The Okotoks Farmers' Market was off to a wonderful start on Friday afternoon! Despite the clouds overhead, everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time observing the unique vendors, tasting the delicious cuisine from the various food trucks, and just seeing what the land had to offer! The Farmers' Market will be held every Friday afternoon from 3:30 to 6:30 pm until September 28 at 322041 15 St. E. Be sure to bring your friends and family out in the upcoming weeks to enjoy the Okotoks' spirit and beautiful community! The Eagle Street Team had a great time interacting with all the local individuals and businesses, hoping to boost their involvement with our wonderful town!

 

 

During my time there, I had the pleasure of meeting Ima Moreno from the business El Papalote. You can see him pictured above, smiling proudly with his various salsas! Talking with him, I learnt of his past hardships and the struggles he has had to endure through in order to place himself as a successful business based in High River. Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, Ima's family struggled financially during his childhood. Despite the lack of money, Ima says, his childhood contained many rich experiences which taught him the importance of kindness, care, and compassion. It is the ability to empathize that has allowed Ima to reinvent himself in a business that is dedicated to caring for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. 

 

Although Ima was able to move past the financial difficulties in his past to create a functional business in Canada, there continues to be an impoverished population that struggles daily to eat an adequately sized meal or even sleep comfortably in a bed. Mexico and other parts of the world are improving drastically and at an astonishing rate, thanks to the dedication and hard work of individuals such as Ima. The blankets and artwork displayed below are from Mexico, directly from the families who make Oaxaca their home. Buying their hard work in bulk, and bringing the authenticity to Canada, Ima shares with us the beauty of Mexican culture. Furthermore, the money that he makes from the items goes directly back to those hardworking, and less fortunate families as he uses the profits to purchase more of their items. This positive feedback loop has also allowed him to purchase the ingredients for his salsas from Mexico as well! Such authenticity and dedication is difficult to find elsewhere!

 

 

 

The blankets and artwork pictured above are all handmade by different families situated in the streets of Oaxaca. By connecting with the families that live in those circumstances, Ima relates to their hardships and as a result, hopes to expand his business closer to them. He tells me that he has hopes of opening an office in Oaxaca, where himself or a future business partner can work full-time, assisting the street artists of their home country. By buying from these artists in even larger bulk quantities, Ima can effectively reduce the uncertainties that the families face, providing them with some concrete stability for the first time in generations, possibly. 

 

My conversation with Ima ended with him poignantly saying that small individuals can make an extreme impact. Mexico was recently devastated by an earthquake of magnitude 8.2 in September of 2017. Dozens of individuals were killed and many thousands were left without a home. As the strongest earthquake that the country has experienced in centuries, the Chiapas earthquake left its mark on millions of individuals in Mexico. It is therefore the duty of each individual, no matter how isolated or small to engage their compassion in support of those whose lives have been devastated and will take years to rebuild. Ima says the first step towards compassion is connection and communication, so do your best to reach out - no matter how small the gesture, its positive effects will multiply and reverberate throughout time and space.

 

Be sure to check out Ima's page on Facebook, El Papalote for more information! 

 

Also be sure to enter for your chance to win the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 at ridetheram.com! Be sure to place Okotoks as your preferred station!

 

Finally, if you are interested in havingt myself cover a community event, please do not hesitate to contact me at skshatriya@goldenwestradio.com! It is my hope that we can collaborate together in pursuit of a more connected community!