On a cool morning at the Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa on Thursday, August 24, 2023, current Creative Writing BFA student Sareya Taylor (White Mountain Apache Tribe and Navajo) and Kathleen Wall (Jemez Pueblo) ‘14 were honored at the Girls, Inc. of Santa Fe (GISF) Unveiling Breakfast for their publication Inspirations: Celebrating Strong, Smart, and Bold New Mexican Women and Girls 2023, which recognized about 100 individuals.  “Thank you for attending our celebration of the Strong, Smart, and Bold women, girls, and folks featured in our inaugural Inspirations book,” GISF stated in their Unveiling Breakfast program.

The outdoor reception on the Bishop’s Lodge Event Lawn gathered 300 attendees together, including nominees and other guests seated at round tables draped with red tablecloths. Taylor and Wall were nominated by the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) to represent “the creativity of IAIA alums who lay the groundwork for upcoming students.” (The Inspirations nominations for Taylor and Wall were sponsored by the IAIA Communications department.) Both nominees were seated at a table with IAIA staff and other Inspirations honorees—Becky Rowley, PhD, and IAIA Alum Elizabeth Kianu Stahmer ’18. Other IAIA alums were honored at the breakfast, including Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo) ’89, along with other notable Native women in New Mexico.

While an occasional hummingbird flitted by, a series of presentations were made on the stage, interspersed with videos demonstrating the program’s impact on current and former attendees of Girls, Inc. programs. Kim Brown, CEO of Girls, Inc. of Santa Fe, welcomed the audience. Other speakers included GISF Board Members and Inspirations co-chairs Diane Ramsey and Linda DeWolf. Dressed in regalia and a beaded crown, Southwest Youth Poet Organizer Taylor took to the stage as a featured speaker and read her poem “I am.” Attendees were served breakfast, and the special presentations wrapped up with a speech by Jodi Morris, Founder and CEO of Connecting Growth Globally.

Afterward, groups gathered to take photos together, and Taylor was interviewed by Channel 7 KOAT Action News.

About Girls, Inc. of Santa Fe

Since 1955, Girls, Inc. of Santa Fe has been inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. At Girls, Inc., girls learn to set and achieve goals, boldly confront challenges, resist peer pressure, and see college as attainable. Girls, Inc. provides a holistic, in-depth approach that combines mentorship, programming, and a positive space where girls are inspired to develop and unleash their talents & strengths.