Meet Genesis Mena: Inspiring Communities Through Seafood and Sustainability

Hello! My name is Genesis Mena, and I am the Sea-to-School Education and Outreach Coordinator for Get Hooked Seafood.

At Get Hooked, we connect our members to the freshest seafood from over 40 small-boat fishing families across California, ensuring that every catch is both local and sustainably sourced. Through our Sea-to-School grant-funded initiative, I work to educate communities about the benefits of local seafood and sustainability. My role involves developing fun, kid-friendly seafood products for schools, leading educational campaigns, and facilitating seafood tastings while creating engaging curriculum on seafood and sustainability.

I am also a Garden and Nutrition Educator at Rio School District, specifically Rio Del Norte. There, I facilitate cooking, nutrition, and gardening lessons for students TK-5th. My background in food education includes serving as a FoodCorps service member, where I taught around 1,500 school children how to grow, cook, and appreciate nourishing foods. I’m passionate about blending curriculum development, community building, and sustainability to make a positive impact. I love seeing students and kitchen staff excited about trying new dishes and learning about where their food comes from!

My love for seafood started as a kid. I used to go on vacations with my family to Yucatan to visit my grandma (which I still do to this day). We were always near the Gulf of Mexico, so there was always plenty of delicious seafood. I remember eating Pescado Frito (fried fish) with pickled onions, a romaine salad with cucumbers and tomatoes, and a lime on the side. The fish, which I believe was Mojarra, was flaky, buttery, and so tasty, with charred, crispy skin. It paired perfectly with lime, which was my favorite combination growing up. I also remember the fresh fish ceviche with pulpo in it—the purple tentacles were fun to eat as a kid! Additionally, my uncle would catch fresh fish and make his specialty, a savory fish soup. We would feast outside under the Tamarind tree and enjoy the breeze and the company of family.

I am so grateful and privileged to have had those experiences because, even though I now live just 10 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, I cannot seem to find that same local love for seafood. Most people I know won't even give it a chance. It makes me wonder if their appreciation for seafood would grow if they had tried it the way I did as a kid.