Mental health and financial independence meet at Mixteca’s 25th anniversary

Mixteca’s 25th anniversary at the Glasshouse Chelsea had all the trappings of a nonprofit milestone: live music, refreshments, and VIP guests, from Senator Chuck Schumer to Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. But it was a small group of caterers, usually expected to be invisible, who, for a moment, stole the spotlight.

As the executive director of the immigrant support organization, Lorena Kourousias, thanked donors and elected supporters for helping Mixteca to expand food distribution, advocacy, and health services, she turned her attention to the appetizers at the back of the room: “Tonight we’re enjoying the snacks. It’s one of our programs — the Sobremesa program — for survivors of gender-based violence who are developing their own business.”

The women acknowledged the applause beside their botana corner, a colorful spread with Sunset Park favorites like picafresas, pelón pelo rico, and takis.

While at the anniversary they focused on treats, Sobremesa’s heart is a 12-week program where women cook together, share their stories, and design a menu that reflects their lives. Each cycle culminates in a ticketed dinner at the Brooklyn Grange, with proceeds going directly to participants. The first cohort of 11 women completed their cycle over the summer. The next group, narrowed to about 20 from more than 60 applicants, begins September 30 and runs through December 6.

For Gabriela, a stay-at-home mother, the last dinner, held in July, was empowering and transformative. “It felt amazing,” she said. “People enjoyed the food because it was natural, from home, not like in any restaurant. And I got to do something for me, not just as a mom, but for myself.”

Mixteca mental health coordinator Aldonza Buelba launched the program earlier this year using food and shared meals to create a safe space while building skills for financial independence. “In our community there’s still stigma around therapy,” Buelba explained. “If we just say, come talk about anxiety, nobody comes. But if we cook together, the defenses go down. Healing feels natural.”

For many participants, that means recognizing trauma for the first time. “Sometimes women sit down and hear about types of violence — economic, emotional, controlling — and you can see their faces change,” Buelba said. “They realize, ‘That happened to me. That was violence.’ And the change isn’t just for them, it’s systemic. Now as mothers, they can tell their daughters that those behaviors aren’t love.”

Sandra, another participant, described the group as both therapeutic and practical. “We support each other, like a family,” she said. “We are learning to be independent, to form a cooperative, to survive and move forward.”

Sobremesa is one of several programs Mixteca offers to weave mental health into daily life. Saturday groups for men and women, some running for nearly 20 years, create continuity and community in a city where isolation can be severe. “Talking about mental health with men from our community is more challenging,” Buelba admitted. “But every week, 15 or 20 show up. They stay because of the camaraderie, the laughter, the food. It becomes a safe place to share what they can’t say elsewhere.”

The anniversary evening also looked ahead. Kourousias announced Casa Mixteca, a larger, permanent space in Sunset Park. Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes and Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, joined Councilmember Alexa Avilés in praising the group’s role as a lifeline for immigrant families in Sunset Park and beyond.

For participants like Gabriela and Sandra, the night wasn't just a celebration, but a step toward healing, a taste of entrepreneurship, and the chance to share their work with the wider community.

To book the Sobremesa catering group for events, call 347-255-2995.