After5NewYork-Taco Literacy:A Crash Course on the World's Favorite Handheld
About this Event
A Conversation on Food, Culture, and The Stories We Eat
Join an English professor and literacy scholar for Taco Literacy: A Crash Course on the World's Favorite Handheld, an engaging exploration of the history, culture, and meaning behind one of the world's most beloved foods. Together, we'll look beyond the taco as a simple meal and explore how food can carry stories of migration, identity, community, and cultural exchange, particularly within Mexican immigrant communities in the United States.
What We'll Cover:
• The story behind the taco - Explore the cultural traditions and foodways that have shaped the taco and helped it become a global culinary icon.
• Food as a form of literacy - Discover how the foods we make, share, and eat can communicate stories about identity, family, culture, and community.
• Why tacos matter - Explore how something as familiar as a taco can offer a deeper understanding of language, culture, belonging, and the ways communities preserve and share their stories.
Whether you're a taco enthusiast, a lover of food and culture, or simply curious about the stories hiding inside everyday meals, you'll leave with a new appreciation for the taco and the people, traditions, and histories behind it.
Don't miss this chance to connect with your After5Society.
About The Speaker:
Dr. Steven Alvarez is a Professor and Assistant Chair of English at St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where he specializes in literacy studies and bilingual education with a focus on Mexican immigrant communities. He teaches courses ranging from autobiographical writing and ethnographic methods to visual rhetoric and taco literacy, exploring the foodways of Mexican immigrants in the United States. Dr. Alvarez earned his Ph.D. in English from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York and is the author of Brokering Tareas: Mexican Immigrant Families Translanguaging Homework Literacies and Community Literacies en Confianza: Learning from Bilingual After-School Programs, as well as three books of poetry.
Good to know before you come:
• Exact bar location will be disclosed in your confirmation email
• Arrive early to grab a drink and get settled
• The speaker portion lasts 1 hour, with optional time to stay and socialize afterward
• This is a participatory event
• Seating is limited to keep the experience intimate
Agenda
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Doors Open & Drinks Flow
Info: Arrive early to grab a drink, settle in, and enjoy the atmosphere. Early birds get the best seats and a head start on mingling!
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:45 PM
Guided Experience / Talk
Info: Dive into an engaging, interactive session with our speaker. Participate, observe, or simply soak it all in — it’s your experience to enjoy.
🕑: 07:45 PM - 08:00 PM
Q&A / Reflection
Info: Ask questions, share insights, or hear behind-the-scenes stories from the host in a casual discussion.
🕑: 08:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Social Time & Connection
Info: Stick around to chat with fellow attendees, swap ideas, or just relax with a drink. Great conversations often happen after the main event!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 29.99
