The Corn Mothers

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The Corn Mothers and Return of the Corn Mothers: Inspiring Women of the Southwest exhibits are traveling exhibits honoring women in the southwestern U.S.

Contents

Corn Mothers are indigenous Mexican deity-figures that represent growth, community, and sustenance. The honorees are Corn Mothers "who have become the backbones of their community. They provide their own types of sustenance, whether that be through their own community work or support of other community members," according to curator Renee Fajardo. [1]

The project began in Denver in 2007 with a small grant from the Rocky Mountain Women's Institute. Eight women were honored in the first year. [2] Fajardo wanted to keep alive the stories and oral history of important aunties in her life, and it expanded to include women in the community. [1]

The creators of the project are curator Fajardo, photographer Todd Pierson, editor Ed Winograd, and graphic designer Toinette Brown. The project was supported by the Chicano Humanities Arts Council; the Colorado Folks Arts Council; MSU Denver’s Department of Chicana/o Studies, the MSU Denver Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Journey Through Our Heritage program and U.S. Bank. [3]

The Return of the Corn Mothers exhibit book was a 2021 Indie Book Awards Publishing Finalist for Coffee Table Book/Photography and Anthology. [4]

Honorees

Corn Mothers
NameImageBirth–DeathYearLocationRef(s)
Elizabeth Aragon-Blanton (b. 1969)2019Rye, Colorado [5]
Amy Banker 2012Denver, Colorado [6]
Lois Burrell 2008Brighton, Colorado [7]
Barbara Clark 2010Cascabel, Arizona [8]
Maria de la Cruz 2012Aguilar, Colorado [9]
Dawn DiPrince 2019Pueblo, Colorado [10]
Amy Duncan2008Gila, New Mexico [11]
Kristy Duran 2016Alamosa, Colorado [12]
Claudia Ebel 2016Alamosa, Colorado [13]
Geneva Escobedo (b. 1949)2010Tucson, Arizona [14]
Nellie Escobedo Plasencio (1925-2014)2010Safford, Arizona [15]
Dora Esquibel (1937-2012)2012Denver, Colorado [16]
Ann Esquibel Redman 2019Cheyenne, Wyoming [17]
Belinda Garcia =2012Crestone, Colorado [18]
Concepción Garcia Allen 2008Santa Fe, New Mexico [19]
Peggy Godfrey 2016Moffat, Colorado [20]
Carol Guerrero-Murphy 2016Alamosa, Colorado [21]
Ivette Guzman 2008Denton, Texas [22]
Lois Harvey 2008Denver, Colorado [23]
Carrie Howell 2008Wheat Ridge, Colorado [24]
Sylvia Lee (b. 1958)2013Tucson, Arizona [25]
Arlette Lucero 2012Denver, Colorado [26]
Lucy Lucero (1919-2010)2008Denver, Colorado [27]
Oneyda L. Maestas 2016Alamosa, Colorado [28]
Brenda Kay Manuelito 2010Phoenix, Arizona [29]
Tori Vigil Martinez 2016Capulin, Colorado [30]
Rita J. Martinez (1955-2020)2019Pueblo, Colorado [31]
B. Afeni McNeely Cobham 2012Denver, Colorado [32]
Carolina “Carrie” Sandoval Mejía (1922-2009)2008Rye, Colorado [33]
Raven Winston Mercado (b. 1970)2010Tucson, Arizona [34]
Judy Newland 2010Niwot, Colorado [35]
Cynthia Ramu (b. 1953)2019Pueblo, Colorado [36]
Sara Ransom (b. 1946)2008Durango, Colorado [37]
Ella Maria Ray 2012Denver, Colorado [38]
Alfiria Casaus (Alfie) Salazar (1935-2023)2019Pueblo, Colorado [39]
Lisa Saldaña 2019Denver, Colorado [40]
Cherie Karo Schwartz 2008Denver, Colorado [41]
Barbara Shannon-Bannister 2008Aurora, Colorado [42]
Christina Maxine Sigala (b. 1953)2012Denver, Colorado [43]
Patricia Sigala 2008Santa Fe, New Mexico [44]
Charlene Garcia Simms 2019Garcia, Colorado [45]
Stella Teller (b. 1929)2008Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico [46]
Jessica Tumposky 2008Silver City, New Mexico [47]
Evelyn Valdez Martinez 2008Denver, Colorado [48]
Bertha A. Velarde (1957-2018)2016Alamosa, Colorado [49]
Aurora Villareal-Aguilera (1945-2019)2010Phoenix, Arizona [50]
Rita Flores deWallace Rita Flores deWallace 2008Denver, Colorado [51]
Ellen Alires-Trujillo (1952-2023)2022Boulder, Colorado [52]
Batkhishig Batochir (b. 1969)2022Denver, Colorado [53]
Genevieve Canales 2022Greeley, Colorado [54]
Alicia Cardenas (1977-2021)2022Denver, Colorado [55]
Tina Cartagena (b. 1953)2022Denver, Colorado [56]
Connie Margaret Coca (b. 1943)2022Laramie, Wyoming [57]
Juliana Aragón Fatula 2022Cañon City, Colorado [58]
Karen D. Gonzales 2022Denver, Colorado [59]
Norma Johnson 2022Boulder, Colorado [60]
Elena Holly Klaver 2022Niwot, Colorado [61]
Lucha Aztzin Martínez de Luna 2022Golden, Colorado [62]
Deborah Martinez-Martinez 2022Rye, Colorado [63]
Jennifer McBride 2022Parker, Colorado [64]
Laura (Laurita) Naranjo 2022Denver, Colorado [65]
Adrienne Norris 2022Denver, Colorado [66]
Erica Padilla 2022Denver, Colorado [67]
Jo Elizabeth Pinto 2022Brighton, Colorado [68]
Sandra Ortega (b. 1952)2022San Luis, Colorado [69]
Shirley Romero Otero (b. 1955)2022San Luis, Colorado [70]
Evangeline Roybal Sena 2022Blanca, Colorado [71]
Marge Taniwaki 2022Denver, Colorado [72]
Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero 2022Denver, Colorado [73]

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References

  1. 1 2 Mathurin, Desiree (October 21, 2022). ""Return of the Corn Mothers" exhibit celebrates women making a difference in their communities". Denverite.
  2. ↑ "Return of the Corn Mothers - Inspiring Women of the Southwest". Denver Month of Photography.
  3. ↑ Phare, Cory. "Return of the Corn Mothers 2022". Metropolitan State University of Denver.
  4. ↑ "Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winners & Finalists". Indie Book Awards.
  5. ↑ "Elizabeth Aragon-Blanton".
  6. ↑ "Amy Banker".
  7. ↑ "Lois Burrell".
  8. ↑ "Barbara Clark".
  9. ↑ "Maria de la Cruz".
  10. ↑ "Dawn DiPrince".
  11. ↑ "Amy Duncan".
  12. ↑ "Kristy Duran".
  13. ↑ "Claudia Ebel".
  14. ↑ "Geneva Escobedo".
  15. ↑ "Nellie Escobedo Plasencio".
  16. ↑ "Dora Esquibel".
  17. ↑ "Ann Esquibel Redman".
  18. ↑ "Belinda Garcia".
  19. ↑ "Concepción Garcia Allen".
  20. ↑ "Peggy Godfrey".
  21. ↑ "Carol Guerrero-Murphy".
  22. ↑ "Ivette Guzman".
  23. ↑ "Lois Harvey".
  24. ↑ "Carrie Howell".
  25. ↑ "Sylvia Lee".
  26. ↑ "Arlette Lucero".
  27. ↑ "Lucy Lopez Dussart Lucero".
  28. ↑ "Oneyda L. Maestas".
  29. ↑ "Brenda Kay Manuelito".
  30. ↑ "Tori Vigil Martinez".
  31. ↑ "Rita J. Martinez".
  32. ↑ "B. Afeni McNeely Cobham".
  33. ↑ "Carolina "Carrie" Sandoval Mejía".
  34. ↑ "Raven Winston Mercado".
  35. ↑ "Judy Newland".
  36. ↑ "Cynthia Ramu".
  37. ↑ "Sara Ransom".
  38. ↑ "Ella Maria Ray".
  39. ↑ "Alfria Casaus (Alfie) Salazar".
  40. ↑ "Lisa Saldaña".
  41. ↑ "Cherie Karo Schwartz".
  42. ↑ "Barbara Shannon-Bannister".
  43. ↑ "Christina Maxine Sigala".
  44. ↑ "Patricia Sigala".
  45. ↑ "Charlene Garcia Simms".
  46. ↑ "Stella Teller".
  47. ↑ "Jessica (Jessa) Tumposky".
  48. ↑ "Evelyn Valdez Martinez".
  49. ↑ "Bertha A. Velarde".
  50. ↑ "Aurora Villareal-Aguilera".
  51. ↑ "Rita Flores deWallace".
  52. ↑ "Ellen Alires-Trujillo".
  53. ↑ "Batkhishig (Baja) Batochir".
  54. ↑ "Genevieve Canales".
  55. ↑ "Alicia Cardenas".
  56. ↑ "Tina Cartagena".
  57. ↑ "Connie Margaret Coca".
  58. ↑ "Juliana Aragón Fatula".
  59. ↑ "Karen D. Gonzales".
  60. ↑ "Norma Johnson".
  61. ↑ "Elena Holly Klaver".
  62. ↑ "Lucha Aztzin Martínez de Luna".
  63. ↑ "Deborah Martinez Martinez".
  64. ↑ "Jennifer McBride".
  65. ↑ "Laura (Laurita) Naranjo".
  66. ↑ "Adrienne Norris".
  67. ↑ "Erica Padilla".
  68. ↑ "Jo Elizabeth Pinto".
  69. ↑ "Sandra Ortega".
  70. ↑ "Shirley Romero Otero".
  71. ↑ "Evangeline Roybal Sena".
  72. ↑ "Marge Taniwaki".
  73. ↑ "Jeanette Trujillo-Lucero".
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