My name is Isàlia, and I’m originally from Boston, Massachusetts. In 2024, Tierra Roja welcomed me with open arms as a volunteer for the afternoon program with children and adolescents. From the very beginning, I was struck by the love, life, and warmth that fills this corner of Cuxtitali. Tierra Roja is not only an education center; it’s a haven where children and families from diverse backgrounds can gather as active community members to learn, heal, and grow together.
As a volunteer, I’ve gotten to witness the transformative power of the project firsthand. It was uniquely moving to watch a young girl go from learning the alphabet to spelling her own name, keeping in mind that without Tierra Roja, this would not have been possible. I also got to listen to a group of adolescents reflect on their lived experiences of diversity, inclusion, and exclusion; then channel these reflections into artwork, skits, and even a short film which they protagonized.
Whether we’re scouring dictionaries in the library, cooking popcorn over charcoal fires, tending to the greenhouse or harvesting the milpa, learning here is active, collective, and deeply rooted in local realities. Tierra Roja creates a safe space for kids—both in and out of formal schooling—to learn, play, and live together. Their curiosity and enthusiasm is heart-warming and infectious.
This work is urgent and vital in an area facing poverty, identity and resource-based conflict, and systemic barriers to education and social inclusion. But the reality is that Tierra Roja operates with limited resources. Every workshop, every book, every meal, every gallon of drinking water – it’s all made possible through community support and donations.
Your donation has a direct and immediate impact. It helps cover the cost of school supplies, art materials, transportation for field trips, and maintenance work for our structures. It also supports the small but deeply committed team doing extraordinary work each day on the ground. Ultimately, donations ensure that Tierra Roja can keep offering a safe and consistent space for children in one of Mexico’s most marginalized regions.
Supporting Tierra Roja means investing in a model of education that is inclusive, community-based, and grounded in care. It means standing behind the idea that all children and families alike deserve access to learning and support. If you’re in a position to give — whether a one-time gift or on a recurring basis — I urge you to consider donating today,and help build a more just, inclusive, and hopeful future. CLICK HERE for U.S. tax deductible donations.
