Imagine a place where the smells of barbacoa and leather from cowboy boots waft through the air, where the sounds of cumbia playing, vendors making aguas frescas and conversations in Spanish carry through the aisles.

M&M Marketplace, a colorful mercado in Hillsboro, gives many of its visitors a sense of community and home.

At the mercado, podcast producer Mía Estrada was instantly transported to the Texas-Mexico border, where she was born and raised.

In this week’s episode, we explore the meaning of home, how we find it in unexpected places, and how it helps us stay resilient — all within the grounds of an Oregon mercado.

Listen to all episodes of “The Evergreen” podcast here.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/28/oregon-mercado-love-letter-the-evergreen/