The Evolution and Heart of the Peña Park Market
By Leah Moss, Communications and Outreach Director, AFPC
Just off the Muldoon overpass in Anchorage is a market with a rich history, the Peña Park Market. Over the years, the Peña Park Market has grown and found its home. It continues to offer a community gathering space for the Hmong community but has increasingly welcomed everyone.
Peña Park Market Manager May Ramirez-Xiong shared her insights on the market's evolution. “My father was one of the first Hmong farmers in the United States, and when I was young, Peña Park was just a place where the Hmong community gathered and brought food.”
Anchorage is home to a significant Hmong population, with most of Alaska's approximately 6,000 Hmong residents living in the city. Many Hmong are refugees or children of refugees who came to the U.S. after the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Farming has been central to Hmong life for generations. Many Hmong in Alaska continue farming, adapting their traditional practices and developing innovative ways to grow in extreme and shortened seasons.
As more Hmong refugees arrived in Anchorage in the 2000s, the market began to take shape. Local organizations like Catholic Social Services and others pitched in as May explains “to help these individuals connect with their roots and adapt to life in America. That is how the community garden started," But turning it into an official market wasn't easy.
The Peña Park Market began as casual gatherings in the late 90s and early 2000s, with Hmong community members sharing food in parks like Conifer Park and Davis Park before eventually settling at Peña Park. May shares that “people just knew it was a place to hang out on weekends during the summer. Then the food started. People brought food, and over time, they’re like, hey, well, can we have some? And the women there are just so amazing. They like to share their food. Over time, people who were eating their food started asking if they could pay for it. And that's actually how it began.”
Ensuring the market met fire, health, and park department rules required a lot of work, especially with language barriers. "Language was one of the main barriers before I was involved. I was brought in to interpret. And when I learned of the need and the requirements of running a market, including insurance and all that stuff, I had to step in and take over this responsibility to help." With May’s support, the market adapted and began to grow even more, providing a safer and more organized space for everyone.
The market continues to grow but remains true to its roots: food is a vital part of connecting to your culture, even if your homeland is thousands of miles away. In May’s words,“When we think about bringing any type of community together, we always think about what types of food we are going to eat or what we can bring. Food is so important, especially in our community, because some of the things that our vendors have, they're not typical items you find in stores or local grocery stores.”
And while many delights are grown locally by the vendors themselves, not everything can be sourced here. Luckily, the Peña Park vendors are incredibly resourceful in what they serve and what they grow. As May puts it, "some of the seeds for these vegetables are not something that you can just get here. You have to have found a resource somewhere to have that type of vegetable somehow grow here, and they also have a way of finding vegetables from the lower 48 and making sure that we can have it here.”
The unique selection of items isn’t the only thing that makes Peña Park Market special. According to May, “having the multi-generation connection is really what makes this market so important. You have the children who help their parents set up their space and do the paperwork. You have the parents who participate and show the children how to do these things. So when you come to the market, you'll see some of the women that are there, and you'll know that they're there because their children help make it possible, and at the same time, they are teaching skills to their kids.”
The market isn't just for the Hmong community. "We open up the space to others who have never been in business and want to be." May explains this inclusivity allows a diverse range of vendors to showcase their goods, from bakers to artisans. "It gives everybody the opportunity to showcase a part of who they are and what they do."
May has big visions for the future of the market. "The dream for Peña Market 20 years from now? Gosh, I would like to see it expand, and I want to see a lot more diversity at the market, more spaces." Space limitations and regulations currently make it tough, but there's a strong desire to create a larger, more inclusive market.
For those who have yet to visit the Peña Park Market, prepare yourself for an array of delights. May wants to elevate this diversity to everyone "One thing that I wish people knew about the market is that every vendor has something special about them. A lot of people come there for the food, and then they get to see all the amazing vegetables and pastries that are there. That's how we can connect to people through the different types of vegetables and other items at the market.”
The Peña Park Market is a testament to the resilience and spirit of the Hmong community. It has evolved from a simple gathering spot to a vibrant market that plays a vital role in preserving Hmong culture and fostering community bonds. The market remains a cherished space for sharing food, traditions, and community support. The ongoing efforts to include diverse vendors and expand the market foretell a bright and vibrant future for years to come. I certainly hope so, because I have never had such incredible pork belly.
