The first Feria del Mole was organized by a group of 10 to 15 women who took part in Universidad Popular’s Women’s Empowerment Program. These women, ages 25-60, were coming together once a week to discuss their lives, families, hopes, dreams, and support each other. At the time, Olivia Flores-Godinez, former executive director, was leading the group; the main theme was “self-esteem development.” Olivia kept hearing disempowering remarks from these participants, all Mexican immigrants and mainly homemakers: “I’m not good at anything,” or “I’m not smart,” or “I don’t have any skills – how will I get a job or help my children do their homework?” One day, Olivia asked these women if anyone was good at cooking. All of them responded with a resounding “YES!” The dish that they most prided themselves on was their mole. Sharing this conversation with the staff a few days later, one of them, and one coworker mentioned a very popular “feria del mole” festival in a pueblo near Mexico City. Perhaps UP participants could put together their own “feria.”