INTERNATIONAL SONORAN DESERT

Piloted an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values over the past 20 years.

Pilots an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values, including the creative reuse of the historic town center, purchasing and developing properties like the town plaza and Curley School Campus for businesses, affordable housing, and community facilities.

Pilots an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values, including creative reuse of the historic town center, purchasing and developing properties like the town plaza and Curley School Campus, and facilitating new businesses.

Pilots and implements an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values, including creative reuse of the historic town center, facilitating new businesses, and providing affordable live-work spaces.

Pilots an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values, including creative reuse of the historic town center, purchasing and developing properties like the town plaza and Curley School Campus for businesses, affordable housing, and community spaces.

Pilots an integrated community-level development approach in Ajo, Arizona, focusing on revitalization through cultural and environmental values, including creative reuse of the historic town center, purchasing and developing properties like the town plaza and Curley School Campus, and facilitating new businesses.

Hosts the biennial Tri-National Sonoran Desert Symposium, fostering collaboration among researchers, land managers, culture bearers, and residents to discuss natural and cultural ecology, environmental challenges, and their relationship to the people of the Sonoran Desert.

Hosts the biennial Trinational Sonoran Desert Symposium, fostering collaboration among researchers, land managers, culture bearers, and residents across the Sonoran Desert bioregion to discuss preservation, stewardship, natural and cultural ecology, and environmental challenges.

Hosts the biennial Trinational Sonoran Desert Symposium to foster collaboration among researchers, land managers, culture bearers, and residents, and to promote understanding, conservation, and dialogue on the natural and cultural ecology and environmental challenges of the Sonoran Desert bioregion.

Hosts the biennial Trinational Sonoran Desert Symposium, fostering collaboration among researchers, land managers, culture bearers, and residents across the Sonoran Desert bioregion to discuss natural and cultural ecology, environmental challenges, and their relationship to the people of the Sonoran Desert.

Hosts the biennial Tri-National Sonoran Desert Symposium, fostering collaboration among researchers, land managers, and residents to address environmental challenges.

Hosts the biennial Trinational Sonoran Desert Symposium, fostering collaboration and dialogue among researchers, land managers, culture bearers, and residents across the Sonoran Desert bioregion on natural and cultural ecology, and environmental challenges.

Operates a Registered Apprenticeship program and an Apprentice-to-Journeyman program, providing job training for Ajo residents in building trades through renovation projects and making home maintenance and upgrades more affordable.

Operates a Registered Apprenticeship program and an Apprentice-to-Journeyman program, providing job training for Ajo residents in building trades through renovation projects, and offers the Get Going Get Growing Internship for youth focused on creating gardens, orchards, and chicken coops.

Operates a Registered Apprenticeship program and an Apprentice-to-Journeyman program, providing job training for Ajo residents in building trades through renovation projects, and offers a youth internship program focused on creating gardens, orchards, and chicken coops.

Operates a Registered Apprenticeship program and an Apprentice-to-Journeyman program, providing job training for Ajo residents in building trades through repair and renovation projects, and runs the Get Going Get Growing Internship for youth focused on gardening and agriculture.

Operates a Registered Apprenticeship program for job training in renovation projects for Ajo residents and runs the Get Going Get Growing Internship for youth, focusing on creating gardens, orchards, and chicken coops.

Operates the Sonoran Arts Residency, provides free shared Clay and Wood Studios on the Curley School campus, facilitates a Cultural Crafts Group, and created "Ajo Art," a self-guided tour of public art in Ajo.

Operates the Sonoran Arts Residency, provides a free shared Clay Studio and Wood Shop on the Curley School campus, and facilitates the Cultural Crafts Group, offering workshops and resources for artists and makers in the community.

Operates the Sonoran Arts Residency, provides a free shared Clay Studio and a Wood Shop on the Curley School campus for community artists, and facilitates the Cultural Crafts Group, offering workshops and supporting local art initiatives like "Ajo Art."

Operates the Sonoran Arts Residency, provides a free shared Clay Studio and a Wood Shop on the Curley School campus for community artists, and facilitates the Cultural Crafts Group, which creates crafts and raises funds for community events.

Operates the Sonoran Arts Residency, provides a free shared Clay Studio and a Wood Shop on the Curley School campus for community artists, and facilitates a Cultural Crafts Group.

Provides lifelong learning and workforce readiness opportunities through its Community Learning Center, including Adult Basic Education, Adult Literacy, GED, Online High School Diploma, Basic Computer Skills instruction, Tertiary Education Support, Resume Writing, and Job Interview Coaching.

Provides lifelong learning and workforce readiness opportunities through its Community Learning Center, including Adult Basic Education, Adult Literacy, GED, Online High School Diploma, Basic Computer Skills instruction, Tertiary Education Support, Resume Writing, and Job Interview Coaching.

Provides lifelong learning and workforce readiness opportunities through its Community Learning Center, including Adult Basic Education, Adult Literacy, GED, Online High School Diploma, Basic Computer Skills instruction, Tertiary Education Support, Resume Writing, and Job Interview Coaching.

Provides lifelong learning and workforce readiness opportunities through its Community Learning Center, including adult education and job readiness programs.

Provides lifelong learning and workforce readiness opportunities through its Community Learning Center, including Adult Basic Education, GED, online high school diplomas, computer skills, resume writing, and job interview coaching, and operates Ajo Works Staffing Service to formalize employment.

Annually hosts a Saguaro Fruit Harvest Weekend, offering culturally and geographically unique activities, including traditional saguaro fruit harvests with Hia C-ed O’odham guides and cooking workshops to make cactus fruit syrup.

Annually hosts a Saguaro Fruit Harvest Weekend, offering culturally and geographically unique activities including traditional saguaro fruit harvests with Hia C-ed O’odham guides and cooking workshops to make cactus fruit syrup.

Annually hosts a Saguaro Fruit Harvest Weekend, offering culturally and geographically unique activities including traditional saguaro fruit harvests with Hia C-ed O’odham guides and cooking workshops to make cactus fruit syrup.

Annually hosts a Saguaro Fruit Harvest Weekend, facilitating saguaro fruit harvests using traditional methods with Hia C-ed O’odham guides, followed by cooking workshops to make cactus fruit syrup.

Hosts an annual Saguaro Fruit Harvest Weekend, facilitating traditional saguaro fruit harvests with Hia C-ed O’odham guides and conducting cooking workshops to make cactus fruit syrup.

Provides home energy evaluations, appliance replacements, upgrades, and building interventions for income-qualifying homeowners and renters, supports struggling families with access to SNAP, minor home repair, emergency utility assistance, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA).

Provides home energy evaluations, appliance replacements, and upgrades for income-qualifying homeowners and renters to improve energy efficiency.

Provides home energy evaluations, appliance replacements, upgrades, and building interventions for income-qualifying homeowners and renters.

Provides home energy evaluations, appliance replacements, upgrades, and building interventions for income-qualifying homeowners and renters, supports struggling families with access to SNAP, minor home repair, emergency utility assistance, and VITA, and offers direct aid and loans for business recovery and growth.

Developed a system of support for 607 migrants released into communities along the US-Mexico border in Ajo, Arizona.

Developed a system of support for 607 migrants released into communities along the US-Mexico border in Ajo, Arizona, providing essential resources and assistance.

Converts former school buildings into the Curley School Artisan Apartments, providing affordable live-work spaces, and developed the Sonoran Desert Inn and Conference Center with sleeping rooms, a dormitory, classrooms, and workshops.

Runs a Registered Apprenticeship program and an Apprentice-to-Journeyman program to train local skilled tradesmen through hands-on renovation projects.

Supports struggling families and individuals in Ajo and the surrounding region by providing access to SNAP, minor home repair, appliance replacement, emergency utility assistance, home energy evaluations, VITA, and support for migrants released into border communities.

Unveiled the Sonoran Desert Biosphere Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy to guide regional economic growth.

Engages volunteers in various activities including writing newsletters, translating brochures, assisting in workshops, and participating in desert cleanups.

Operates Ajo Works Staffing Service to aggregate part-time and irregular work into formal employment, aiming to formalize the underground employment economy.

Operates the Ajo Business Support Center to assist local businesses, promote e-commerce, and provide resources for business growth and adaptation.

Operates the Ajo Business Support Center, provides resources through Kickstart Ajo including marketing assistance, grants, and loans, and runs Ajo Works Staffing Service to formalize employment and support local businesses and remote workers.

Operates the Ajo Business Support Center to assist local businesses, promote e-commerce, and support remote workers, provides resources through Kickstart Ajo including marketing assistance and low-interest loans, and operates Ajo Works Staffing Service to formalize part-time and irregular work into formal employment.

Offers direct aid, grants, and low-interest loans for business recovery, growth, and adaptation, operates the Ajo Business Support Center, and provides resources through Kickstart Ajo, including marketing and technical assistance, and funds for tenant and facade improvements.

Provides direct aid, grants, and low-interest loans for business recovery, growth, and adaptation, operates the Ajo Business Support Center, and offers resources through Kickstart Ajo for marketing, technical assistance, and business development.

Provides various support services to struggling families and residents in Ajo and the surrounding region, including home energy evaluations, appliance replacements, building interventions, emergency utility assistance, SNAP access, VITA, and support for migrants released along the US-Mexico border.

Convenes stakeholders to discuss preservation and stewardship of the Sonoran Desert and donated $100,000 to the National Park Service for a project to rehabilitate and adapt the pond structure at A’al Vaipia (Quitobaquito Springs).

Donated $100,000 to the National Park Service for a project to rehabilitate and adapt the pond structure at A’al Vaipia (Quitobaquito Springs).

Convenes stakeholders to discuss preservation and stewardship of the Sonoran Desert and donated $100,000 to the National Park Service for a project to rehabilitate and adapt the pond structure at A’al Vaipia (Quitobaquito Springs).

Organizes an annual International Day of Peace celebration in Ajo, AZ, around September 21st, involving local schools, businesses, and partners from Mexico and the Tohono O’odham nation, featuring a multicultural community parade, an After School Peace Festival, and community art projects.

Organizes an annual International Day of Peace celebration in Ajo, AZ, around September 21st, involving community parades, peace-themed murals, and an After School Peace Festival, in collaboration with local schools, businesses, civic organizations, and partners in Mexico and the Tohono O’odham nation.

Organizes an annual International Day of Peace celebration in Ajo, AZ, around September 21st, involving local schools, businesses, civic organizations, and partners from Mexico and the Tohono O’odham nation, featuring a multicultural community parade, an After School Peace Festival, and public art installations.

Organizes an annual International Day of Peace celebration in Ajo, AZ, around September 21st, involving local schools, businesses, civic organizations, and partners from Mexico and the Tohono O’odham nation, featuring a multicultural community parade, peace-themed murals, and an After School Peace Festival.

Holds an annual International Day of Peace celebration in Ajo, AZ, featuring community parades, art displays, and educational activities.

Provides direct aid for business recovery and growth, and offers small business loans to local enterprises.

Unveiled the completed Sonoran Desert Biosphere Region Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy.

Convenes stakeholders to discuss preservation and stewardship of the Sonoran Desert and donated funds for the rehabilitation of the pond structure at A’al Vaipia (Quitobaquito Springs).

Runs the Get Going Get Growing Internship for youth, which involves creating gardens, orchards, and chicken coops.