About the Event
Join us for Protect Your Story: Storytelling Through Food as we dive into the intersection of food, culture, and intellectual property (IP). Cultures pass down their traditions and share them with the world through food. As people migrate to new lands, cultural traditions become even more important, serving as a source of income for immigrants building businesses that reflect their cultural stories. Sriracha, chili crisp, Korean BBQ, taco, quesadilla, egusi, and okra soup all represent some of the ways food entrepreneurs preserve their cultures and share them with their communities. For some, those journeys expand to include the consumer goods we purchase in stores.
The Protect Your Story webinar will explore some of the IP challenges food entrepreneurs face and discuss how IP knowledge can help safeguard the rich traditions and cultural significance behind each dish. We look forward to discovering how these innovators are protecting and celebrating their culinary stories and cultural heritage through IP.
Speakers Include
Jonathan Hyman
Partner, Knobbe Marten
Jonathan A. Hyman is a partner in Knobbe Marten’s Los Angeles office. He is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Advertising, Media and Entertainment Practice Group, which includes helping companies navigate false advertising claims for foods and beverages, and is also the Co-Chair of the firm’s CBD and Legal Cannabis Group. Hyman’s practice includes domestic and foreign trademark review, prosecution, and enforcement, licensing, copyrights, and rights of publicity. He represents clients in a number of industries but especially enjoys working with food and beverage companies. Hyman has helped numerous food and beverage clients raise funding based on their IP and have successful exists, including the acquisition of BAI Brands by Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $1.7 Billion and the acquisition of One Brands by Hershey for $397 Million. He is a Founding Board Member of the California IP Alliance, whose mission is to increase IP Awareness and Education; advance diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the IP ecosystem; and foster IP ecosystem collaboration.
Karla Tatiana Vasquez
Founder, Salvi Soul
Karla Tatiana Vasquez is a food writer, recipe developer, and food stylist based in Los Angeles. Her writing has been published by The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Teen Vogue among others. Her recipe development work can be seen in Food & Wine, Serious Eats, BuzzFeed Tasty, and Tastemade. Vasquez is also a food justice advocate and an active member in her community to increase healthy food accessibility in low-income communities, previously working with Hunger Action Los Angeles and Los Angeles Food Policy Council. She founded SalviSoul to preserve her family’s recipes, and since then it’s expanded to focus on cultural memory and intergenerational healing for the Salvadoran diaspora.
Janet Song
Founder, In A Pickle
In a Pickle was born from a vision that pickles can be enjoyed daily with a variety of meals beyond the sandwich. Janet Song grew this belief since childhood while witnessing her parents eat kimchi with each and every meal. Her Korean culture paved the way for her deep love and appreciation for fermented foods and pickled veggies. After making the pivot from teaching yoga full time to starting a gourmet pickle business during the pandemic, Song dove into another passion of hers and is now offering a variety of pickles, fermented kimchi products, bloody mary mix, and spicy relish at six different farmers markets throughout Los Angeles and San Bernardino County. Her goal has always been to create a fun and educational experience for her customers and has recently launched a hands-on kids pickle workshop. Song plans to continue expanding the business to other markets and retail partners, and host pickle workshops throughout Los Angeles.
Moderated by Chinwe Ohanele Agwu
Senior Program Manager, Michelson Intellectual Property Institute
Chinwe Ohanele, ESQ (she/her), is the senior program manager for the Michelson Intellectual Property Institute, an initiative of the Michelson 20MM Foundation. Ohanele Agwu is a practicing attorney and an adjunct professor at USC Gould School of Law. She holds a BS/BA in Economics and Philosophy from the University of the Pacific and a J.D from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Ohanele Agwu is licensed to practice law in California, New York, and New Jersey.