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.
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.
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.