It had been a long time since I had traveled to Idaho; I think the last time I had been there was with my grandmother. My family and I would take annual vacations, and one year we drove through Idaho to Canada. My work with the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship (GCCE) and the partnership with Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative (SNCC) have been motivating. As a youngster, growing up in Navajo Country in Eastern Agency (New Mexico), my grandma always told me that my life will soon be for my people, I think that life has begun.

Recently, I was invited to chair a session and speak at the 4^th Annual Western Consortium Tri-State Meeting in Sun Valley Idaho, April 2-4, 2012. The National Science Foundation EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) has joined programs forming a consortium of EPSCoR states with similar research agendas related to climate change and water resources. The consortium model significantly increase opportunities for scientific collaborative and enhances each state’s ability to secure competitive funding and tackle complex climate change research agendas.

My presentation on “Building a Sustainable Native Community” was a bit “outside” of the box for the attendees, as our work with SNCC is to build a nationwide network of tribal leaders, builders, architects, and entrepreneurs.  Our goal is foster the success of endeavors that weave cultural, ecological, and economic considerations in design and building in tribal communities. Although, this kind of work was very new and somewhat unfamiliar to many of the scientist who attended, my session had the most attendees. After the presentations, I had numerous people come up and comment on how they never thought about work such as SNCC. One particular individual, Dr. Alessa Lilian Na’ia, a well-known Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Geography & Environmental Sciences from the University of Alaska was so thrive and excited about the SNCC work, she invited me to attend a panel in June in Alaska.

As part of the session, I invited a very good friend, and royalty of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe of Idaho. Alexandria Alverez, who is Miss Shoshone-Bannock 2011-2012. I asked Miss Shoshone-Bannock for an opening welcome during the session; this being appropriate as we were all in her homeland, plus with only five Natives attended, she brought the “Native” into the atmosphere as she wrote her traditional clothing.

The session also included a presentation from Sammy L. Matsaw, Jr. from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe on “Using Science to Explore Our Paths: Western Science with Native Perspective,” and also a presentation by Mahesh R. Gautam on “Collaborative modeling and integrated framework of climate change vulnerability assessment for Native American Tribes.”

Last week, I toured the Alvarado Urban Farm in downtown Albuquerque; a project of the Downtown Action Team. It is unique in a downtown city center to be standing in the middle of a farm.  Alvarado is surrounded by the Silver Gardens apartments, a parking garage, and the downtown train station…it is, in other words, a patch of farmland surrounded by the tall buildings that make up the Albuquerque skyline. The number of residents in this part of town is growing by leaps and bounds, yet it is missing key features like a grocery store and community space.  It is a “food desert” as defined by the USDA.

That’s where the Alvarado Urban Farm comes in. Their goal is to become a local food hub and community space– to set up a farmers market on Wednesday afternoons for commuters (on their way to or from the Railrunner) and local residents. Along with 40 some-odd raised planting beds and several bocce courts, there are plans to build a gazebo and market building, and to host community events such as lectures, and concerts. Some of their partners include Amy Biehl High School and the Veteran’s Farm Project. In the near future they have plans to partner with a local daycare to teach a younger generation about urban farming.

Alvarado Urban Farm is a great example of local agritourism. Tying agriculture and community together in one space (in the middle of a city, I might add) is amazing! If you are on your way to a show at The Box, headed to the train, or just walking around downtown Albuquerque I recommend you stop by the Alvarado Urban Farm at 101 Silver Ave SW to see all of the great work they are doing.

At the end of the tour we were handed scissors and a bag and were told “now go get your hands dirty”. I went home with a bag full of freshly dug carrots and collard greens.

PHOTO CREDIT: Larry Lamsa

1.  Farmers benefit economically from more visitors coming to their farms to pick and buy produce; take classes; and in some cases, stay over on the farm.

2. Farm and winery visitors infuse cash into the region by shopping, eating in restaurants, and staying overnight in hotels.

3. Farm to Table programs expand.

4. Vineyard visitors increase brand awareness and sales of local wines.

5. Farmers markets become a must-do local experience.

6.  Land, native foods, and seed growing traditions are preserved.

7.   Farmers’ off-season income is diversified, and farming becomes a more sustainable form of livelihood.

8.  An increased demand for farm internships educates a new generation of farmers.

9. Healthy small farms provide local food for your community. 

ABOVE: Attendees at the Cultural Corridor Planning Meeting

In February GCCE gathered leaders of Santa Fe, Taos, and Albuquerque to plan implementation of the Northern New Mexico Cultural Corridor.

Tourism is a critical economic driver for states. In New Mexico, tourism-related spending annually contributes $5.5B to the economy, including $770million in tax receipts.  Yet, our market share in the regional and national markets continues to fall.  GCCE is leading an effort to work collaboratively to build a vibrant regional brand that will penetrate this competitive marketplace, bring more travelers to our region, and strengthen the businesses and communities of northern New Mexico.

For more on our Cultural Corridor strategy, visit our website.

Photo Credit: Larry Lamsa

9 Reasons to Create a Cultural Corridor in Your Region

1.  Tourists have more reasons to visit than if they planned a trip to a single city.

2. Visitors are attracted to authentic, local experiences, and the opportunity to design their own holiday.

3. Cultural travelers stay longer, and spend more than the average traveler.

4.   Educational opportunities with teaching artists inspire visitors to stay in the region for 3-7 days, and spend money on lodging, restaurants, and shopping.

5.  Artists benefit economically from visitors to open studios, studio tours, festivals, markets, and gallery openings.

6. The local real estate market grows as visitors fall in love with your region, and decide to stay.

7. Journalists and bloggers cover a continuous flow of new events and experiences, and bring press coverage to your region.

8. Entrepreneurs create new cultural experiences with larger markets, and increase jobs.

9. People from across the region working together creates community and promotes cross-cultural understanding.

Income inequality.

And, some would say, a diminishing freedom of expression. What does this have to do with cultural entrepreneurship and the Arts?

A recent report conducted by the National Committee on Responsive Philanthropy shows that, of the $2.3 billion given to US arts and culture organizations, less than 2% is given to organizations with budgets under $5million.  You might ask, “So what?”  The report next points out that the vast majority of arts and culture organizations with budgets over $5million are predominantly white, urban, and support “high art”.  In other words, the expressions of non-white, non-privileged, rural, emerging, controversial, or edgy artists is absent.

And still you ask, “So what?”

If the definition of art is: “art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions”, do we really want 98% of the art we engage with to reflect the thoughts and emotions, experiences, hopes, dreams, and desperations of white, urban, wealthy Americans?  Or, do we want our collective expression to reflect who we are as a nation: 36% non white, 12.4% foreign born, $50,221 median household income, 48 million living in rural communities…

Income inequality is creating inequality of cultural and artistic expression.

PHOTO CREDIT: Larry Lamsa

A couple of weeks ago, as I drove up through the Española Valley and across the Rio Grande I reflected on my good fortune to be living in New Mexico.  In the distance the Jemez Mountains sparkled with new snow, in the foreground low-lying adobe buildings puffed out sweet smelling piñon smoke.  I was on my way to Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo to take a cooking class with Norma Naranjo, owner of The Feasting Place (www.thefeastingplace.com).  Norma and her husband, Hutch, live and farm on the Pueblo and offer classes on traditional Pueblo cooking.  They have two enormous dome-shaped ovens, hornos, in their backyard, hand-built with river rocks and mud plaster by Hutch and his family.  Inside, around an enormous dining table, Norma teaches guests how to knead bread by hand, molding it into perfect rounded balls that expand and become golden brown in the hornos.  If you take a cooking class with Norma you are guaranteed an experience unlike any other you’ll find in the Southwest.

I moved to New Mexico over a decade ago for three reasons: the rich cultural heritage, the awe-inspiring landscapes, and the green chile.  A day with Norma brings all three of those beloved experiences together.  New Mexico is distinct from any other place–we’d like to keep it that way.  Fortunately, our uniqueness may prove a key economic advantage in the next economy: the creative economy.

ARTWORK: AVA PEETS.  Ms. Peets lives and works in Grants, New Mexico.

 The creative and cultural economy is emerging at the intersection of human creativity, knowledge and technological innovation.  People working in the creative/cultural economy include artists, designers, chefs, filmmakers, publishers, artisan farmers, architects, craftspeople, and performers.  The creative economy places a premium on sustaining natural environs and enhancing diversity; it thrives where unique communities embrace their culture and traditions and apply these to markets, when appropriate.

Here in New Mexico the creative economy is emerging as a force for building thriving communities.  Our goal at the Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship (GCCE) is to strengthen New Mexico’s ability to successfully participate in the creative economy.  Using Census and NAICS data, we have learned that 12% of New Mexicans already work in the creative/cultural economy (see the report on our website www.culturalentrepreneur.org).  It is a cornerstone of our economic foundation.  New Mexico is uniquely positioned to leapfrog into the burgeoning creative/cultural economy, building economic opportunities for families and fostering local culture and traditions.

Being able to serve the Hispanic community well means overcoming issues of trust and cultural differences.  Both Encuentro and La Comunidad Habla have long track records of success and their diverse connections in the Hispano community reflect this.  But, these ladies are also eager – a euphemism for hungry – to build their own ventures.  They work for themselves and because they must succeed I knew they would need us to succeed.

And, I knew they would also be willing to take credit for our work or give us credit for their work.  This is essential as telling the story of our success needs to a flexible activity.  We can’t define our success and tell our story by who did what but instead that together we did it!  This doesn’t mean that some work harder than others and get none of the credit. this means that when a funder says to me at a training, “Great job on the speakers!” I don’t reply “Actually, I didn’t do that part, Sara did.” I instead say. “Thanks, it all came together really well.”

Sharing credit, giving it up, our getting looked over when the accolades are handed out can be tough. But when partners are willing to do this they become an effective team, internally valuing each other’s efforts thoughtfully and specifically, but externally presenting a unified force that funders, participants, and more partners are eager to support.  And there is nothing better than success to create rapport among a team.