Director’s Project Updates

Director Update

May 15, 2023

Congratulations to all the graduates at all the different levels. In Jemez Pueblo alone we have
students graduating or participating in promotion ceremonies from Head Start, Kindergarten,
6 th grade, 8 th grade, 12 th grade, certificate programs, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees,
master’s degrees and other professional degrees. Like our annual feast days throughout Pueblo
communities, graduation season’s receptions create more opportunity for friends and families
to come together. And slowly coming through the pandemic has made these gatherings to
celebrate the achievements of students all the more special.

This Spring AYHF awarded ten Heart Award scholarships to students from five different colleges
and universities and representing five Pueblos. This semester the awardees were in
undergraduate and graduate programs. One of this year’s recipients and a recipient from last
year both graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

In its third year, the AYHF has awarded over 30 Heart Awards, made possible with supplemental
contributions from community members. Many of the recipients have completed their
programs and have joined the work force. For the second time, each recipient recommended a
peer for a Heart Award. This Summer, AYHF plans to follow-up with past recipients to gather
feedback on our unique approach to these awards and to learn where they are in their studies
and careers. If you would like to sponsor a Heart Award, please contact Carnell Chosa
at attachyourheartfoundation@gmail.com.

Fruit trees have been planted! Did you know five fruit trees makes a small orchard? I shared in
January that the AYHF created a project to plant fruit trees for several families and
communities. Through a project grant from Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples
and additional support from Life Comes From It, AYHF and tree adopters have planted over 150
fruit trees and bushes in 20 sites. Each of these opportunities were incredible experiences filled
with stories of how orchards use to play an important role in families and communities. In
Cochiti Pueblo we planted at an old apple orchard where the 80 year-old orchardist
remembered as a child that it served as an apple coop that brought together members of
various communities. Last month, AYHF provided a variety of young apple trees to plant in the
empty spaces where trees once stood. At the end of planting, it began to rain. It was as if the
90 year-old trees were pulling the rain from the sky to welcome and nourish the new trees.
In Zuni, AYHF was honored to plant a variety of fruit trees at the Senior Center. Together with
my mom and about 20 elders we planted apple, apricot, peach, cherry and pear. We were
fortunate to hear the stories of the peach orchards that were cared for in a specific area in Zuni.
While planting, the elders provided prayers and words of encouragement in their language to
each tree, encouraging them to grow strong and healthy. After having lunch with them, one
elder reminded AYHF that part of our responsibility was to return to Zuni periodically to check
up on the trees.

Needless to say, there were many requests from elders and young farmers to adopt and grow
fruit trees in their yards, farms, and community centers. More of these stories and photos will
be shared in a grant report.

I am happy to report that our Pueblo Artist Coop study conducted by the Indigenous Design and
Planning Institute is complete and is currently being designed by Charelle Brown from Kewa
Pueblo who earned her BA in Architecture from Yale University in 2020 and is currently in her
Master’s in Architecture program at the University of new Mexico. This will be made available
on the website soon.

This Summer, AYHF will be working on a pilot/model called the Pueblo Artist Oral History
Project, a follow-up initiative to support the movement to create a Pueblo Artist Coop or space
in Santa Fe, New Mexico. AYHF is working with a team of Pueblo professionals to design how
this engagement process will look like over the course of a year. If you have suggestions on
how to design an oral history project, I would be happy to have a conversation.

Finally, AYHF continues to seek donor or foundation partners to collectively offer increased
award amounts to our deserving students and organizations that support Pueblo youth.  If you
would like to join our efforts, feel free to contact me at 505-670-7228. or at
attachyourheartfoundation@gmail.com.  

If you would like to make a contribution directly to our work, you can do so at:

Attach Your Heart Fund
Santa Fe Community Foundation
501 Halona Street
Santa Fe, NM  87505

Link:  https://www.santafecf.org/give-now?fid=6lXLpJ5GKys%3d&fdesc=BowbQKc2RUjJ0qHICK1wS756TTCZPcSA

Respectfully,
Carnell Chosa