Empowering Indigenous Youth in Mexican Communities

This project aims to strengthen meaningful bonds between local youth and their indigenous community culture, carrying out workshops to increase awareness and foster creative expression regarding fundamental community practices. During this period, we were able to carry out four online workshops, since in-person activities are still restricted due to the pandemic.

Twenty-nine young people of six communities participated in workshops to identify central elements of community government, community territory, community service and community festivities. In two workshops they visualized personal experiences they have had related to these practices, and subsequently wrote, drew and enacted scenes they had participated in.

In a third workshop, they identified sites where diverse practices take place, including the municipal palace, marketplace or auditorium where the community assembly meets, the home of the mayordomo for the fiesta, and areas within the communal lands where community members gather to clean, reaffirm boundaries and combat forest fires.

In response to a petition of the schoolteachers who have collaborated in previous years with the community museums, a complementary workshop was carried out with 22 young people to provide tools for the expression and management of emotions. The teachers of Huamelulpan and Yanhuitlán considered that these tools could be helpful for the young people who are facing uncertainty and the loss of loved ones in these challenging times. Students visualized what was in their hearts, and were invited to share one word describing what they perceived. Then they visualized and drew a place where they felt secure and relaxed. Some students shared in the group, and other afterwards to their teachers, that they felt it was a valuable experience.

In summary, 51 young people from 6 communities participated during this period (San Martín Huamelulpan, Villa de Tututepec, San Juan Bautista Coixtlahuaca, San Pedro Molinos, San Miguel del Progreso and Santa Ana del Valle).They strengthened their ability to identify and reflect on community practices, as well as to identify and manage their emotions.