“La Botanica del Barrio” (Apothecary of the Neighborhood) is a mobile social practice project that focuses on sharing, making, and documenting wellness ways for and by the people. La Botanica is a rolling remedy and medicine cArt that aims to create dialogue, educate, and document Mexican traditional medicine wellness remedies, recipes, herb and plant uses. This project makes accessible the traditional, cultural, and holistic knowledge of Indigenous and people of color by creating a location for exchange and teaching in non-traditional spaces. La Botanica is accompanied by bilingual wellness programs such as self and community care, tea and tincture making, stress management, and women’s wellness.

La Botanica del Barrio moves the conversation into the streets and brings awareness to health inequities as a result of race, class, and gender, and to create dialogue around traditional forms of healing encouraging positive and healing attitudes among participants through plant and alternative medicine practices.

This project has been very well received across art, wellness, campus, and cultural communities due to the deep interest and urgent need in the immigrant and Latine community. Dozens of activations have taken place in pop up art events and creative wellbeing fairs, festivals and exhibitions including The Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2023 and the Oakland Museum of CA in 2024.