Angela Salamanca
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Location: Guest House Raleigh
Interview by:
Charman Driver
Angela Salamanca | Restaurateur. Immigrant. Innovator. Frustrated Artist. Human.
“I… picture myself as a little ray of sunshine everywhere I go. I give a stronger hug, smile a little brighter or compliment someone.”
– Angela Salamanca
CD: Centro is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the modern and fresh Mexican food but also the fun, curious and creative interior space. When I eat at Centro or go upstairs for a drink at Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria, it’s like being in a gallery of wonder. The walls are bursting with color, culture and creativity with so much to observe and experience. The place always struck me as someone’s artistic expression but prior to this interview, I had no idea that you graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Studio Art and Art History. Now it all makes sense!
AS: The restaurant has become a canvas to express my passion for food, art, music and culture. My journey in this industry is a clear parallel to my immigrant story, which is survival through education and innovation. I set out to establish a sense of home by offering it to others in my spaces. It’s become a hub of advocacy for cultural diversity and inclusion in downtown Raleigh.
CD: Your immigration story is an American story.
AS: Unless you’re Native American, there is an immigration story (good or bad) within every family. The problem is that people box themselves into these different categories. People are afraid to acknowledge that underneath it all, we are the same. We need to recognize it.
I came here from Bogotá, Colombia on a tourist’s visa at age 17 but I didn’t have to walk across the border like many immigrants do and endure the horrible stories we see and hear today. I consider myself a privileged American immigrant.
Last week I went to see artist Susan Harbage Page’s “Borderlands” exhibition at the Gregg Museum. Since 2007, she’s taken a yearly pilgrimage to walk the border and photograph the things migrants and refugees have left behind while crossing the US-Mexico border in Southeast Texas.
There was a panel discussion and everyone on it was talking about immigration in an open and honest way, as if it were a common language that we all understood. This honesty in addressing immigration should be the legacy we leave to our kids. Instead we layer another legacy of shame on top of all the other shameful immigration stories we already have. It was so powerful, that I was in tears.
When you are in a place of privilege, you can say, “I’ll help a little bit, but I don’t want to get my hands dirty because I can’t relate.” It made me see my story as an immigrant differently—not from a place of privilege anymore.
CD: You are a champion for education and innovation, realizing that many doors can open for people that way.
AS: Education is so important. Education in the formal and traditional sense, but also exposing kids to the world with creative and innovative ways of educating themselves.
Years ago Centro started hosting a ‘Day of the Dead’ Race as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club. We weren’t seeing a lot of Latin American customers in the restaurant but we wanted to give back to that community and found the connection through the Boys & Girls Club. It has since become a big and notable event—and I love it. The kids from the Brentwood Club and other clubs really look forward to training for the race, running the race, and finishing the race.
The Boys & Girls Club has a program called ‘Youth of the Year’. The older kids get to participate and learn great leadership skills such as public speaking. They write essays, get letters of recommendation, and practice their presentation skills. The kids get interviewed and every club has a winner who goes on to regionals. The winner of regionals goes on to nationals, and that winner gets a scholarship.
It’s a huge deal for the kids. I’ve been a judge for a while now and I read in their letters that they are proud of being a part of the ‘Day of the Dead’ race! We had no idea we’d have such a positive impact on so many young lives. Running a 5K is easily taken for granted by you and me but, for these kids, it turns something on in their lives that’s bigger than just a run.
CD: You’re changing a life. When a kid realizes she has power within her own physical body to make changes in her life, it can be transformational.
AS: To paraphrase what Regina King said in her Oscars acceptance speech; “This is what happens when support and love is poured into someone.” Love is all we need.
CD: It’s so true! Speaking of love, do you still create art?
AS: When I started working in the restaurant business, I poured myself into my work and life happens. I took myself away from being creative so that I could be productive for sustainability-sake. I miss creating art. Lately, I’ve been feeling like I need some active creativity in my life again.
I name my years and last year was “the year of creativity”. I put it out there so that I can be held accountable for it and I realized that I’ve become afraid of creativity. When I was an artist and in school, there was so much freedom and wonder. Freedom is what it felt like and I want to get back that feeling.
I’ve been listening to a lot of Brené Brown’s work about the importance of play in our lives. I put a lot of play in my life intentionally, but not necessarily creativity. I try to sit down and paint—with no expectations—but I am frozen. I have three canvases at home ready and waiting for me—but I can’t do it. They are just sitting there haunting me! What is it going to take? What is this barrier that I’ve created for myself?
CD: Have you figured anything out?
AS: No! But I’m aware of it now, which has caught me by surprise. Maybe I don’t have to paint three canvases. Maybe I just need to begin—or find creativity in other ways. I know that part of what I need in my life—to be happy and whole—is to bring back that creativity.
Right now, I feel like all I’ve been doing is sorting and cleaning up messes. Maybe that’s why the path isn’t clear for me to be fluid with creativity yet.
CD: I can’t wait to see what comes out of you and onto a canvas! You inspire so many of us.
How do you nourish yourself?
AS: I wasn’t taught that taking care of myself is important. In the past three years I’ve become aware of just how important it is, though. I’ve always had crazy amounts of energy and drive—until there was no more of it and totally depleted.
When I was training for my marathon, I hired a coach. He had me fill out a long questionnaire and when he got to my answer on sleep, he said, “I will not coach you if you don’t get your sleep in order.” He pronounced, “You need to commit to that if we’re going to work together.” He was adamant about it. I thought, man this must really be important. Ever since then, I pay attention to how much sleep I need.
I go to bed early, I turn off my phone and put it outside of my room. I keep myself hydrated. I get up early and I meditate and I have a yoga practice at home.
Another simple thing I do is picture myself as a little ray of sunshine everywhere I go. I give a stronger hug, smile a little brighter or compliment someone. I always try to leave something positive instead of something negative.
When I don’t take care of myself I’m incapable of being that ray of sunshine. I’m short and judgmental and I can’t be generous or graceful. I see the impact of that negativity on the kids and staff. They feel it immediately, and then we can’t get the work done or have the relationships we want to have.
When I was doing my yoga teacher training we did a visual learning exercise with an image of a body in meditation pose. One image depicted a body with energy inside of the body and the other had the energy flowing outside of the body. The image with the energy on the outside seemed exciting to me because I thought it was glowing. The truth is, if you let all of your energy out, then there’s nothing left for yourself. If that’s the case, then, what are you doing to replenish your energy? It made me aware of things I was or wasn’t doing to retain my energy or replenish it. I had to set some real clear boundaries about how much I can do for others. I still struggle with wanting to do it all, but now I’m aware of what is most important so that I can be fully present for my children, for my staff, and for the community work I want to do.
CD: What is it to be empowered?
AS: Recognizing when something is not working—and being able to let it go.
CD: When you’re able to let go, what does that do for you?
AS: I’ve learned that when I can have uncomfortable conversations, I can replace those feelings with something else that serves me better. Getting that out of the way or getting myself out of the way is empowering.
CD: How do you shape your body?
AS: These days I do a lot of yoga. I’ve been a runner all my life but I’m nursing a knee injury so I haven’t run as much and last year I pulled something in my lower back. I think the universe is asking me to be still for a little while, but I don’t know how to do that and I’m fighting it!
I’ve noticed that my body is changing and I’m worried. Vanity kicks in: I’m 42, I’m single. What am I going to look like if I can’t run? I’ve been really mindful of my eating habits and not eating sugar. I did Whole 30 this month and I’ve continued with those good habits. Not drinking alcohol helps. I need to be still so I can figure out what’s going on with my back. I don’t know if I’ll run again or how my yoga practice will change.
CD: As we age, we must get more creative about how we shape our bodies and what is right is for us as the body changes. We won’t always be able to do what we used to do in the same way. I believe it’s a real chance to find something new, different and creative. That can be fun! Our egos can get in the way, but being comfortable with the aging process is imperative. Its challenging, but it’s the way it is.
AS: What has been groundbreaking for me is restorative yoga. I thought there was no way I can sit and be still. Now I see the beauty in it.
CD: What is it to be transformed?
AS: Being able to own who I am, be open about what else is possible in life, and be proactive about it.
I journal a lot. I don’t say negative things about people and gossip, but if I’m upset about something I can write it out and then let it go.
CD: You show up in abundance for our community already. Are there other things you’d like to do and offer?
AS: I never felt like I could be an ambassador for the immigrant community because my arrival experience was different than some others. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines, but I want to show up in a more visible way for immigration and the immigrant community. I have a platform that can help many people and that’s important. I want to be of service, give visibility and value to people like me.
Get Angela’s super-healthy and nourishing recipe she created exclusively for BY: NEST readers here.
Angela’s next project is a celebration of corn and the process of nixtamalization called Ex-Voto Cocina Nixtamal, a small masa production and street food venture opening soon at the Durham Food Hall.