IndigenousWays
IndigenousWays
IndigenousWays is a Native-led Indigenous Arts nonprofit founded in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2007. IndigenousWays highlights Indigenous artists of all media as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ and differently abled performers. The IndigenousWays Festivals originated through events on the Navajo Nation and has grown to live events in Santa Fe. In recent years, eleven IndigenousWays Festivals have taken place at the Santa Fe Railway Park – reaching out to broader communities and ensuring access through American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and disability access for all events. In 2025, festivals will continue to take place at the Railyard Park.
In addition to our festivals, our initiatives include monthly virtual Wisdom Circles – using online media to provide platforms highlighting resources offered by culture bearers across the globe. Our speakers include visual and language artists, dancers, singers, and honored elders with precious Indigenous knowledge. We maintain an archive of all these events to continue sharing these stories. Once again, our reach is broadened by involving ASL interpreters prominently in all events - including empowering Deaf and Hard of Hearing presenters to educate our audiences.
We continue to build our program by adding interns, providing hands-on training in arts management, event production, digital media, and nonprofit administration for a next generation of leaders. One of our guiding values has been collaboration with others. In 2025, we look forward to bringing our Wisdom Circle to the Vital Spaces Theater in Santa Fe, permitting a live venue and audience for continuing our important virtual events.
We are grateful for the support of the Santa Fe Community Foundation that has enabled our programs to flourish and remain free for all attendees.
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The Santa Fe Community Foundation invited its nonprofit grantees to submit stories related to our September topic of Education.
Nizhóní Smiles
Nizhóní (Beautiful) Smiles Dental Program is the only non-profit dental program located on the Navajo Nation in the rural community of Shiprock, New Mexico. The program opened its doors in 1994 offering orthodontic(braces) services and later expanded to include general dentistry. The program has provided services to numerous patients, the majority of those being residents of the Navajo Nation.
MathAmigos
Since 2017, MathAmigos has helped students struggling with math with their love for education and a belief in the power of innovative teams. It was founded after a conference at the Santa Fe Community Foundation by a retired Cal Tech mathematician from the IBM Watson Research Center with a love for Cuisenaire rods, a math and computer science teacher retiring after 21 years at Santa Fe Prep, and a retired physician and medical educator experienced in curriculum.
Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project
Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project is a nonprofit organization focused on education and protection of the cultural landscape of the northern Rio Grande Valley. Working with youth is a core initiative of the project.
