Meet Jessica Restrepo

Time for another Meet the Collective post. We have a number of new folks who have joined us at the Cihuapactli Collective and we are so excited to have you get to know them.

Next up is Jessica Restrepo! Jessica has been a comadre of ours for a few years. After moving to Florida and back to Arizona within a year, we found an open space for her to join the collective team where she shares her HR strengths with us. She not only supports us with human relations (or people relations as we like to call it) but she also helps with our indigenous food packs, events, and most recently our new merchandise!

Tell us about yourself:

I am a Colombiana mama of two beautiful girls, Julissa y Jeniya. I support the Collective as their Comadre of People Relations, assisting with all things HR. I am a trauma informed mindfulness coach, Usui Reiki therapist and breathwork facilitator.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I really enjoy exploring nature.  Being outdoors provides a balance from the busy day to day routine of the work week.  I like hiking, biking, gardening, walking by water and discovering new places. I love to travel and curate my trips with much intent, always finding myself gravitating towards visiting sacred archeological sites.  I travel yearly to Colombia and spend my summers “puebliando” como decimos en Colombia, wandering from one picturesque small town to another. 

How do you practice self-care and wellness?

I have cultivated a daily yoga and somatics practice that helps keep me centered and prepares me for the day ahead.  I add to this a variety of tools that help me be more present such as reiki and breathwork.  Plant medicines heal. 

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

My family lineage is a mix of various cultures - Andean Mesoamerican, West African and Western European. This has allowed me a variety of perspectives and beliefs that all run parallel to each other.  It’s been a beautiful journey weaving these teachings together – Indigenous relations with the land, Afro Caribbean spirituality and ancestor worship, and Western European Catholic teachings. My background has shaped the way I engage in the workplace as an HR professional as well as how I engage in ceremony space while in service of self and the community.

 In the Andes there is one “natural law” that comes into play in everything we do, it’s the law of reciprocity. This is how I intend to show up in the world every day…

 Hoy por ti, manana por mi.  Today for you, tomorrow for me.

How do you show up for your community?

Outside of my work through the Collective, I am honored to volunteer my time serving on the board for an organization I am passionate about, Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona.  At Free Arts, we use the arts to provide safe, positive opportunities for children to engage with trained, trauma-informed volunteer mentors to provide support. 

What do you appreciate about the collective?

I appreciate that we move at the pace of our children. Work life balance is valued here. I also appreciate their focus on employee wellbeing. We recently rolled out four new benefit options for employees to participate in.

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

I bring to the Collective my professional HR skills to support the growing internal work team. My approach is focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and I see opportunities for us to bring forward our traditional ways in how we engage with each other.

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

I look forward to our Campo Santo project and the continued growth of the food forest.

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to?

Currently reading “Ritmos Afro Puertoriquenos” by Dimas Sanchez and Jesus Cepeda. One of my favorite books is “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

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Thank you Jessicfa for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

Meet Gabi Parra

We are back with our Meet the Collective posts. We have a number of new folks who have joined us at the Cihuapactli Collective and we are so excited to have you get to know them.

Next up is Gabi Parra! Gabi is a long time supporter but now officially employed to be our Events & Logistics Coordinator. She is behind the scenes of all our curriculums and event programming, and always makes sure we get fed. She cooks delicious food and makes sure our pansas leave happy.

Tell us about yourself:

I’m a single mother of two boys now 22 & 18 years of age.  I’m a certified bilingual education teacher; I worked for the same school district that I attended as a child. I successfully completed 15 years as a kindergarten teacher & reading specialist. Due to my children being impacted by Autism I then took a role as a Family Support Specialist/Advocate for a statewide nonprofit agency. 

Today, I am grateful to be part of the Cihuapactli Collective.  I wear lots of hats when it comes to my role within my family. I have five sisters and one brother who is now resting in peace along side our mother. I proudly identify as a mother, sister, tia, daughter, advocate and comadre.

 What kind of hobbies do you have?

Even though my time is limited, my hobbies include sleeping, crafting, cooking, shopping & binge watching stuff!  Though I don’t have time to nap, I enjoy sleeping-in as much as possible. I love creating all sorts of crafts & personalized gifts. Cooking for someone is special and I enjoy feeding those around me. A hobby I’d like to start is traveling.

How do you practice self-care and wellness? 

Self-care for me consists of spending some time getting my French manicure, hair cut, eyebrow waxing & a massage. However, if that’s not possible a Zumba class or bing watching with a bowl of popcorn is wonderful self-care for me!

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

I’m originally from Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico, I have been navigating in two worlds since I was 7 years old. Conserving my Spanish language & cultural traditions are important to me. My parents did an outstanding job at surrounding us with our Mexican Music, Dance, Language, & Traditions despite how far away we were from our relatives. Both my parents created amazing works of art through their tailoring of Mariachi & Charro suits; being surrounded by all this kept me rooted and linked to mi tierra natal.

Helping my people whether it’s through interpretation, translations, teaching, providing resources and information is always my focus and guides the works that I do for I know there’s a huge need in our communities.

How do you show up for your community?

I show up for my community in many different ways. Most importantly by sharing my lived experiences. Being an educator, receiving my sons’ diagnoses, stepping into the caretaker role, transforming into an advocate, losing our mami…all have forced different skill sets upon me that allow me to SERVE mi comunidad. In my heart I know that my purpose is to serve others and that’s how I believe I show up; always humble, grateful & not taking things for granted.

What do you appreciate about the collective?

I appreciate the approach the CC implements;  moving at the pace of our children, spiritually at the root & serving others. I appreciate that as a single parent and provider I don’t have to choose between my children or my profession; that makes the collective unique. I also appreciate the leadership’s generosity, understanding & flexibility.

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

One of the strengths that I bring is my ability to share my lived experiences with others. The skills I possess in delivering information, lending an ear, providing a different perspective are all positive as well. I also haven’t learned to cook for a small crowd so cooking for large groups is also a quality that has fit in nicely!!

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

Within my role in the collective, my hope is to be able to provide support and take some of the weight off of others. I have already experienced the beauty of creating community and working together for a purpose, so I look forward to continuing that.  Also, hoping to learn more about the spirituality that is implemented at our gatherings. Finally, I’m looking forward to growing my network as we meet new & interesting folks through the work that we do.

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to? 

I don’t typically read for pleasure and podcasts are almost non-existing. I listen to The 7 as a way of keeping up with the latest news.

Thank you Gabi for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

Meet Gail Williams

We are back with our Meet the Collective posts. We have a number of new folks who have joined us at the Cihuapactli Collective and we are so excited to have you get to know them. First up is Gail Williams. She is our new Birth Justice Coordinator! Gail supports our Collective Birth Fund, the Sacred Community Birthworker Training and the Death Comadre Curriculum. She is currently working on developing a virtual self-paced version of the Sacred Community Birthworker Training.

Tell us about yourself:

I am a mama of 4.  My oldest son Mateo is 12.  I am a twin mom of 3 year old daughters Jameelah and Kameelah, and my youngest daughter Vida is 2.  I’ve been a Doula for 17 years and have humbly served my bipoc community in South Phoenix and Maryvale. My passion is teaching and training new doulas and am grateful to be doing what I love as a Doula Facilitator and Birth Justice Coordinator.   

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I love to dance, and hope to get back into performing Afro-Colombian & West African Dance.    I Love house music and used to invest my free time before kids attending concerts and dance music festivals. 

How do you practice self-care and wellness? 

Every morning I give gratitude to my ancestors and mother earth.  That helps me start my day feeling grounded.  I love water, and taking long baths with candles and calm music is my self care.  

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

In my early 20’s I  learned from my mother before we visited her land Cartagena, Colombia about the midwife in her neighborhood that delivered the majority of her siblings and cousins at home.  I was so intrigued and wanted to learn more about traditional home birthing.  Unfortunately this amazing midwife passed away before our trip , but I got the best opportunity when I learned about a group of midwives in the Pacific region of Colombia and in 2012 I traveled to Buenaventura, Colombia and met the beautiful Afro-Colombian midwives of Asoparupa.  An association of Afro-Colombian traditional midwives.  This trip changed my life and everytime I get the opportunity to teach and facilitate doula training, I carry their spirit, guidance, and wisdom with me.    

How do you show up for your community?

Listening to the needs of my community is important to me and empowering my community to use their voice to speak up and out against any injustice or inequality means a lot to me.  

What do you appreciate about the collective?

I appreciate the collective for all the love and support I’ve received in this new role as Birth Justice Coordinator, truly means a lot to me.

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

My experience as a birth worker and being a mentor is my strength.  I am very supportive and resourceful when it comes to helping those in need.    

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

Expanding the doula training and offering virtual and self paced for folks who can’t attend in person training.  Making our doula training accessible.  

What book are you currently reading? Or what podcast do you often like listening to? 

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Thank you Gail for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

Meet Alexis Trevizo

Continuing our intros with the Food Forest team, we’d love to introduce you to Alexis Ruby Trevizo. She is one of our Co-Food Forest Managers alongside Ali. We asked her some questions so we could learn more about her interests and who she is. Meet Alexis.

Please introduce yourself.

I am the oldest out of 4 and a total pisces that flows in the direction of the current. I am fueled by curiosity of the world of plants and plant medicine. 

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I like to travel, learning how to play the djembe drum, and the guitar. I also love to dance.

How do you practice self-care and wellness? 

I enjoy taking breathwork and mindfulness workshops. Exploring more sound healing and medicine music. Dancing has been therapeutic. 

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

Honoring my ancestors is really a driving force behind my work. The steps they took to bring me to where I am today is something I take with a great deal of respect. I was taught to do my best to learn from any situation I am in. I hold my indigenous lineage with a great deal of pride and having the privilege of learning and growing more everyday alongside the plants has been truly an honor. 

How do you show up for your community?

Through knowledge exchanges, I learn from them and offer my teachings in return. I always feel humbled to be able to offer the blessings I have received back to the community 

What do you appreciate about the collective?

The continuous love and dedication to the community. It is inspiring to see such strong and impactful humans dedicated to their work. 

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

The vibes, haha This is a hard one for me. I feel like others could answer this better than me. 

The plant offerings is something I have found strength in. The direct communication I have with them could offer some insight and support in the building of the wellness center and food forest. 

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

The continuous growth. I have met so many amazing spirits that I have learned from and still have many more things to learn. The further development of the wellness center and food forest is exciting. The new connections with new community members yet to be made. And seeing the direct impact, the work of the collective has made. 

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to? 

Bhagavad Gita

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Thank you Alexis for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

To read Alexis’s full bio, visit our About Us page here.

Meet Ali LoPiccolo

Our team has grown more than double since last year and since we’ll be out in community more connecting with folks, we want to make sure you know who you’re talking to.

Moving onto our next Meet the Team segment, we’d love to introduce you to Ali Lo’Piccolo. She is one of our Food Forest Managers and provides support to our Grants Department. We asked her some questions so we could learn more about her interests and who she is.

Please introduce yourself.

Daughter, sister, friend. I lived half of my life in Boston and half in Atlanta before moving to Arizona in 2020 to pursue a Master’s degree in Sustainability. Through the time I spent in my program I grew to love Phoenix and I stayed! 

What kind of hobbies do you have?

Hiking, dancing, playing basketball, running, reading, writing, spending time with friends and exploring new places.

How do you practice self-care and wellness?

Whenever I need to reset and ground myself I escape to the trees - I grew up surrounded by forests and they have always offered a refuge for me. I’m also passionate about the relationship between people and the environment, so my self-care and wellness tactics are all centered around using what we have available to us through the wonder and artistry of the natural world. 

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

Interestingly, since I have started farming, I find myself reflecting on my family lineage more than ever. My grandparents and great grandparents had land and grew crops; however, in the shift to industrialized agriculture, they rented or sold out their land to be used by larger entities. At that time, the negative repercussions of these decisions weren’t yet clear, but I believe that if they were, their story and decisions would have looked different. The value in protecting the integrity of our food system is far beyond anything we can quantify. My passion is to steward the resources we have in a way that honors the land and the people on it.

How do you show up for your community?

I’m going to answer this question in a way that might sound silly, but I show up for my community by showing up. Through my own observation, I’ve noticed that our lives have evolved in a way that allows for distance and disengagement to be far too attainable within the context of our relationships. We underestimate the impact of presence, when oftentimes the simple act of showing up is the greatest thing we can do.  

What do you appreciate about the collective?

So many things! If I had to pick one, the thing I appreciate most about the Collective is that every task is tied to a relationship - whether it be personal, professional, individual or corporate - there is a purpose and a name behind everything that is done, and that is beautiful. 

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

The Collective has more moving parts than any organization I’ve ever been a part of - and when I joined the team, my role was reflective of that. I hold several, very different responsibilities under the umbrella of my position; however, balancing tasks in this way is something I enjoy and have always been confident in. I like the opportunity to switch gears and in an environment like the Collective, I think that adds value and stability to an ever changing dynamic. 

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

It’s beautiful to watch the abstractness of dreams come to fruition in a tangible way - I really look forward to seeing the vision of the Wellness Center & Food Forest unfold and I am grateful to lend a hand in supporting this process.

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to?

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake 

“How fungi make our worlds, change our minds and shape our futures”

It’s about fungi and mycelium lol 

Thank you Ali for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

To read Ali’s full bio, visit our About Us page here.

Meet Dr. Gerardo Vazquez

Our team has grown more than double since last year and since we’ll be out in community more connecting with folks, we want to make sure you know who you’re talking to.

Moving onto our next Meet the Team segment, we’d love to introduce you to Dr. Gerardo Vazquez. He is one of our Co-Directors of the Wellness Center alongside Dr. Adriana Berusch Gerardino. We asked him some questions so we could learn more about his interests and who he is.

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Please introduce yourself.

Hello, my name is Gerardo Vazquez. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona to a single mother, the eldest of 6. I am a Naturopathic physician and the Co-Director of Wellness for the Cihuapactli Collective.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

Basketball and art have been my longest standing hobbies throughout my life. I started playing basketball in 3rd grade. It became more than a game for me. It became a way to deal with the stresses of growing up in poverty, an escape of sorts. I have been doing art for over 17 years with a focus on indigenous imagery and stories. You can see some of my work on instagram @Junior_Toltecatl

How do you practice self-care and wellness?

My spiritual practice is my biggest self care tool. It has been challenging getting back into ceremony since COVID started, but I am hoping to get into a sweat lodge soon. Other than that, I try to focus on the fundamentals: Eating the right foods for me, exercising, and keeping hydrated. They each take time and effort, but are the greatest benefit to overall health.

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

Being first generation coming from Northern Mexico, I had a strong interest in who we came from. My family didn’t like to talk about our indigenous heritage so I had to seek knowledge from others. Luckily I was able to connect to a strong spiritual family that taught me what it means to be indigenous. These teachings are the lens for which I see the world and support my values. They are also what drove me to a career in service to the people and for this I am eternally grateful.

How do you show up for your community?

I show up for my community in the work I do as a Naturopathic physician, artist, and Co-Director of Wellness for the Cihuapactli Collective. I showed up with the work I did to graduate. I show up with love and effort to bring more opportunities to the community.

What do you appreciate about the collective?

I appreciate so much about the collective. I appreciate the spiritual foundation of the organization, it’s focus on putting the needs of the community first, and the care given to members and families of the collective. The Cihuapactli Collective is not your typical organization and we pride ourselves on that.

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

One of the strengths I bring to the collective is the ability to see things from a macro view. This helps organize the projects and enormous goals the collective has for the community.

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

I look forward to seeing the collective in 5, 10, 20 years from now and all that we will accomplish. I look forward to the day we open the wellness center and food forest. I look forward to setting up a hammock in the food forest space and reflect on the work that it took to get to that point. Every meeting and document brought to life. 

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to?

During my commute to take my daughter to school, I like listening to podcasts that interview key figures in hip-hop history and basketball history. Podcasts including The People’s Party with Talib Kweli & All the Smoke to name a few. With guests like NBA legend Kobe Bryant and Hip Hop legends Too Short and E40, these interviews give insight into the minds of these greats. They provide clues into what made these people successful in their designated crafts. I just have to be careful because some of the stories they tell are not appropriate for my little one.

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Thank you Gerardo for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

To read Dr. Gerardo’s full bio, visit our About Us page here.

Meet Dr. Adriana Berusch Gerardino

This summer we will be introducing you all to more people from the collective. Our team has grown more than double and since we’ll be out in community more connecting with folks, we want to make sure you know who you’re talking to. First we’re getting started with our Co-Directors of the Wellness Center, beginning with Dr. Adriana Berusch Gerardino. We asked her some questions so we could learn more about her interests and who she is.

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Introduce yourself please.

Hello, I am Dr. Adriana Berusch Gerardino and I am a family medicine and mental health Naturopathic Doctor in Arizona. My pronouns are she/they. I am the Co-Director of Wellness at Cihuapactli Collective and have a private practice in the valley. I enjoy practicing naturopathic medicine because of the versatile and flexible treatments I can offer my patients. I grew up in the warmth of the Caribbean mostly between Florida & Dominican Republic and have been in Arizona since 2017. I am a daughter, tia, prima, wife, and dog mami.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

I enjoy ceramics, mosaics, wild-harvesting plants and seeds, plant and fungus ID, hiking, kayaking, camping, and sharing meals with friends.

How do you practice self-care and wellness?

My hobbies are interwoven with my self-care and wellness practices. I do my best to listen to my body and what it asks for. Stable meals, consistency with my contemplative practices, movement, fun, art, and lots of loving connection to the people and world around me.

How has your family lineage impacted the way you navigate the world, or the way you do your work?

It absolutely has. My family immigrated many times over to different places throughout the world, usually for safety or opportunity. It left me doing the same, traveling around with a deep desire to set roots and enter in community. It has added the challenge of learning to weave the different parts of myself into the present moment where I am today. It’s helped me see the importance of having a home and a community that knows me. It has reminded me of the tenderness of long-friendships and taught me to appreciate the little things that can be found within each place I’ve lived. 

How do you show up for your community?

That’s a good question. Currently, it looks like being present with people, throughout joyous moments and also challenging times, listening, providing support, reassurance, and resources when needed. Working in healthcare it’s been a joy to be a resource for people in meaningful health-related ways. Healthcare in this country can be hard, and sometimes I get to play a part in someone's life and that is special for me.

What do you appreciate about the collective?

I appreciate the authentic ways the collective moves. An unlearning of colonial and capitalism-centric ways of working in the world and prioritizes an intentional integration of Indigenous, body-based wisdom, and connection. It’s taught me a lot about the ways I’ve worked and required me to unlearn dysfunctional ways of being to move towards a healthier way of working.

What is a strength or positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

I believe I bring genuine care for people, creative ways of thinking, and health-centric ideas for community wellness.

What do you look forward to in the work with the collective?

I look forward to seeing our current visions come to life and the future visions revealing themselves with time. Our dreams come true within the collective and it’s a gift to witness the power of our shared visions. We all dream big and consistently encourage that.

What book are you currently reading? (It can be an audio book). Or what podcast do you often like listening to?

For medicine, I listen to podcasts that keep me up to date on the latest research and clinical recommendations, lol. I also listen to Buddhist audiobooks (The Wisdom of No Escape) and reach for books centering desert gardens (The Hot Garden) and earth-based practices. I would say I mostly listen to music and my current fav is Lagartijeando. 

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Thank you Adriana for sharing about yourself. We’re so happy to have you be a part of the Collective!

To read Adriana’s full bio, visit our About Us page here.

Tlazocamati Earthy

A special dedication written by Maria del Carmen Parra Cano

A few days ago, the communities of danzantes & ceremonial circles throughout the Southwest were heartbroken & saddened to hear of the sudden passing of one of our beloved elders and capitana de la danza for Grupo Yolloincuauhtli, Alida Earthfeather Montiel. The community is mourning the loss of such a beautiful, compassionate and resilient being.

I was honored to have been introduced to ceremonies at the guidance of Earthy (among many others) that has woven together the foundation for my community/ceremonial and healing work over the past 25 years. The first time I entered the temazcal/sweat lodge was a sunrise ceremony with Earthy & Socorro Bernasconi when I was only 16 years old in Guadalupe, Az. That was just the beginning!

At 18, I found myself at Arizona State University working on my undergraduate degree and reconnected with Earthy again after I heard the drum and ayayotes in the basement of the memorial union. As women on the red road, we would pray together in tipi, sweat and in the danza over the next 20+ years. 

Years would go by and Earthy was always so kind, welcoming and always open to sharing with community. I am fortunate to have been honored to have the opportunity to drum, share songs and dance with Earthy throughout the years. 

Pictured: Left- Earthy, Center- Carmen and Right - Benita (Two amazing cihuame & temachtiani to so many on earth. They are now both now in the spirit world.)

Many years later, the Cihuapactli Collective invited Earthy to share about her work in community, reviving coming of age ceremonies and the much needed support for urban Indigenous women around birth & healing. 

She was always so supportive of the work of the Cihuapactli Collective, we will truly miss her and the medicina she shared with so many. Our deepest condolences to her family and the family of danzantes, her loss is definitely felt. 

Tlazocamati ~ Gracias ~ Thank you, Earthy for the years of activism and prayer. May your spirit soar with the ancestors. Ometeotl

Rest as Resistance: Reconnecting with the Elements The 6th Annual Ancestral Womb Wellness Gathering

This year we celebrated our 6th Annual Ancestral Womb Wellness Gathering in South Phoenix. Our theme was Rest as Resistance: Reconnecting with the Elements. After year’s of growing and working in our community, we realized just how important rest is in our day to day lives. Not just to recharge, but simply to be and support us in our healing as indigenous peoples.

Thank you to Denise Amaya, the artist who created our beautiful image to represent our rest theme this year.

Although our gatherings are focused on Black, Indigenous and LGBTQ voices and experiences, this year we made the intention to open our space up for cis-men and those outside of the BIPOC experience. This idea had a lot to do with how cis-men in our families and our allies and extended community have supported the collective work. In addition, we’ve recognized that cis-men in particular, are in great need of a space for their healing as well. Although things were not centered around their experience, we decided to welcome them to our forward facing space so they could listen and learn in hopes for them to connect and create their own space for healing.

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Another thing we intentionally carved space for, is a message regarding the use of the word womb in our gathering name.

As we prepared for the gathering and focused on the theme of rest, we found it appropriate to focus on the elements: water, air, earth and fire. The elements always help ground us in the work we do, and they are present in every which way. Our first day was focused on water and we learned of how to support ourselves in self-care to rest. The second day was focused on air and we heard stories about loss and release and learned of the importance of community care. The third day was focused on earth and we came together in community to sync our bodies with our mind and spirits through drumming, song, and dance. And the fourth day, which was actually our 7 year anniversary Gala, we focused on fire and the ways in which this collective has grown and will continue to grow as we tend to our fires.

Community came together each day to hold space for themselves and each other. We created pods with mats and a few chairs around so people could gather in small groups. At each pod, we had the elements present with lit candles, beautiful wooden decor and medicine they could place over the fire to help center themselves as they listened to each speaker.

Our presenters provided a wealth of knowledge for community to learn from and apply in their own lives. We brought together Black Indigenous voices to speak on how vital rest is in our every day lives.

We have many thanks to give for this sacred gathering. Thank you to our volunteers for all the help throughout these full four days. Thank you to our translators for your support in making sure language justice is a part of every experience we hold space for. Thank you to Phil our DJ for providing music and a sound system, a first for us. Thank you to our presenters for your time and the wealth of knowledge you provided. Thank you to our healers and those who tended to our altars to support the spiritual wellbeing of our community. Thank you to all the behind the scenes staff who helped unload, set up, clean up and pack up at the end of the night. Thank you to our staff who supported the event by filling in gaps and being an extra set of hands. Thank you to our childcare team for taking care of our children so lovingly and mindfully. Thank you to the collective comadres for showing up and supporting in whatever was needed. Thank you our Azkame/Co-directors for conceptualizing and planning this 6th annual Ancestral Womb Wellness Gathering! Tlazocamati!

Meet the Collective - Ivette Fullerton

The Cihuapactli Collective has been putting in a lot of work the past couple of years into growing our efforts to serve our community outwardly. We have four bundles we focus on to encompass our overall purpose to support urban indigenous families from womb to tomb. These efforts require a lot of time, organization and thoughtfulness. Most recently we have identified the members doing a majority of the heavy lifting as our Askatl, the aunts or Askame as a whole, similar to the aunt communities working together every day to take care of the land. We would like you to meet the Azkatl leading these projects in hopes to put more faces to the collective and continue to build relationships with one another. One of our comadres from the collective helped facilitate an interview with each of the Azkatl so we could get to know them better. So to kick this off, first we would like to introduce you to Ivette Fullerton.

Ivette is our Director of Grants & Contracts. She is a Xicana, born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, the oldest daughter of immigrant parents from Coahuila and Chihuahua, Mexico. Ivette’s native lineages can be traced back to the Tepehuanes Peoples in the Mexican states of Durango and Zacatecas and the Tarahumara (Raramuri) Peoples in Chihuahua. She is a sister, wife, friend/comadre, and mother to two littles. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Health Policy & Administration and Masters' degree in Clinical Social Work with an emphasis on children, youth, and families from Arizona State University. Ivette is certified as a Perinatal Mental Health Professional through Postpartum Support International and provides specialized maternal mental health coaching services to birthing and new parents in her community through her coaching business. She currently resides in San Diego, California and works for the collective remotely.

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What led you to the collective?

My own birth experience. My own birth trauma, wanting to connect with other women that understood what I went through on a mental and emotional level.

What parts of our mission connect/resonate with you the most? Why?

Inclusively empowering families, providing healing and promoting health and wellness. I think that when you empower families through traditional knowledge you’re setting in motion a momentum for families to heal some of the generational traumas that happen in our communities that we normally don’t have words for to describe but we know that it’s happening and then therefore the parents will interact with their children differently and their children will interact with their children differently and not just within the next seven generations but within the community. When you support families and you provide them with knowledge, health and wellness and really allow families to thrive, then it ripples out into the larger community and we tend to see healthier communities with a lot less of the disparities and issues that we’re currently struggling with. 

What are some accomplishments we've made in the collective that you are most proud of?

There’s a couple things for me and I think the first one is, the fact that there was a community, a comadrismo a sisterhood that was established, a safe space for moms of color to come in and find others that are like minded, to learn more about and just being so welcoming. 

And of course getting the first grant. Working and learning alongside Cueponca and Carolina and Liza (founders). I learned a lot from them and they really mentored me and it’s helped me professionally and it started this whole chain of events where now we are where we’re at. 

I also think that in general, it’s just the fact that we’re always responding to a need. Whether it’s a community need or a need within our own collective members. Those moments when there has been a need, we have been very resourceful and honed into all of our skills and knowledge to make sure that we are taking care of each other and then taking care of the community and new moms and families.

What's your favorite thing about being a project lead for the collective?

Being able to have some of the opportunities to bridge the gap within the community and institutions and also contribute and give back to my comadres, my sisterhood and also give back to my home state. I’m contributing in a way that allows me to be in two places at once and still make a difference in a state that I was born and raised in, that formed me, that has so much influence in who I am as a person. There are a lot of challenges when it comes to the way that people of color are thriving with policies and and maternal care, etc. So it feels really good to contribute to make it a better place even though i'm not there.

Who are you inspired by?

I didn’t want to give the cheesy answer everyone does, but I really am inspired by mom. From a very early age, she inspired me, being a single mom, leaving a very scary situation and making it on her own and making sure me and my sister are thriving. She inspires me with her strength and resilience. And just makes me want to be a better daughter, a better person. Also, I get really inspired by my friends and you guys, and my kids. They inspire me to be a better person. You all inspire me to be a better mom, a better person, a better human and continue to grow and thrive and be better.

What song or songs get you pumped?

I think the one song that always puts me in a really good happy mood whenever I listen is Redbone Come and Get Your Love. It’s probably one of my favorite songs. Also Carlos Vives. I like a lot of his songs. Luna Nueva is one of my favorites. Lonely Boy by the Black Keys. Juan Magan Te Soñe. Wait, I have to do one more, Kid Cudi Pursuit of Happiness.

Where is your favorite place to be?

The beach! Honestly I think right now it’s when I’m laying on the surfboard, waiting for a wave to pull me under the current. There is a moment when you paddle out and the ocean gets very still and you can lay out on the surfboard and I usually position my board so I don’t have to paddle that hard and I lay there and I float in the middle of the ocean and the sun is beaming on me. I think that right now is my favorite place because I'm completely present, alone and just being, just floating!

What is your favorite method of self care?

I really like to meditate. And not guided meditations. I enjoy when I’m just connecting….when I’m meditating but I’m praying. So I start with a prayer and connecting to my ancestors and my guides in the spiritual realm and I’m burning incense, and I have my sound bowl and my crystals are there. It feels like a ritual. And especially when connecting to any kind of planetary alignment and also the lunar cycle. It forces me to be very intentional and it just makes it extra special. 

Any good books or podcasts you’re currently indulging in?? (Or recently or latest)

Currently I’m indulging in Girls that Invest Podcast. That has been really good and with books, right now it’s the Suble Art of Not Giving a Fuck. I definitely recommend it.

What is a positive quality of yours that you bring to the collective?

I think my humor. I hope. I want to say my humor, but maybe I just think I’m funny. Hahaha. Also dependable. I like to be of service. If I can show up and help, I like to do that and if I say I’m gonna do something, for the most part I’ll do it. More specifically when it comes to my role within the 5 of us, I have to be very dependable to meet the deadlines when it comes to the grants because our funding and our livelihood depends on it and our programming, so making sure that I’m being reliable and dependable in that way.

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Thank. you Ivette for giving us the chance to share about who you are. And thank you everyone for reading through. We hope this combination of deep and lighthearted questions helps give you a better sense of who we are and helps you connect even more. Tlazocamati.

2021 Miccailhuitl Dia de Muertos

On November 1st we held a Miccailhuitl or Dia de Muertos gathering at The Orchard with comadritas and family members of the collective. We held space for each other and our passed loved ones on a beautiful altar put together by the azkahtl, the aunties who coordinated the event. We sang songs and laid down prayers by the fire and shared comforting foods like pan dulce, corn mush and a lemongrass lavender tea. Intimate and warm.

6 Year Anniversary

October 13th we celebrated our 6 year anniversary at Spaces of Opportunity in South Phoenix. It was a while since we’d seen many faces from our collective together so to be in an intimate (Covid mindful) space together felt comforting. It brought us back to our beginning days when we’d gather to be in comadrismo with one another. We danced under the stars and saw our children run and play after breaking open a piñata in celebration of these years growing together.

Such an enlightening evening with everyone. Thank you for being a part of our community. If you have any photos or video from the event you would like to share with us so we can add to our archives, we would greatly appreciate it. You can send them over at cihuapactlicollective@gmail.com. Tlazocamati!