Wisdom Weavers – Northern New Mexico Nonprofit Women of Color Leadership Program

Weaving Wisdom, Building Power, Creating Change

Are you ready to step into your fullest leadership potential while staying deeply rooted in your cultural wisdom and community values? Join a powerful circle of women of color leaders who are transforming New Mexico's nonprofit sector.

Learn More
Join our optional virtual info session on January 28, 2025, at 9:00am. After January 28, you may view the recording here.
Register Here

Application Timeline
Applications open January 2, 2025, and close February 15, 2025. Selected participants will be notified on February 28, 2025, with the program beginning in March 2025.
Apply Here

About the Program
This transformative 2-year journey weaves together ancestral wisdom, professional development, and healing practices. More than just a training, this is a sacred space for women of color leaders to deepen their authentic leadership presence while building lasting relationships with fellow changemakers. Through this program, you'll access cultural and ancestral wisdom, develop practical nonprofit leadership skills, and create sustainable approaches to community impact. The cohort size will not exceed 25 participants.

Core Curriculum
Our curriculum interweaves authentic leadership development, cultural wisdom in practice, strategic planning, financial leadership, including fundraising/revenue generation, organizational management/development, and healing-centered approaches. Through both personal and professional development, you'll build the skills needed to create lasting impact in your community.

This program was designed with care and input from our esteemed Advisory Committee: Giovianna Burrell, Alicia Lueras Maldonado, Ariane Mahmud-Ghazi, Elise Padilla, Marisa Page, and Helena Ribe, as well as the Learning Hub Coordinator, Yolanda Cruz.

Module 1: Foundation & Sacred Self-Discovery (Sessions 1-4)
Module 2: Professional Growth & Community Building (Sessions 5-9)
Module 3: Cultivating Resilience & Community Care (Sessions 10-13)
Module 4: Legacy Leadership & Collective Liberation (Sessions 14-18)

Session 1 (In-Person): Weaving Our Sacred Circle
Session 2 (Virtual): Embracing Our Inner Wisdom
Session 3 (In-Person): Ancestral Wisdom as Our Foundation
Session 4 (Virtual): Authentic Leadership & Soul Work
Session 5 (In-Person): Authentic Presence & Power
Session 6 (Virtual): Purpose-Driven Career Planning
Session 7 (In-Person): Relational Power & Influence
Session 8 (Virtual): Equitable Financial Leadership
Session 9 (In-Person): Transformational Change Leadership
Session 10 (Virtual): Holistic Well-being & Healing
Session 11 (In-Person): Sacred Mentorship Circles
Session 12 (Virtual): Healing-Centered Conflict Resolution
Session 13 (In-Person): Community Alliance Building
Session 14 (Virtual): Heart-Centered Innovation
Session 15 (In-Person): Wisdom-Centered Strategic Leadership
Session 16 (Virtual): Nurturing Inclusive Communities
Session 17 (In-Person): Ancestral Legacy & Future Visioning
Session 18 (In-Person): Celebration & Sacred Commitment

Program Structure
Our program takes place over two years and the format makes the sessions accessible while maintaining deep connections:
• March 2025 - October 2026
• 9 in-person sessions in Santa Fe (and additional locations to be determined)
• 9 virtual sessions
• 3 hours per session 

Who Should Apply
We're seeking passionate changemakers who reflect the rich diversity of New Mexico's communities. Applications will be accepted from women/femmes of color who work in New Mexico's nonprofit sector, whether you're currently in a leadership role or have clear leadership aspirations. This program is designed for leaders who bring rich cultural wisdom and lived experiences, are ready for deep personal and professional growth, and want to create lasting change in their communities.

Ideal Candidates Are:
• Deeply connected to their cultural heritage and wisdom
• Ready to engage in transformative personal and professional growth
• Committed to creating lasting positive change in their communities
• Open to sharing their lived experiences and learning from others
• Willing to participate in both individual and collective healing work
• Ability to attend full program
• Currently working in the nonprofit sector
• Commitment to program agreements (outlined below)
• Readiness for transformative learning experience with a commitment to course work/prep

Geographic Focus:
While we will consider applications from other areas,  we particularly encourage applications from:
• Northern New Mexico communities in Santa Fe, Mora, San Miguel, Rio Arriba, and Taos Counties
• Rural and tribal areas
• Historically underserved regions
• Communities with limited access to leadership development resources

Issue Areas:
We embrace leaders from all nonprofit sectors, including but not limited to:
• Animal Welfare
• Arts & Culture
• Civic & Economic
• Education
• Environment
• Health & Human Services
No specific issue area will be prioritized over others – we value diverse perspectives and believe in the power of cross-sector collaboration.

Commitment:
Successful applicants should be prepared to:
• Engage fully in a two-year leadership journey
• Attend regular gatherings and healing circles
• Participate in both virtual and in-person sessions
• Dedicate a couple of hours a month to prepare between sessions, assigned readings, review resources, and complete session surveys
• Contribute to building a supportive community network

Program Cost (payable in March 2025 and Jan 2026 unless other arrangements have been made)
• $450 per year – Organizational budget $3.1M+
• $350 per year – Organizational budget $1.1M-$3M
• $250 per year – Organizational budget $500k-$1M
• $150 per year – Organizational budget less than $500k
We encourage applicants to discuss the availability of professional development funds to cover this cost as a commitment to your development, equity, and diversity. Scholarships are available if your organization is not able to pay the registration at this time.

Please contact us if you have questions about fees and how we can support your participation. While we have seen program registration fees encourage commitment and emphasize the value of learning opportunities, we are committed to fees not presenting a barrier to participation.

Important Program Dates:

In-person locations to be confirmed
All cohort sessions will take place on Friday afternoons

2025 Dates
‍Jan 2, Application is open
Jan 28, Optional Virtual Info Session
Feb 15, Applications are due
Feb 28, Applicants officially notified
Mar 28, Cohort Kickoff – Session 1 (in-person)
Apr 25, Session 2 (virtual)
May 30, Session 3 (in-person)
June 27, Session 4 (virtual)
July 25, Session 5 (in-person)
Aug 22, Session 6 (virtual)
Sept 26, Session 7 (virtual)
Oct 24, Session 8 (in-person)
‍

2026 Dates
Jan 30, Session 9 (in-person)
Feb 27, Session 10 (virtual)
Mar 27, Session 11 (in-person)
Apr 24, Session 12 (virtual)
May 29, Session 13 (in-person)
June 26, Session 14 (virtual)
July 31, Session 15 (in-person)
Aug 28, Session 16 (virtual)
Sept 25, Session 17 (in-person)
Oct 23, Cohort Finale -Session 18 (in-person)

This program is made possible through the generous support of our donors. The program is committed to advancing equity and justice in New Mexico's nonprofit sector and was designed with input from our esteemed Advisory Committee: Giovianna Burrell, Alicia Lueras Maldonado, Ariane Mahmud-Ghazi, Elise Padilla, Marisa Page, and Helena Ribe, as well as the Santa Fe Community Foundation Learning Hub Coordinator, Yolanda Cruz.