Website: getinvolvedzuni.com

Keshi hom a’ho:i.  Ho’ Sherry Bellson leshinna.  Hom tsida dop datchu ache Idella dop Larry  Bellson.  Hom hot:da dop nana ache Lula dop Hula (John) Walela ache deyyakkya.  Hom wo’wo dop nana Vera dop Grover Bellson ache deyyakkya.  Hom annodewe ho’ Kolodakwe deyan K’yak’yali:kwe awon cha’le.  Ho’awon nana Bellson Batchu deyyakya, ho’awon annodinne Towering House.

Hello my people.  My name is Sherry Bellson.  My mother and father are Idella & Larry Bellson.  My maternal grandparents were Lula & John Walela (traditional name, Hula).  My paternal grandparents were Vera & Grover Bellson Sr.  My clans are Sandhill Crane and Child of the Eagle Clan.  My Nana Bellson was Navajo, our clan is Kiyanni.

I am a mother, daughter, sister, & aunt who lives in the southwest of the United States in the northwest portion of New Mexico. For the most part, I wear many hats leaning towards entrepreneurial opportunities. My primary hat is as an independent contractor in grassroots organizing. The past decade has helped fill a void within a rural reservation community by creating partnerships so our pueblo relatives can thrive.

COVID opened my eyes to the disparities and inequities rural communities face. As Natives, our history is often left out of timelines. The contextual information which is a documented history should point in the direction of restoration and healing across Turtle Island. In this timeline we will celebrate our social identity.

As a grantee recipient with New Mexico News Incubator it gives me great pleasure to start a new venture. This venture is to help build awareness for social justice and equity issues. Working in field within rural communities allows me to see the disparities along with the beauty of vast lands with enchanting people simultaneously I have had the pleasure of working with and meeting people on their own turfs who love their families, communities, and work with vigor for community success & empowerment.

This publication will help to educate in rural communities with a focus on social representation which impacts us. This publication will try its best to align with the traditional calendar and core values of the tribal community from which it hails.

The hope is to create opportunities where we can act on core values which support positive policies for safer and healthier communities...the more you know, the less you are marginalized. Chances are, we have shared experiences which shape our purpose in life. These shared experiences guide us to share great moments in time.

I would like to extend an open invitation to the 13-25 year old sector of the area. Your stories, your experiences, and your voice matters. Look out for opportunities to take part in activities and programming with out of school networking. Become a change-maker!

Lastly, a huge shout out of gratitude organizations who have invested in me. My journey is because people see my light and help to keep it lit. It may dim but the nurturing by people fuels my flame. This year I am a part of wonderful outlets who have invested in me and are helping to build a stronger me:

Native Organizers Alliance Summer Cohort

Tribal Data Champion Cohort 5 UNM School of Preparatory Research

Advance Native Political Leadership Institute

New Mexico News Incubator Grant Recipient 2023

New Mexico Social Justice & Equity Institute

Indigenous Lifeways,

Strong Families New Mexico, and,

My family (Jordan, Angel, Alise, Carl...No One Gets Left Behind).

-Sherry Bellson (Zuni/Navajo)

“I am just a human being trying to live in a world that is very rapidly losing its understanding of being human.”--John Trudell