Hello everyone, my name is Marcus Trujillo (He/His) and I am from the Pueblo of Laguna. My mother is an Indigenous/Native American woman from the Pueblo of Laguna and my Father is a Hispanic man from Taos, New Mexico. My village affiliations are with Paraje and Seama village but I am currently living in Albuquerque.
I am an intern for Yoga POC Sangha for this 2020 spring semester, which will be starting on January 21st. My internship is through the University of New Mexico where I am pursuing a degree in humanities, focusing on religious studies with a double minor in psychology and peace and justice studies. I graduate in May of this year and I am motivated to finish my undergraduate studies.
I will be working with Raquel and Farah by helping to set up and co-facilitate the critical reading circles, along with helping to set up and welcome folx to Yoga on Sundays. My goal through this internship is to grow in one with the community that POC Yoga Sangha creates space for while engaging in work that is empowering and healing for people of color. I am excited to invest in time and experience with this community while also growing spiritually in my own life.
This work is meaningful to me because I believe that healing starts with confronting the many injustices that take place against people of color and/or minorities globally. I also believe that the strive for justice begins on a spiritual level. I find strength within a community that shares a common memory and acknowledges the violence that takes place in their homelands. I am passionate for social/environmental justice-based work as I look forward to gaining experience through this platform. I am also looking forward to learning more from the community and the backgrounds that they bring. I am prepared and confident to engage in this work as I am close to finishing the six semesters of my undergraduate studies. I have experience working with people of different cultures, races and ethnic backgrounds along with the academic understanding from the courses which the Humanities department at UNM have provided.
Marcus grew up in both the kiva and the church, learning the catholic religion and the traditional Indigenous ways of the Laguna People. As a dominantly traditional-Indigenous believer, Marcus’s foundation is rooted in care for the people, land, and animals of his ancestry. Through his degree, Marcus has grown in understanding of what Indigeneity looks like outside of his own people and has decided to pursue work that will elevate Indigenous peoples along with communities of color. While merging social and environmental justice with religion and spirituality, Marcus hopes to bring Indigenous perspective to the communities, organizations and circles of which he engages and joins.