Yá’át’ééh, I am Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House clan), born for Naasht’ézhi Dine’é (Zuni clan). My maternal grandparents are Áshįįhí (Salt People clan), and my paternal grandparents are Tł’ááshchí’í (Red Bottom people clan). I collaborate with communities in six counties – San Juan, McKinley, Cibola, Guadalupe, Union, and Harding, as well as the 23 Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations to identify health and wellness priorities that matter most to them.
When I took on this role in January 2025, I was new to the field of philanthropy. My prior experience and education are in Public Health, which focuses on protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. That background aligns well with my current work at NMCF, which focuses on building relationships and supporting local community health and wellness priorities. People across Northern New Mexico want to address the social drivers of health by improving access to health care, education, employment, transportation, housing, food, and other supports for their families and communities. What excited me the most about this role was being able to bring funding to and bridge communication with underserved areas of our state and with Indigenous communities.
In the past year and a half, I have learned about the strengths and concerns of communities through their experiences and perspectives. I have listened to their priorities for addressing health, starting with their own resources and assets. Supporting community initiatives through grantmaking and through the sharing of additional resources has been a valuable experience for me and my community foundation.
At NMCF, Thriving Indigenous focuses on supporting Indigenous-led initiatives that enable Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations to prosper and grow on their own terms. Through my outreach, I have partnered with Indigenous-led community organizations working on food sovereignty, cultural and language retention, intergenerational learning, health care access (dental, mental health, physical health), entrepreneurship, and preparing their communities for the future. These priorities reflect the values of those communities and their leadership. Thinking ahead for all our futures, we can learn a great deal from Indigenous communities about what it means to thrive.
Sincerely,
Karen John, MPH
Anchorum Fellow
New Mexico Community Foundation
