ABQ Times

A transformative initiative led by a team at The University of New Mexico is working to ensure that the real stories of Indigenous communities in New Mexico are accurately represented. The Tribal Data Champions (TDC) Fellowship is a yearlong training program designed to empower Indigenous people in New Mexico by enhancing their skills and knowledge in data, evaluation, and research.

Rebecca Rae from the UNM College of Population Health emphasized the community-driven approach of the TDC Fellowship, stating, "We're not just teaching methods; we're also fostering a community-driven approach."

The main focus of the program is to empower participants to use data to tell the full story of Indigenous peoples, highlighting their beauty and richness beyond just overcoming disparities. The TDC Fellowship aims to change the narrative and address the diverse data needs within Tribal communities.

The initiative began in 2017 when Rebecca Rae, along with a team of collaborators, established the TDC Fellowship to uplift Tribal communities through data empowerment. Dr. Kamilla Venner and Leola Paquin from UNM also contributed to the program.

Rae shared that the TDC Fellowship was funded through a grant by the Kellogg Foundation, with a vision to provide immersive training and assistance to Tribal community members. The program includes tailored workshops and trainings to equip participants with essential skills in data analysis and program evaluation rooted in Indigenous methodologies.

At the core of the TDC Fellowship is a comprehensive curriculum that guides participants through the evaluation process using an Indigenous evaluation framework. Rae highlighted the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty, stating, "Data should remain sacred and under community discretion."

The TDC Fellowship has received support from partners like the Conrad Hilton Foundation, but is currently seeking new partnerships as funding is set to end soon. The initiative is crucial for sustaining community-driven efforts and continued investment in empowering Indigenous communities through data sovereignty.

Furthermore, the TDC Fellowship has evolved into the Indigenous Evaluators Network, a group focused on sharing resources, insights, and experiences related to data and evaluation. The network aims to put training into action through ongoing engagement and collective learning, championing Indigenous voices and methodologies.

Rae emphasized the collaborative nature of building the Indigenous Evaluators Network, involving TDC Fellowship alumni and community partners to create a community that uplifts Indigenous voices. Both the TDC Fellowship and the Indigenous Evaluators Network share the goal of expanding their reach and securing stable funding to support initiatives that celebrate the stories and resilience of Indigenous communities in New Mexico.