Alex was born in Mexico City and raised with a love for culture, food, and storytelling. He’s spent over 15 years helping big companies become more human, connected and intentional — work that has taken him from corporate boardrooms to creative studios. A strategist with a heart for people, Alex believes in building spaces where folks can learn, grow, and thrive. Mercado de la Raza is a love letter to that belief — and to the community he now calls home.

Megahn is a born-and-raised Honolulu local. A graduate of NYU, she’s led sales and marketing teams in fashion, travel, and consumer goods for over two decades. Since moving home in 2020, she’s built lasting partnerships across Hawai‘i’s food industry — from iconic hotels to university campuses. But at her core, Megahn is a connector and a thorough operator. She lights up when people feel seen, when culture is celebrated with care, and when things get done on time!

Born and raised in the Caribbean living in the Pacific since 2011, and working as a sales clerk at Mercado de la Raza (MDLR) since early 2023. I am from Puerto Rico, enjoy to travel and learn new languages. In a way that is what brought me to the island of Oahu and now it is home.

What I enjoy the most of living in Hawaii is the similarities in the climate to the one of my island and the warmth of its people. I am passionate about food, cooking and learning new skills to create sweet and savory dishes, really taking advantage of the versatility of each ingredient, and especially finding substitutes for ingredients difficult to source in the distance to be able keep alive the tradition of the dishes from Puerto Rico. 

Working at MDLR I learn about different products from Latin America and the Caribbean that enrich my cooking and my life, given that I am celiac and many of these are naturally gluten free. This way I create a connection with the latin community that visit us daily. I love sharing my culinary knowledge, ask me about our products whenever!

Hola! My name is Maya, and I’m twenty one years old. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California until I moved to Oahu in 2021 to attend university.I chose the University of Hawai’i because I believed it was the optimal place to study sustainability and environmental science but I grew to love so much more.

What I love about living in Hawai’i is the the fresh air and although lots of people complain about the humidity personally I like feeling I can practically drink the air. What I also love about Hawai’i is the ability to experience different cultures that are typically minority where I come from. Being Hispanic and Latine in California is a walk in the park when it comes to connecting with my culture and having shared experiences with those around me. However, in moving here I’ve found it challenging to find until I found MDLR.

Working at MDLR has provided me the tools and opportunities to not only reconnect with my culture but share it with those unfamiliar. Although I still find very few Salvadoreños and Nicaragüenses to compare childhood foods and traditions with, I have learned so much about other countries specialties in contrast to things I grew up with. This includes Spanish! Unfortunately I was not raised speaking Spanish. Although it was very common in my household and a majority of the adults who raised me did speak Spanish I suppose I never caught the bilingual bug. I have had a lot of learning in the nine months of working at the Mercado and I will always try my best to provide our guests with what they need. I always welcome the practice so if you happen to visit the store and see me don’t hesitate to put me to the test! Hope to see you soon!