Apr 06 2008
About Us
About Us
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In 1995 Arco Iris attained IRS 501-C3 tax-exempt status and three years later the organization was gifted with 370 acres - the rest of the now disbanded Sassafras Community. This property was renamed Wild Magnolia. One of the traditional beliefs Moroles embraces is that one’s ancestors may call on her to complete certain tasks. She believes that securing the Newton County land for future generations, has been part of her destiny, she says. “It’s an incredible miraculous land.” Arco Iris currently holds in trust 390+ acres in the Boxley Valley area of Newton County, Arkansas, near the Buffalo River. The organization’s mission includes environmental education, indigenous cultural education and preservation, protecting and preserving Mother Earth to create for future generations, with a special focus on empowerment of women and children of color. Past activities of Arco Iris have included: Most recently, work has begun on development of an environmental education/retreat center and lodge facilities on trust land called Wild Magnolia. As part of Projecto Tierra Indigina for 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos, caretakers, organizations, and individuals will be able to visit and study permaculture, small livestock raising, agroforestry, organic gardening, and aquaculture, as well as outdoor recreation and locally produced food, crafts, and art. Last fall, the 4th year class of the University of Arkansas Landscape Architecture program, under instructor John Crone, used the 370-acre Wild Magnolia land as a Master Planning demonstration project. Students analyzed the terrain and physical characteristics of the land to work out ideas for the best placement of buildings, recreational areas and trails, housing, ponds, roads, and fields. They also buffer areas for stream protection, sensitive plants and wildlife, identified areas with outstanding attributes to be protected as sacred sites. This spring, work began in ernest, as the land was cleared of old buildings, vehicles, and trash, in preparation for its future. Nuestras Raíces… |
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 Our Mission. . .is to protect Our Sacred Mother Earth, promote matriarchal leadership for women of color and to preserve indigenous traditions of the Americas.Nuestra Misión… es para proteger Nuestra Madre tierra Sagrada, promueve el liderazgo matriarcal para mujeres de color y para preservar las tradiciones indígenas de las Américas.Our Objective . . . To provide environmental education and other skills needed to promote stewardship of our Earth and healthy, sustainable, cooperative living. Nuestro Objetivo… es para proporcionar la educación ambiental y otras habilidades necesitaron promover cuida de nuestra Tierra y la vida saludable, sostenible y cooperativa. Our Goals… —to acquire land and protect its ecological diversity —to ensure a healthy earth for future generations —to establish self governing intentional communities of diverse people who love and care for the earth —to empower women of color and their families with skills for sustaining healthy lives Nuestras Metas… —son obtener y guardar terrenos y proteger su diversidad ecológica —para asegurar una tierra saludable para generaciones futuras —para establecer comunidades intenciónales auto gobierna de gente diversa que ama y cuida la tierra —para apoderar a mujeres de color y sus familias con habilidades para sostener vidas saludables |
Our Beginnings. . .
