Meet the Creative Fund Cohort Members
20 Native women business owners have recently received low-interest loans from the Matriarch Creative Fund to support ventures in cooking, photography, and fashion. Ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each, these loans are accompanied by assistance from the Circle of Support and NMCC, offering guidance on technology and business advice. The project provides workshops, technical support, loan consultation, and access to courses such as Business and Marketing Essentials. Hillary Frost and Henry Jake Foreman from NMCC oversee the support provided to these women entrepreneurs.
Matriarch Creative Fund
Matriarch Creative Fund
20 Creative entrepreneurs received a low-interest loan for their small business goals.
We are proud to announce the funding of 20 Native women creative entrepreneurs with specialties ranging from culinary arts, photography, and fashion through the Matriarch Creative Fund. Each recipient received a low-interest loan ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for their small business goals. These entrepreneurs will also get access to technical support and mentorship through our Circle of Support in partnership with New Mexico Community Capital.
The Circle of Support is a technical assistance and mentorship program uniquely tailored to meet the needs of our Matriarch Creative Fund recipients. NMCC’s program management team, Hillary Frost and Henry Jake Foreman are spearheading this program to bring their expertise and experienced mentors to support entrepreneurs through cohort-centered workshops, custom technical assistance, loan repayment support, and access to their suite of programs such as the Business and Marketing Essentials.
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Cleo is the owner and founder of Cleo’s Blue Corn Kitchen, an Indigenous food business that creates healing meals and food items that are based in local and traditional ingredients. Cleo stays true to her belief that “food is medicine” and ensures that she is always working with local sources to keep her food as close to our communities as possible.
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I design & create Native American Clothing. All items are unique & one of kind pieces. I custom make traditional pueblo style dresses, Ribbon skirts, Men’s Ribbon Shirts, Handmade Embroidery pieces, Men’s traditional style kilts, Women’s Black & White mantas, also known as Buffalo dresses. 90% of the items i make are used in Cultural Dances & Pueblo feast days, baptimals & Weddings. With your help, I would like to continue creating beautiful pieces of art for anyone who wants to keep their cultural traditions alive or anyone who appreciates the beauty in wearing indigenous native clothing. Thank you.
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RedWing Collections/RedWing Company
Avant Garde and Contemporary Adult and Youth clothing in all shapes and sizes. Traditional Pueblo/native clothing made from homemade patterns and design. All designs for all clothing are inspired from landscape, Tamaya pottery and kiva & native motifs. Face covers are best sellers with sewn in filters and designed with native design cotton fabrics or scrap native style applique. Clothing orders range from pueblo traditional clothes, Wedding sets, ball gowns graduation and specialty requests.
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I make contemporary Native American for everyday wear such as applique ribbon skirts, applique men’s shirts, pow wow dance regalia, traditional clothing and other accessories and crafts with an Indigenous touch.
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Handcrafts by Howland/ Dine Roots Collective
Lauren Howland is the creator of Handcrafts by Howland/ Dine Roots Collective. She is an Apache, Diné and Pueblo silversmith, personal account, and community servant.
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I specialize in both traditional & contemporary clothing & accessories. Traditional clothing worn in cultural ceremonies, weddings, graduations & other special occasions representing our culture.
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a.littlebear
Aesthetically Pleasing NMAlicia is from Tamaya (Santa Ana Pueblo) and is a descendant of the Mvskoke, Yuchi and Shawnee Nations. Owner/operator/creator of a.littlebear. Alicia founded a.littlebear during the middle of the pandemic as a way to practice self-care. Her inspiration comes from traditional beading art forms and modern fashion.
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Native Arts of the Rio Grande
Trauma Recovery Services of ArizonaKeeping traditional arts alive such as traditional clothing for traditional dances, other dance accessories, Pueblo pottery, willow basket weaving, and teaching the traditional arts to our youth and any tribal member interested.
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Arrowsoul Trading Post Barricade Culture Shop
Trauma Recovery Services of ArizonaI provide artists to sell their artwork as well as mine. We are basically a Co-op in both shops. I just want to support my art as well SABA’s and any other artists in both shops. Me being the Sole Proprietorship of both businesses.
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Roshan Spottsville is a Navajo photographer originally from Balookai, Arizona. She has been providing on-location and studio sessions for families and small businesses since 2010. Specializing in Graduation Portraits, Headshots & Small Business Branding photography, she feels honored to photograph families as they grow and reach milestones as well as working with entrepreneurs as they turn their ideas into thriving business.
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Shundine’s Frybread/Frybread Cosmetics
Summer 2016 was the beginning. Only selling frybread and cold drinks as a side job. From there the Stand extended, not only the menu but opened a lot of opportunities to move as a full time operation. Danielle also known as Shundine independently owns and operates the Stand daily. As much love and attention she puts into her cooking, she hopes you enjoy her food as much as she enjoys creating it for you!
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Winston Paul is a Dine owned and operated business out of Many Farms, Arizona. Our company is named after owners (Calandra Etsitty) kid brother, Winston and late Cheii Paul. Winston Paul offers a wide variety of products such as handmade make-up bags, skirts, traditional two pieces outfits and customize outfits. Winston Paul is inspired from a mixture of traditional and street art to the urban and traditional music of our ancestor. Winston Paul seeks to bring a positive influence to everyone through fashion and art.
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Nanibaa Beck of NotAbove creates handmade, intention-driven, woman-made future belongings. As a 2nd generation Dine’ metalsmith, the jewelry that NotAbove creates is intended as a reflection of vibrant Native creative expressions and community.
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I’m a certified makeup artist and have owned my small business Makeup by Deva since 2015. I offer individual makeup application, makeup for bridal parties, 1-on-1 workshops and group workshops.
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Atcitty’s on Taos Plaza
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Big Hogan Enterprise B & B
We built created artistic modern hogans that we rent with canvas bell tent. They are surrounded by beautiful views and offer guided tours, traditional cuisines, and give information about the Dine (Navajo) People (history, traditions, the Grand Canyon, Little Colorado River).
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Fine custom beadwork. Items range from Earrings, women’s accessories, custom medallions and commissioned regalia items. Other requests for beadwork are also considered on a per job basis.
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Corn Maiden Designs is a Native American owned Decolonial Fashion Haus. I have been designing Native fashions for over 10 years and I am ready to take my business to the next level. I want to uplift other Native women by expanding the Corn Maiden Design team. My goal is to create ready to wear Native fashions at a reasonable price for all.
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Digital Footprint Media Marketing
Digital Footprint Media Marketing assists small businesses in developing, managing, and optimizing comprehensive paid Facebook and Instagram Ad campaigns; so that companies can increase its customer service base along with an improved presence in the local & regional market. I also provide content creation, web design, and email marketing services.
