The Student Engagement Office invites you to a live cooking demonstration with Chef Maria Parra Cano of Sana Sana Foods and Indigena.
Chef Maria Parra Cano is mami-preneur of Sana Sana Foods and Indigena. Maria is a Xicana Indigena born in Phoenix and grew up in Barrio Garfield along with her siblings. Maria received her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University, her MBA from Grand Canyon University and a culinary arts degree from Scottsdale Culinary Institute – Le Cordon Bleu. Maria is a mother of 4 with her oldest being 7 and the youngest being 2. She is married to Brian Cano who is the artist & soul behind Ironwood Metal Works & Coatl. Maria is a mother, wife, sister, aunt, community organizer, danzante y mujer de ceremonia as part of the Calpoalli Nahuacalco and other ceremonial circles for the past 20 years. Maria is a co-founder and Executive Director of the Cihuapactli Collective, co-founder MEChA de ASU’s Xicana/o Graduation and board member for the Sagrado and the Orchard Community Learning Center in South Phoenix. Maria provides postpartum support as a CoMadrita/doula and rebozo workshops for use throughout the life cycle.
Sana Sana, is a plant-based movement aimed at healing our community from diseases like diabetes and hypertension through food. Maria was taught to cook at a very young age by her mother, Maria Cristina Parra Martinez and learned about indigenous cuisines from Central and Southern Mexico. Maria has been working with local community groups to expand their knowledge of ancestral/traditional foods by providing community cooking classes, demos and workshops as well as a mobile Indigenous Food Pantry.