The Center of Southwest Culture, Inc.
Grants Awarded
Story Riders empowers Indigenous, Latino, and children and youth of color to reconnect with their natural and cultural heritage through practical training in bicycle safety and maintenance. Participants will experience guided cycling adventures that foster a deeper understanding of local histories and environments, ultimately strengthening community bonds and promoting cultural appreciation.
Story Riders aims to empower Indigenous, Mexicano/Chicano, and youth of color by reconnecting them with their cultural heritage through bicycle safety training and guided cycling experiences that explore local stories. In collaboration with Pueblo Resurgents, the program will deepen engagement with Isleta Pueblo youth by incorporating language, storytelling, and land-based knowledge, ultimately serving as a model for similar initiatives in other rural and tribal communities across New Mexico.
The Center of Southwest Culture, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1991 for the purpose of developing healthy indigenous and Mexicano/Chicano communities through economic development initiatives and educational and cultural work. The Center of Southwest Culture, Inc. (CSC) has over 30 years of experience working with indigenous and Latino groups to promote economic opportunity through education and technical assistance projects. Our mission is to develop healthy Indigenous and Mexicano / Chicano communities through economic development and cultural educational programs. Our work takes a linguistically and culturally supportive approach and is centered on cultural lifeways, traditional knowledge, and existing resources to increase overall community health through our four major programs: Community Development Center (CODECE) works alongside underserved, rural NM communities to leverage land-based resources to build sustainable economic development and increase food access. ¡Sembrando Salud! or “Sowing Health,” is a program to address nutrition access through hands-on, comprehensive training, free supplies, and ongoing technical support to start an organic, at-home garden. CSC provides non-profit training and fiscal sponsorship support to small, emerging, and grassroots organizations aligned with CSC’s core mission and serve under-resourced communities around NM and are majority led by people of color. Finally, Story Riders is our land-based cycling program for youth grades 4 to 12, providing practical training in bicycle safety, maintenance, and guided cycling experiences in which participants explore local stories and spaces. Participants learn first-hand the inner workings of their bicycles and the rules and laws of cycling on roads, which instills a sense of responsibility and consideration for themselves and others as well as the environment when riding in public spaces. Local artists and elders are invited to add to the learning experience for participants by sharing art, stories, projects, and more with students. Our partners, Pueblo Resurgents (PR), are an Indigenous-owned and operated New Mexico-based co-operation that is dedicated to the relationship between land and its inhabitants. Through a variety of experiential learning initiatives, Pueblo Resurgents utilizes a harm-reduction framework to center intergenerational healing through land-based education. Pueblo Resurgents has worked alongside Story Riders to conduct the program for Isleta Pueblo youth and families.