Healing trauma is the driving force of Color Maíz

Color Maíz is a new local organization with the purpose to uplift BIPOC communities and heal intergenerational trauma with art, mental health education and access to safe creative spaces. Color Maíz is an Upstate California Creative Corps grantee, the organization granted awards to 19 different counties in Northern California. 

“Color Maíz was given a grant from Upstate California and specifically to focus on social justice as well as safety in our communities,” said Karen Villa, a community organizer. “So there is an HPI index (healthy places index) that indicates that or areas specifically Eureka and parts of Fortuna, but also all over there is a big disservice to our community and there is a big marker that people do not feel safe in this area. That’s the reason why Color Maíz is coming in providing these spaces.”

Color Maíz programs include block printing with recycled materials, zine-making, acro-yoga, body healing and animation. There are five community organizers and each has a different area of focus to help others heal intergenerational trauma. 

“What’s important about it now is we’re creating it through a lens, a BIPOC lens,” Villa said. “We’re creating it through a space where it’s not always Western culture. We’re it’s not always Western medicine, but things that we already have within our capacities.”

One of the spaces Color Maíz partners with is the Morris Graves Museum of art. They plan to offer free workshops and events for the community. To stay updated with Color Maíz follow them on Instagram.