About Us

Who we are:

 

Growing up as a no sabo kid, I always felt like the odd one out of my family. Now, 30 years later, nothing has made me feel more connected to my culture than with our delicious food, diverse architecture, language and history, and being from California is one big melting pot of flavors. I want to embody every memory I can into Luna Vela Candle Co. and share it with the world as a self-love letter to the 8-year-old me who felt like he once didn’t belong.

-Mario

 

 

In a way, my first business started when I was 7 years old. My parents, immigrants from Jalisco, came to America, like many, with dreams and a drive….and not much else. After years of factory and gig work, they opened their first restaurant on a work only status. This meant I was translating legal documents to them while also reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Rainbow Fish. On weekends, I would set up a “booth” at their restaurant and sell fresh caña from our backyard for $.25 a stalk, at an obvious profit loss, their only goal was to set me up for success. 23 years later, with lots of lessons and mixed media art sets, I join Mario in creating our beloved candles to bring light to a Latinx owned company.

-Albert