Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project

Programs: Outreach and access to services micop increases access to medical, mental health and social services for the mixteco-speaking population of ventura county. Our promoters work in three local school districts to ensure that mixteco children are healthy and ready to enter kindergarten with their peers. Micop operates outreach to prevent domestic violence, teach about reproductive health and increase knowledge about available services. Our interpreters provide access to services in a variety of locations throughout the county.

community empowerment - micop enhances the capacity of the mixteco-speaking population for self-leadership through intensive trainings provided to the community. Micop also empowers the community by training community members to be djs on micop's community radio station, currently broadcasting via the internet and fm radio. The djs provide informational and culturally relevant programming in mixteco, zapoteco and spanish. Our community organizer works with the community to help them advocate for their own needs. We also hold community meetings, which are attended by an average of 250 families each month, where speakers talk about relevant information to the community. Training of internal leaders has provided a staff that is 80% indigenous and a board of directors with 40% indigenous membership.

education and literacy - micop provides literacy and adult education to members of the community who wish to continue their primary and secondary education. Because the majority of mixtecs living in ventura county are young families with small children, micop offers bebe sano (well-baby) and aprendiendo con mam y pap (learning with mom and dad) classes that teach the basics infant care and early childhood learning. The classes are designed to accommodate low-literacy learners, with linguistically accessible and culturally appropriate curriculum. Micop's tequio youth group promotes indigenous pride and encourages academic achievement and continuing on to higher education. Micop provides annual scholarships to tequio students to help further their education.

direct assistance micop operates a monthly distribution of food and basic needs through its community meeting program. The organization provides one-time financial assistance support to families in crisis, and has a rental support program. Each year the organization coordinates collections and distributions of school materials in august. Cultural presentations micop promotes indigenous culture through celebrations of indigenous festival days including dia de los nios (children's day), dia de muertos (day of the dead), christmas and other cultural events. Micop organized its 5th indigenous knowledge conference in 2018, to share information about the oaxaca indigenous community in ventura county, indigenous culture and language access. The organization also regularly provides cultural competency trainings to other agencies and organizations, educating them about the mixtec community and how to best provide services to them.