Karuna Colectiva (fiscal sponsor – New Mexico Community Capital)
Grants Awarded
The program empowers indigenous youth by facilitating bike rides along bosque trails, highlighting the essential link between natural environments and cultural identities. By providing bicycles and gear to low-income participants, it fosters personal growth and promotes a sustainable worldview, while reinforcing the significance of ecosystem connections and the principles of reciprocity and balance inherent in indigenous cultures.
Karuna Colectiva is a work, learn, earn environment for indigenous youth. Our goals are to enhance the youth’s autonomy, creative skills, health, and success through holistic practices and traditional culture. We take scheduled bike rides, screen print, cut vinyl stickers, and hold community events. Some bike rides include, “Journey to the Water” & “Mural Movement Ride”. Our motto is “many in body, one in mind”. Mentoring assures young people have relationships in the community. We aim to connect our students with uncles and aunties to participate in wellness activities and learn about career opportunities. We know that positive role models help people flourish in personal, academic, and professional settings. Bicycling is an act of resistance in the polluted agendas of climate crisis and capitalistic resource extraction. Our participation as leaders and guides will help the indigenous youth know the value of their tribal identity and its relevance to the natural world. Active lifestyles combined with outdoor knowledge building will enhance the youths perspective and greatly expand their outlook on life.