New Mexico Center of Black Excellence
Grants Awarded
The New Mexico Center of Black Excellence plans to launch a program focused on outdoor leadership and recreational activities, designed to foster more engagement from Black families and youth with outdoor spaces in New Mexico. Activities offered will feature hiking, camping, biking, and visits to significant historical sites, addressing barriers that have historically limited African American involvement in outdoor experiences. In addition to removing financial restrictions, the program looks forward to enhancing outdoor recreation participation, fostering better wellbeing, honing leadership skills, and promoting environmental awareness and cultural identity, with the long-term goal of nurturing a generation of Black New Mexicans who are confident outdoor leaders and proponents of equal access to nature and recreational opportunities.
The New Mexico Center of Black Excellence is a community-driven organization committed to educating, elevating, and empowering African Americans across New Mexico. Founded on the belief that strong communities are built through strong leaders, we bring together Black men, families, youth, and community partners to address the challenges facing our communities while creating pathways for opportunity, healing, and lasting change. Our work is rooted in the principles of service, leadership, restorative justice, economic empowerment, and mentorship. Through innovative programs such as Chopping It Up at the Barbershop, Young Kings Rising, and the Young Women’s Healing Circle, we create culturally affirming spaces where individuals can develop leadership skills, strengthen their identities, build meaningful relationships, and engage in honest conversations that promote personal and community transformation. We envision a future where authentic youth engagement, equitable opportunities, and strength-based practices replace systemic barriers and anti-Blackness. We believe every Black child, family, and community deserves access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities necessary to thrive. At the New Mexico Center of Black Excellence, we are not simply responding to challenges—we are cultivating solutions. By building partnerships, promoting health equity, developing future leaders, and strengthening families, we are helping create resilient communities where Black excellence is recognized, celebrated, and sustained for generations. Our commitment is to ensure that every person we serve is equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and support to lead, succeed, and leave a lasting impact on New Mexico and beyond.