Ajo
Lead agency
International Sonoran Desert Alliance
Contact person
Tracy Taft
tracy@isdanet.org
CFAA Team
- International Sonoran Desert Alliance
- Ajo Unified School District
- Ajo Transportation
- Hia C-ed O'odham Alliance
- Ajo Council for the Arts
- Arizona Youth Partnership
- Ajo Chamber of Commerce
- Desert Artist Guild
Stage of development
Implementation-year 4.
Community concern(s)/issue(s) addressed thru CFAA initiative
- Ajo's profound lack of economic opportunity (since the mine closed in 1985).
- The discouragement of spirit that goes with such a lack of economic opportunity.
- The dissaffection of Ajo's youth, 40% of whom drop out of high school.
- A long standing division between Ajo's three cultures: Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo.
Key strategies used to address issue(s)
- Use the arts to create joyful and transformative community experiences.
- Use the arts to bridge cultural and generational differences.
- Create learning experiences in the arts that enhance economic options for individuals.
- Create learning oopportunities in computers to enhance economic options for individuals.
- Implement an arts-based GED program for youth and adults.
- Encourage the development and growth of micro enterprises.
- Create a center for cultural exchange at the Curley School that is a place where the community comes together to form and implement these strategies.
Major activities planned for this year
- Sponsor two artist residencies: Puppet Farm Arts from Minneapolis and the International Clown School from Guanajuato, Mexico.
- Sponsor events: International Day of Peace, a tri-cultural movie festival, the Between Fences Smithsonian exhibit, and various celebrations.
- Launch the Ajo Las Artes GED program.
- Sponsor open studio tours and many arts workshops and receptions.
- Sponsor computer software workshops.
- Sponsor business planning workshops and micro enterprise development.
- Involve the community in planning the design and cosntruction of a new Enterprise Center for the creative economy.
What do you hope will be different as a result of your CFAA work?
- Because of CFAA, our work is now intergenerational as well as multicultural.
- Because of CFAA, important Ajo organizations now partner in this work.
- Because of CFAA, our dream to create a Center for Cultural Exchange at the Curley School is becoming a reality.
