“There is no end To what a living world Will demand of you.” ~octavia butler
earthseed black Arts Alliance New Mexico
Earthseed Black Arts Alliance New Mexico, was founded in 2020 by Nikesha Breeze, the late Tigre Mashall-Lively, and Raashan Ahmad. Drawing inspiration from Octavia Butler's visionary science fiction, Earthseed Black Arts Alliance is a Black-led initiative committed to uplifting and amplifying Black voices in Northern New Mexico through the power of art. As a community-centered organization, we work actively alongside local Indigenous, POC and LGBTQIA+ artists, and the city’s artist community more generally. We believe artists are both at the forefront of change and are critical to the creation and preservation of culture. Our core team consists of established interdisciplinary Black artists, educators and community organizers. Many identify as queer or non-binary. All of us are dedicated to the liberation, amplification and representation of African American voices in our communities and society as a whole. As a locally run grassroots organization, we rely on grant funding, individual donations and volunteer support to operate our programs and initiatives.
By partnering with Indigenous artists, global arts organizations, and the broader artistic community, Earthseed Black Arts Alliance New Mexico acts as a catalyst for a diverse and inclusive future in the arts. As artists and activists we are addressing the urgent need for sustainable, post-capitalist community spaces, events, collaborations and education that champions healing, restoration, and transformation for underserved artists, activists, and cultural workers.
Past Earthseed Projects
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Black History/Future Playing Cards
In celebration of Black history / future month we over here at Earthseed created these cards of 10 Black New Mexicans past and present you should know.
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Word!
Our Ongoing Poetry, Spoken Word, Musing and Reading Event.
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Black History/Black Song : History through the African American Len
So many people came together to make this a reality and we’re so incredibly proud of this! Black Story / Black Song is a curriculum designed for middle and high school students which includes a 40-minute video (or choose from eight individual 5-minute vignettes) featuring eight Black educational presenters speaking on various topics (Literature, Art, Science, Hip Hop, N.M. History, Poetry, African Ancestry, Civil Rights) as well as links and resources to dive in more, plus a teacher packet pdf with eight lesson plans
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New Mexico Black Arts and Culture "Green Book"
We Are Here.
“Here we are—Energy, Mass, Life, Shaping Life, Mind, Shaping Mind, God, Shaping God. Consider—We are born Not with purpose, But with potential.” ~Octavia Butler
While African Americans make up a small sector of Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico populations, WE ARE HERE. We are business owners, entrepreneurs, students, creatives, workers in all aspects of the service and tourist industry.
Our children attend schools here, and we are invested in this community, we live in and love. and yet we lack representation due to our relatively small numbers. In light of the current international spotlight on systemic inequalities at play in our society, we see this as the ideal moment for Black New Mexicans to have a voice in the conversation about how to address and heal this inequity, specifically as it relates to Black people.
“Belief Initiates and guides action— Or it does nothing.” ~o. B
CALL FOR bLACK ARTISTS
We are building our community and looking for Black artists of all mediums throughout New Mexico! We are in the development phase of events and gatherings, such as art shows, installations, lecture series, residency programs, along with live/online events and more! We are seeking black artists interested in building the black arts community, access and visibility in New Mexico. Is that you? If so…
cALL FOR COMMUNITY
We have an opportunity here to be the change we want to see. This is the time for action to follow up words of solidarity and support. Supporting Black arts in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico is one way for our community to stand together in unity and love for one another.
There are many ways for community allies to show up and put their action where their words of support are. You can Donate directly to the alliance to further our work and continued thriving. You can donate time and volunteer hours to support our ongoing projects and events. You can donate materials and resources, studio space, storage space, performance and exhibition space. You can get creative and find ways that your access, privilege, position or connections can be shared with the us to continue our thriving, inclusion, and representation.