Food Shapes Identity: Immigrant Stories with Cocina Libre

Date and Time

• Monday, Apr 20, 2026  5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location

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Details

Food is more than nourishment – it carries memory, identity, and stories that cross borders.

Join Cocina Libre for an immersive evening that blends film, storytelling, and shared food to explore how culinary traditions shape culture, resilience, and belonging. This is not your typical screening—it’s an interactive experience designed to spark connection, reflection, and conversation.

The evening will feature a screening of Sazón & Liberation, Cocina Libre’s powerful documentary highlighting immigrant chefs and food entrepreneurs who use food as a tool for survival, expression, and community-building.

Following the film, stay for a live conversation with Chef Zeny, a Colombian chef and featured storyteller, alongside Dr. Julia Roncoroni, founder of Cocina Libre and Associate Professor at the University of Denver. Together, they’ll explore themes of migration, identity, and the deeply personal ways food carries stories across generations and geographies.

Guests will also enjoy fresh, handmade Colombian empanadas prepared by Chef Zeny, crispy, savory pastries filled with traditional ingredients and served with ají, a vibrant and spicy Colombian salsa. The tasting is an integral part of the experience, inviting you to engage not just intellectually, but sensorially.

Throughout the evening, you’ll:

Watch a short documentary centered on immigrant voices

Hear personal stories from a featured chef

Participate in a guided, thoughtful discussion

Taste the food behind the stories

Reflect on your own relationship to food, culture, and community

This intimate program is designed to be welcoming, reflective, and deeply human, offering space not just to learn, but to connect.

Past Cocina Libre programs have been hosted by organizations including History Colorado, Denver Public Library, and Colorado Creative Industries.

Please note: All proceeds from this program directly support Cocina Libre’s work and programming.