Whether it’s the pan de jamon she makes with her dad at Christmas or her mom’s arroz con leche, Venezuelan dishes are more than just a meal for Sofia Martinez Querecuto. They’re a deep connection to generations of her family and her culture as a Venezuelan immigrant.

She is now sharing that connection with the Carolina community as part of a new Latinx Heritage Month Community Cookbook being created by the Carolina Latinx Center alongside student groups Mi Pueblo and The Bridge.

“Something that brings everyone together is food,” said Martinez Querecuto, a junior in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media and the editor-in-chief of The Bridge. “It’s one of the richest ways to express culture and bring people together. It’s something that brings a lot of people comfort and joy. We wanted to focus on something positive to bring people together.”

Compiled from submissions from students, faculty and