she hosted “De Todo un Poco,” a Community Service Spanish radio show. R.E. coedited Imanhattan 3, the 2012 issue of the magazine for the MFA in creative writing in Spanish at NYU

Renan started taking black and white pictures at the age of 11. In 1996, he initiated the collective exhibition, Arte de Portas Abertas and the associations, Chave Mestra and Association of Visual Artists of Santa Teresa, both in the neighborhood where he maintains his atelier. Cepeda has been recognized for his artistic research on unusual photographic techniques such as infrared photography and light painting.

Rocío is a poet, editor and travel writer. Her books of poetry include Basalto, which received the Gilberto Owen National Literature, Soma, Imperio, Imperio/Empire and Tiento. She is a frequent contributor to The National Geographic Traveler, Latin America edition. Her books and poems have been translated into English, Finnish, Swedish and German. Currently, she is a grantee of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. 

Ryan is an artist. In 2006 he was invited to participate in the European Exchange Academy in Beelitz, Germany. Ryan Brown has participated in multiple solo and group exhibitions, including “Peekskill Project,” organized by The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art; “Ex-Libris” at Adam Baumgold Gallery; and “Bibliomania,” at The Visual Arts Center of NJ. He is currently participating in “Storytellers,” at The Stenersen Museum in Oslo, Norway

Sebastián likes to be called Henry Morgan and play at being a pirate. He doesn’t knows how to handle himself without a camera or a cigarette, nor how to talk about himself. Since 2009 he has worked in La Residencia En La Tierra, an artist residency program in Colombia, and also as part of El Colectivo Invisible, an artist collective based in Bogotá

Sem is a cultural trend analyst based in New York City and Rio de Janeiro. She works through Popular Operations, a company she co-founded. Throughout her career, Sem has supported clients like Christian Dior, Camper, Daimler, L’Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Pepsico, Philips Design, the BBC and Deepak Chopra. She is a founding faculty member of the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she teaches cultural analysis. 

So, a.k.a. Soy or Suki, is an illustrator and a printmaker. She was born in Seoul, moved to Vancouver, and currently resides in Baltimore, after graduating from Maryland Institute College of Art.

Suzanne is Professor of Latin American and Latina/o Studies at John Jay College of the City University of New York. She is Founding Editor of the academic journal, Latino Studies. Her research centers on human rights with a focus on Latino immigrant incarceration, and on race, immigration and belonging in the Americas. She is the author of Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives: Identity and the Politics of (Re)Presentation in the United States

Tessa has been traveling since she was little; she has eaten sheep’s brain in a Moroccan market; spent way too much money on salt in Paris; bicycled around Lima; and traveled to Mexico on a research grant from The Culinary Trust. She is a freelance food, travel and lifestyle writer and food stylist with work in Epicurious, New World Review, WSJ Magazine, Brides and Manhattan magazines. Her years in kitchens as a professional chef inform her work.

Trevor’s unusual brand of stand-up comedy has gained him a cult following worldwide. He has toured with Stewart Lee and Russell Brand and written plays for theater and radio. Trevor is a frequent speaker at schools, universities and businesses. He recently refuted Descarte’s maxim ‘Cogito ergo sum’ by tipping a glass of water over his head at the Oxford Union. 2013 sees Lock’s big screen debut in Alvaro Velarde’s comedy, “Como Quien No Quiere La Cosa.”

Ursula worked for 15 years in advertising, managing multinational clients, then she entered publishing, where she is curreently the chief catalog designer for a major Latin American cosmetics company. She enjoys modern dance, riding her bike to work and exploring small out-of-the-way towns in Peru, where the legacies of pre-Columbian and Inca cultures persist in the delicious local food.

Vanessa is a photographer and a producer based in New York City. She currently owns her own production company, Little Giant Productions, which specializes in international advertising photo shoots. When she is not busy working on a shoot, she likes to explore different countries with a camera in hand. Vanessa always finds time for a good action thriller film, papayas, green tea and sushi.

Veronica describes her illustrations as fragile, feminine and dreamy. Travelling and simple everyday things are mainly where her inspiration comes from. Veronica is from Stockholm, with a Swedish dad and a Spanish mom. She lived in Barcelona for the past eleven years, where she studied graphic design. Since 2008 she is represented by the Swedish agency VOL.

Yvette writes regularly about her culinary adventures on her blog, MuyBuenoCookbook.com. She also contributes recipes to Betty Crocker; works as a brand ambassador for Princess House and California Strawberries; and has been featured in Saveur, Gourmet, Latina Magazine, People En Español, Cosmopolitan for Latinas, NBC Latino, The Pioneer Woman and Siempre Mujer. Her cookbook, Muy Bueno: Three Generations of Authentic Mexican Flavor, written with her sister Veronica and mother Evangelina, was published in October 2012.

Emilie has been covering the arts (visual arts, music and film) in English, French and Spanish since 2001. She holds an MA in English and American literature (La Sorbonne Nouvelle), an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Journalism (CUNY). Emilie has worked for AFP (Canada), France USA Media (France and USA), DownBeat Magazine (USA), JazzTimes (France and USA), Jazzmag (France), NPR (USA) and Radio Horizonte (Mexico). Emilie is also teaching a college course entitled Latino Literature (CUNY). She is now working on her first book, a section of which will be published in the academic publication Destiempos (Mexico) in June 2017.  

Kasia Kruk is a New York-based crowdfunding and social media strategist, an occasional filmmaker, and writer. Always Inspired by everyday encounters leading to great endeavors. 

T.K. Mills is a Bushwick, Brooklyn based writer. His work revolves around his passions: travel, art, and literature. Currently, he is preparing for a trip to Argentina. 
A collection of his published writing can be found at tkmills.com.  

I'm a coffee and fries addicted actress from NYC! CF&E was born from my desire to share my experiences and love of food, culture, and cheesy Powerpuff Girl puns with the world. I hope you enjoy reading as I’m trying to save the world, one food pic at a time.

Originally from Perú, Natalia is an academic and writer based in New York. She has published articles, poems and essays in literary magazines in Lima and New York, such as Pro-Logo, Los Bárbaros and Emisférica Journal. Natalia is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature in The State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Molly is an Idaho-born, Argentine-American professional finding her way between the academic research and construction/development realms of New York City and combinations as unlikely as her background. Writing and research are lifelong passions of hers that lead her to see the world through a variety of lenses while traveling and searching for new foods, cultures and architecture. She currently maintains a home base as a food-fanatic in the culturally rich borough of Queens. As a graduate of NYU’s Urban Design and Architecture program, Molly also works coordinating mid-rise, new construction projects throughout New York’s five boroughs.