Arizona is home to a deeply rooted history of Native culture, full of unique sounds and family traditions. Vince Flores-Maldonado recognized in 2016 the need for a home and preservation for this artistic, Indigenous community. In turn, he founded his nonprofit, the Native Music Coalition, which prides itself on “helping Indigenous youth and families find their identity through Native American art and music,” according to their website.
Flores-Maldonado founded the Native Music Coalition after he was drawn to gangs in his teen years. The “loyal brotherhood” brought him friendships, but also destruction to himself through addiction and crime, according to his interview with Tucson news.
Years following the experience, he found recovery through the Native American culture.
According to Flores-Maldonado, he was taught about the Native American spirituality by traveling with his uncle to reservations across Arizona, California, and the Dakotas. His enlightenment journey inspired him to give back to the community by working with Yaqui families, which led to the formation of NMC, according to Tucson News.
The group is based in Tucson, Arizona, where it continues to provide a multitude of services to the Arizona’s Indigenous communities.
Holding true to Flores-Maldonado’s past, NMC operates a wellness center that “provides a non-judgmental environment” for those struggling with many sensitive issues like sexual violence, addiction, mental health and more, according to their website. Some of these services include peer support with clinical professionals, computer labs, and art-based classes.
Peer support is taken seriously at NMC with its growing team of professionals. Not only are they trained in counseling, but many have successfully completed the stages of recovery and guide based on their own experiences.
“Advocating for people in recovery, sharing resources and building skills, building community and relationships, leading recovery groups” are just some of the many practices of NMC’s support network.
Those in need of recovery assistance can also consider NMC’s sober living homes, which are available to members over 18 and provide housing and counseling.
As for class-style workshops, NMC invites its members to participate in Native American beading, gourd raddle workshops, drumstick and drum making, painting and a recording and media studio.
NMC places emphasis on music as a bridge between recovery and culture, as “music has a healing element that allows us to connect with our ancestral traditions,” said NMC. For many Native artists in Arizona, it is important that the distinctive sound is passed on through education and empowerment to continue the tradition.
“I want to keep [the craft of Native instruments] going because, like I said, there’s a lot of history behind it,” said Anthony Belvado, an Apache fiddle maker in Arizona, to MIMphx about his emotional significance to the musical culture. “What I’m hoping to accomplish is to pass the craft itself to a younger generation. I want to keep it going because, like I said, there’s a lot of history behind it. There’s a lot of meaning behind it.”
NMC actively hosts events in the form of tabling to pop-up shops to reach more members of the community by featuring Indigenous artists and NMC members.
NMC also offers education and hands-on activities to ages 4 to 17 through their Cante’ Waste’ youth program. Some past activities have been tipi sculpture painting, dream vision board collages, pumpkin carving and pottery classes.
As of Nov. 21, NMC will be holding their “first-ever Popover Battle and Ironman Pow Wow Competition” this coming January. Contenders will be dancing for top prizes of up to $3000. Admission is free to families, and more information can be found on the NMC’s Facebook.
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