NMHC NEEDS YOUR HELP!
In the wake of the unexpected loss of federal operating support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Federation of State Humanities Councils with support from the Mellon Foundation has stepped in with a generous funding, including a $50,000 matching grant. Mellon’s support will help us but it won’t carry us all the way. Any donations received through December 1, 2025 count towards this match. We’re incredibly grateful to our friends, partners and supporters who have made donations and have reached out to show their support during this time of uncertainty.
Seeking to understand who we are, who we were and who we aspire to be
The New Mexico Humanities Council engages New Mexicans with the humanities through cultural traditions, reflecting on history, storytelling and more.
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DOLLARS SPENT IN NEW MEXICO IN 2023
LIVE PUBLIC EVENTS FUNDED
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COUNTIES REACHED IN 2023
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AWARDED IN MAJOR GRANTS IN 2023
Funding for programs and grants provided through New Mexico Humanities Council are made possible by the support of the National Endowments for the Humanities.
EVENTS AROUND THE STATE
14
JUN
THE HISTORY OF FLAMENCO
Mora Independent School, Conference Area, 10 Ranger Road, Mora, NM 87732
12
JUL
MIGUEL TRUJILLO, NEW MEXICO'S UNKNOWN CIVIL RIGHTS HERO
Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village, 125 N Main Ave, Aztec, NM 87410
16
MAY
1
2
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
STORIES FROM COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE
RUDOLFO ANAYA: CATCHING CULTURES IN BLESS ME, ULTIMA
By Richard Wayne Etulain Anaya greatly expands the cultural contributions of his...
UP BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS; TWO LIVES IN RETROSPECT
By Finnie Coleman I found myself fascinated with Dr. McIver’s transition from the...
MARTIN L. KING, JR.'S DAMNING LETTER FROM JAIL
By Christopher A. Ulloa Chaves, ED.D. "In the letter, King used a multi-disciplinary...
LITERATURE AS GUIDEPOSTS ON MY IMMIGRANT JOURNEY
By Kei Tsuzuki "What I have learned from books is that there is no one story that...
RUDOLFO ANAYA'S MAGIC WITH WORDS
By Chris Chaves "It seems that, for Anaya at least, libraries and the magical words...
THE BANDANA BRIGADE: WITH HEARTS AND HANDS, WOMEN DO IT TOGETHER
By Kim Suina Melwani "Like a 'bandana brigade' these women seemed ready to face whatever...
REFLECTIONS ON THE BLACK FOOTPRINT IN NEW MEXICO
By Darryl Wellington "Let’s begin with a story that reflects my concerns that the...
A MUSLIM FITTING INTO NEW MEXICO
By Ryqir Haden "I am a Muslim, and I belong in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Surprised?...
BREAD OF DEATH AND LIFE: A SHORT HISTORY OF PAN DE MUERTOS
By Vanessa Baca "'Bread is life.' This platitude is among the most well-known in...
PRE-PANDEMIC GRIEF, ANCESTRAL MEMORY, MOURNING THE WORLD IN 2020 AND HEALING IN THE PRESENT
By Venaya Yazzie "I now find myself dwelling upon ancestral homelands of my Diné...
IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR: THE BURNING OF ZOZOBRA AND HERALDING THE NEW SEASON
By Nicolasa Chávez "Now celebrating his 99th year, Zozobra is older than the Macy’s...
ANCIENT DEATH RITUALS RUN DEEP IN NEW MEXICO
By Ana Pacheco "Through the mid-20th century some women wore the tápalo in the villages...
ESTHER MARTINEZ (P'OE TSÁWÄ/BLUE WATER): A MATRIARCH OF PUEBLO LANGUAGE PRESERVATION
By Kim Suina Melwani “By age seven, Martinez no longer had her elders, their stories,...
TELLING OUR STORIES: PUEBLO AUTHOR AND TEACHER, DR. JOE S. SANDO
By Jonna C. Paden “Despite the Pueblo’s long history in the area, little has been...
METICULOUS ANSWER — INSPIRED BY ARTIST AGNES MARTIN
By Lauren Camp “My mind keeps moving. The country is nearly at war with satisfaction...
"OUTRIDERS: LEGACY OF THE BLACK COWBOY" NARRATING THE RICH HISTORY OF THE BLACK COWBOY IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
By Ariana Kramer "Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy depicts information that...
CHOCOLATE: FROM FOOD OF THE GODS TO THE FOOD OF LOVE
By Nicolasa Chávez "The artfully packaged chocolate boxes cherished today were not...
WHAT'S IN THE WORD, SAVAGE?
By Felicia Bartley "I have been hearing the word savage more than I would like to...
LITTLE BROWN BAGS: A BRIEF MEDITATION ON A NUEVO MEXICO TRADITION
By Leeanna Teresa Martinez y Torres “Throughout much of New Mexico, luminarias are...
SLOW BURN: A FAMILY HISTORY OF GREEN CHILE STEW
By Vanessa Baca “Ubiquitous in our state, chile is a staple in our recipes year-round,...
CULTURAL IDENTITY THEFT: IMMEASURABLE SUFFERING
By Joshua K. Concha “unauthorized access to your personal information has occurred,...
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH — AMADOR FAMILY
By Jennifer Olguin “September 15 to October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month. This...
INDIGENOUS IN AI — LAKOTA LANGUAGE CAMP
By Ellen Dornan “Natives in Tech and Indigenous in AI have made it their respective...
JUNETEENTH AND VIOLENCE, REVISITED
By Sean Cardinalli “It’s terrifying being Black in America. It’s strange being Black...
MAPPING QUEER HISTORY IN NEW MEXICO
By Ellen Dornan "Did New Mexico – or at least Albuquerque and Santa Fe– support a...
TEACHER WARRIOR
By Ninabah Davis “In the month of May we celebrate Mother's Day to honor our mothers,...
SHIKATAGANAI — IT CAN'T BE HELPED
By Shelley Takeuchi “May is now designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander...
FISH NOT FLESH: SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW MEXICO LENTEN FEAST
By Vanessa Baca “Ultimately, it is the return to life after the darkness of death...
CARLOS, PRIETO, AND RAMIRO COME TO HOE THE MILPA
By Levi Romero “Hay más tiempo que vida, my cousin would often say. And maybe he...
SOY MAGDELENA… Y HE PECADO
By Diana Velazco “Represento a toda mujer Que en el mundo se le ha juzgado; Por prejuicios...
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY: JAZZ AND DEMOCRACY
By Andy Kingston “The irony was not lost on many artists that a nation struggling...
IDA B. WELLS: THE POWER OF THE PEN
By Ina Jane "Today, the legacy of her work continues as countries all over the world...
ENCOUNTERING NEW MEXICO
By Darryl Wellington "I was aware that New Mexico was heavily Indigenous and Hispanic....
THE LAST MLK DAY
By Hakim Bellamy "Dr. King gets significant and deserved credit for being one of...
A SWEET AND SPICY MEMORY: BISCOCHITOS IN NEW MEXICO CULTURE
By Vanessa Baca "Biscochitos have a far deeper significance than being just sweet...
CELEBRATING THE DEAD: DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS AND ALL HALLOWE'EN
By Nicolasa Chávez "Many people do not know the origins of this fun - and fright-filled...
MIGUEL TRUJILLO
By Gordon Bronitsky "What was it about the postwar situation in New Mexico that encouraged...
WHY IS EL PASO IN TEXAS?
By Ellen Dornan "Today, Southern New Mexicans frequently cross the border to El Paso,...
GROWING UP "COYOTA" IN NEW MEXICO
By Nicolasa Chávez "Did being a coyote make me any less New Mexican? What exactly...
ART CANNOT BE CAGED: DETAINED MIGRANT YOUTH CREATE AN EXHIBIT
By Kayla Myers “'Uncaged Art Tornillo Children’s Detention Center' is fundamentally...
THE FOOL'S JOURNEY
By Bethany Tabor "It’s impossible to travel through Albuquerque without encountering...
LÁGRIMAS: POEMS OF JOY AND SADNESS
By Nasario García "I was fascinated by rural life in the desert where the landscape,...
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
Helping student historians and their teachers study the past to inform the present and shape the future.
Encouraging open conversations to strengthen civic engagement and our democracy
The New Mexico Humanities Council provides support to help libraries and other educational spaces remain available for all people and perspectives.
PREVIOUSLY FUNDED LIBRARIES
- Capitan Public Library, $5,000.00
- City of Carlsbad Library, $1,500.00
- El Rito Library, $7,500.00
- El Valle de Anton Chico Library, $6,000.00
- Embudo Valley Library and Community Center, $5,000.00
- Farmington Public Library Foundation, $7,500.00
- Glenwood Community Library, $3,200.00
- Roswell Public Library, $3,800.00
- Taos Public Library, $5,000.00
- Shuter Library of Angel Fire, $7,500.00
PREVIOUSLY FUNDED INNOVATIVE STORYTELLING GROUPS
- Museum of Heritage and Arts, $3,820.00
- Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, $15,000.00
- AfroMundo, $16,639.56
- Children’s Reading Alliance, $14,515.00
- Japanese American Citizens League NM Chapter, $8,779.00
- Gathering of Nations, $15,592.50
- New Mexico Black Leadership Council, $20,000.00
- The Children’s Hour Inc, $20,000.00
- Keshet Dance Company, $12,685.00