About Move Mountains Projects, Incorporated
Move Mountains seeks to first amplify the voices of the Youth Leaders of San Luis because we identify the root causes of these needs as directly connected to the systematic oppression and dis-empowerment of Indigenous and Latina populations in America. Historic oppression has led to generational poverty. Loss of land has creates an inability for individuals and families to sustain themselves, and this results in economic instability. Lack of access to the land also brings on food and housing insecurities. Due to issues such as, but not limited to, English Only curricula, mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline, and the generational trauma related to colonization and the destruction of Indigenous cultures, the Youth Leaders of San Luis have systematically been dis-empowered. The lack of young mentors in their community, and the deletion of their personal histories from the curricula they are taught in schools, along with a lack of access to many necessary tools and skills results in many issues for the Youth Leaders contributes to daily struggles for the youth. As they work to speak up about what they see and connect their experiences to the larger narratives in the rural Chican@ movement, the Land Rights movement, and to larger global social justice movements of people of color, they work to develop ways to overcome their own barriers and deepen their knowledge about the issues.
Our overall strategy to overcome injustice and oppression is to provide youth with skills and tools to amplify their voices as they bring up critical issues in their communities. They also explore their identities and how they connect with longstanding local and global social justice issues in a safe, collaborative setting, giving them a framework to develop their own future supportive groups. These youth-directed, reflective spaces give the youth tools to develop their own community building initiatives. Our approaches are evidence-based and trauma-informed, and youth develop their confidence in their abilities to critically discuss their environment and develop solutions. We work with youth to collaborate with like-minded community members and agencies, such as the San Luis Cultural Center, to develop cultural pride and connect their identities with their rich, local history. We also continue to work to develop a long-term goal plan and collaborate with like-minded partners, funders, donors, volunteers, and other supports to develop a community center and safe park.
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Contributions from supporters like you, strengthen our ability to provide quality programming and services to the youth of San Luis Valley, make a contribution today.