Newsletter: December 2025

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

 

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope that this message finds you, your family and community doing well. This year, the Chamiza Foundation provided support for 16 projects. We provided support for projects that focused on language, arts & crafts, agriculture, storytelling, art, youth development & support, intercultural exchange, intergenerational exchange, traditions & elements of ceremonial life and land stewardship. Additionally, we provided scholarships for two pueblo people to attend the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Conference held in Las Vegas, NM. Also at the end of the year, we made a donation to the “Keep Acoma Elders Warm This Winter” fundraising campaign.  The total amount distributed into our Pueblo communities for 2025 was $207,985.00.

This year brought a whirlwind of change for us, filled with both joyful moments and deep sorrow. Early on, we mourned the passing of our long-serving board member, Mr. Hayes Lewis of Zuni Pueblo. His absence left a profound mark on everyone at Chamiza, as well as his family and community. Our thoughts remain with all who feel his loss. The board also entered a new chapter, as we bid farewell to Ms. Alissa Chavez Lowe and warmly welcomed Ms. Sophia Phillips and Mr. William Riding In to our foundation.

This year, we hosted a successful grant writing and learning outcomes workshop at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Our goal is to make this an annual event. We also held a Grantee Gathering for our 2025 grant recipients, bringing together representatives from twelve awarded projects and programs. This was especially exciting, as it was our first grantee gathering since 2018.

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we are planning the Chamiza Foundation Pueblo Symposium. This event will bring together community members, leaders, and stakeholders to reflect on the Foundation’s contributions and discuss the future needs of Pueblo communities. Through structured discussions, panels, and interactive sessions, participants will identify challenges and develop solutions to benefit Pueblo communities. The symposium will honor our past and help build a sustainable future, ensuring Pueblo voices are heard and valued. We are excited to host this event in October 2026 at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

And lastly, this year, we have been busy working on our “Chamiza Foundation Legacy Film,” which will be premiered at the symposium. We chose to work with the “No Reservations” production company. The crew members are from Acoma and Taos Pueblos.

Throughout this year, I have continued to serve on various boards and organizations such as the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching Board and Advisory Council and the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. These organizations continue to do wonderful and inspiring things for our tribal communities and I am very honored to serve in these various capacities.

As a reminder, we will be accepting applications for Chamiza Foundation support in 2026. Our first deadline will be on Friday, February 6, 2026. Please visit our website to download an updated version of our application. Our priority areas are language preservation, traditional architecture, sustainable agriculture, traditional arts & crafts, tribal & ancestral history, oral histories & storytelling, youth education & leadership, intercultural/intergenerational exchange, and education.

Eligibility-The Chamiza Foundation invites proposals from the following:

• New Mexico’s 19 Pueblo Indian tribal communities
• Ysleta del Sur Pueblo located in El Paso, Texas, member of the All Pueblo Council of Governors and the 20^th Pueblo
• Pueblo community leaders
• Non-Pueblo organizations that serve Pueblo communities. These entities must submit a letter of support from the Governor of the Pueblo as evidence that the community has requested their involvement

 There are three ways that you can apply 1) You can complete your application online through our website 2) You can email your application to apply@chamiza.org or 3) You can send your completed application directly to me at executivedirector@chamiza.org. Please let me know if you have any questions about applying to the Chamiza Foundation.

Wishing everyone a blessed New Year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Amanda J. Montoya

 

 

 

 

 

2025 Chamiza Foundation Holiday Party

This year, the Chamiza Foundation Board and Staff gathered at Hotel Santa Fe to celebrate the holiday season. Most of our board members joined in, filling the room with laughter and lively conversation as we shared a delicious meal. The evening became truly memorable when Dr. Jojola presented Dr. Montoya with a heartfelt gift: a cherished bracelet that once belonged to his late wife, Dely Alćantara.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taos Pueblo Sewing Pride Project

 

On December 10, 2025, I visited the Taos Pueblo Senior Citizen Center to observe the Taos Pueblo Sewing Pride Project. The Taos Pueblo Sewing Pride Project is an intergenerational initiative to preserve the cultural traditions of Taos Pueblo women. This project facilitates learning between youth and elders in making manta dresses and shawls, with Tiwa language instruction and structured activities that allow for intergenerational learning and sharing. As a Taos Pueblo tribal member, it was great to see people from my community taking part in this class. The participants took the time to share their personal reflections on what they have learned from the class. At the completion of their classes, they are planning to have a fashion show where each participant will do a Tiwa introduction and describe what they are wearing.