Cinco de Mayo, Community, and Conversation

Spanish-speaking group Mi Comunidad pairs food and culture

By Lourin Sprenger | May 2, 2026

On the first Tuesday of every month, something special happens inside Loco Boys in Traverse City. From 6-8pm, strangers become friends, languages intertwine, and laughter fills the room.

It’s not a class, and it’s not a social event…it’s a hybrid of the two. Mi Comunidad is a growing community rooted in connection and culture, bringing people together through the shared experience of language.

Founded by Cristian Viveros Brummitt in the summer of 2024, Mi Comunidad was born out of something deeply personal: a longing for connection.

“I realized how much I missed hearing Spanish in everyday life,” Brummitt, a native of Mexico, explains. “It was a way to connect with others who were missing that sense of community around the Spanish language … both native speakers and people interested in learning or practicing it.”

From the beginning, her vision was intentional. Mi Comunidad was not meant be intimidating or academic. Instead, it would feel like a gathering of friends. Participants don’t have to be fluent in Spanish—they just have to be open to learning the language and open to new friendships.

“It was important to create something relaxing and welcoming,” she says. “The goal isn’t perfection, it’s connection.”

Food & Language

What started as a single meetup nearly two years ago with fewer than 20 people has grown into a consistent, diverse group of attendees: some fluent, some just beginning, all equally valued.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak Spanish,” Brummitt emphasizes, encouraging anyone interested to attend a meetup. “I want people to feel comfortable. I want people to eat, to talk, to laugh.”

As with many good things in life, food plays a central role at Mi Comunidad.

“In Mexico and across many Latin American cultures, food, family, and friendship are at the center of community life,” Brummitt says. “Sharing a meal is one of the most natural ways people connect.”

Meals may be what drew people in initially, but the connection keeps them coming back. Mi Comunidad now has many established members that look forward to monthly meetings.

“I thought it was so cool that Traverse City had a dedicated Spanish meetup. I started going to Mi Comunidad in the fall of 2024 to maintain my level of Spanish,” says Pohai Muller. “It has also become a place to meet new people, exchange travel stories, and learn from other Spanish speakers,” he says.

As an intermediate speaker, he’s found himself both learning and giving back.

“I’m able to mentor beginners while also learning new lingo and gaining fluency from native and advanced speakers,” he tells us. “It takes courage and vulnerability to show up and practice a language, but the reward is always worth it.”

Vida Ruggero is a Spanish teacher in northern Michigan who was passing a meetup and was drawn in out of curiosity. For her, the impromptu experience has created an extended circle of friends.

“It’s a beautiful bridge between generations, all connected by our love for the Spanish-speaking world,” Ruggero says. “I immediately felt a sense of belonging. It’s something you don’t just observe when the group gathers…it’s something you feel.”

Identity & History

For Brummitt, that sense of belonging is deeply tied to her own journey. She moved to the United States in 2011 without knowing English. The experience shaped her understanding of how isolating language barriers can be.

“Language is deeply tied to identity,” Brummitt says. “When you don’t have it, it can make everyday life feel harder. Mi Comunidad is my way of creating a space where people feel supported and not judged.”

Two years after its founding, the group continues to evolve. While the monthly gatherings remain the foundation, Brummitt is expanding into cultural experiences like “Café y Cultura,” a Latin American coffee tasting paired with storytelling and conversation prompts.

As May approaches, Mi Comunidad is preparing for one of its most anticipated gatherings, a Cinco de Mayo celebration. For Brummitt, the holiday carries a meaning that goes far beyond margaritas and tacos.

“Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862,” she explains, “when Mexico defeated French forces in a very unlikely victory.”

Outnumbered and under-resourced, Mexican troops, many of them Indigenous and local community members, stood up against one of the most powerful armies in the world.

“These were not just trained soldiers,” Brummitt says. “They were members of the community defending their land and their dignity.” For her, the holiday is about “resilience, community, and people coming together even when the odds are against them.”

Cinco de Mayo is not widely celebrated in Mexico in the same way it is in the United States, where the American version of the holiday revolves around food and drink. For Brummitt, it’s still one of her favorite days of the year, one that connects her old home in Mexico and her new home here.

“The way people celebrate in Traverse City, it’s about the spirit of community,” she says. “People coming together. I think that’s wonderful.”

While it can be easy to celebrate with a meal, Brummitt also encourages a moment of reflection on Cinco de Mayo.

“A meaningful way to celebrate is by engaging with Mexican culture intentionally,” Brummitt says. “Support local restaurants, listen to Mexican music, learn the history. It’s about appreciating the culture and the people behind it.”

Cinco de Mayo falls on the first Tuesday in May (May 5 this year). Mi Comunidad’s doors will be open inside Loco Boys for newcomers and regulars alike.

Photo by Sophia DeJong