Fun Fact
Monastery to Garden: Artist Francisco Toledo blocked a luxury hotel plan for a historic monastery. He transformed the sacred site into Oaxaca's lush Ethnobotanical Garden instead!
Chapter 1
The mystical animals of Juchitán
Chapter 2
Master of clay and paper
Chapter 3
The activist who saved Oaxaca
Chapter 4
Kites for the missing
YOUR GOAL
Master of The art of Francisco Toledo
Ch 3 · The activist who saved Oaxaca
streetspirit Francisco Toledo
No golden arches here, we're serving hot tamales in the square
streetspirit Toledo founded unique cultural spaces designed to be accessible to everyone.
BETA
streetspirit Match Toledo's mythical animals to discover how he blended Oaxacan nature with ancient folklore.
Fun Fact
Tamales vs. burgers: To protest a planned McDonald's in Oaxaca's historic plaza, Francisco Toledo hosted a massive public picnic serving traditional local tamales.
Glossary
activist (noun)
A person who campaigns to bring about political or social change. In 2002, Francisco Toledo led protests distributing tamales to block a corporate restaurant from opening in Oaxaca.
A person who campaigns to bring about political or social change. In 2002, Francisco Toledo led protests distributing tamales to block a corporate restaurant from opening in Oaxaca.
Quiz
In 2002, Francisco Toledo successfully protested the opening of which fast-food chain in Oaxaca's historic plaza?
streetspirit Toledo fought to protect Mexico's heirloom corn from genetically modified varieties.
Quiz
What agricultural crop did Toledo campaign fiercely to protect from genetically modified (GMO) imports?
Quiz
Francisco Toledo founded a unique library named after which famous blind Argentine writer?
Quiz
Which of these public spaces did Francisco Toledo help save and transform into the Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden?
Quiz
What was Francisco Toledo's primary philosophy regarding public access to books and art?
Quiz
What traditional Mexican food did Toledo hand out for free during his historic fast-food protest?
Quiz
What is the name of the world-famous graphic arts institute and free library Toledo founded in Oaxaca in 1988?
Quiz
How did Francisco Toledo fund most of his cultural and philanthropic projects in Oaxaca?