During the spring of 2019, Justice & Joy National Collaborative organized a conference called In Solidarity, which gathered young women, gender-expansive youth, and organizers. This would be the first time a single mother traveled alone with her firstborn...
Posts About
Movement Building
Power in Mentorships
Throughout my life, I have had many mentoring relationships. I have been both the mentee and the mentor. However, the mentorships I’ve had with I Am Why were the most transformative. My I Am Why mentorships were with individuals I had little to no connection with. We...
A Lesson from Dark History
A controversial issue in my hometown of Espanola, New Mexico, has been the dark side of New Mexican history, specifically the Spanish conquest of the Indigenous communities that were long established. The man who led it was a Spanish conquistador named Juan De Onate....
Indigenizing I Am Why Spaces
What does my current work as an I Am Why consultant look like? I participate in the Motherhood Support Group and am a member of the Speak On Us and Self Advocacy Learning Pods while co-leading the Embracing Creative Freedom Pod. In these spaces, I’ve developed my...
There’s Nothing Like I Am Why’s First Annual Report!
After five years of convening, growing and learning, I Am Why (IAW) officially incorporated as a charitable organization in 2021—and we are thrilled to announce we’ve published our first annual report detailing our vision and accomplishments in IAW’s signature style....
I Am Why Is Choosing a Co-Executive Director Model: Here’s Why
I am really excited for I Am Why because we are honoring intergenerational leadership! For me, this is important because I grew up fast. I started translating English documents for my parents when I was only six years old. My parents looked at me as a bridge to the...
Why Center the Voices of Young Women and Gender-expansive Youth?
As we reflect on all the hardships we have faced these past few years, it’s essential we center the voices of the next generation that is inheriting this world. At I Am Why, we have been busy tending to our growth so we can pave the way for the next generation of...
A Year in Review: Looking Back at Our Accomplishments During 2020-21
At I Am Why, we have been busy over the past year building community, strengthening our organization, and increasing young people’s power. While the world shut down, I Am Why was nimble and had a significant impact. Here are some of the highlights of our work during...