Preserving Aztec culture is at the core of Círculo Azteca Citlaltonac Indigenous Culture Center’s mission. Recently, the nonprofit organization’s commitment to healing through tradition has expanded, thanks to help from local allies.
Círculo Azteca’s executive director, founder and cultural bearer, Gabriela Yaocihuatl Armenta, said a recent grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation through the CIELO Fund helped the organization kickstart its work for 2026 and beyond.
“Given that we are known as both a cultural center and a community space, we were able to focus on keeping the doors open for the community and other local community groups and organizations that maybe don’t have a space,” she said. “These groups can come and share our resources.”
Yaocihuatl Armenta launched the organization more than 15 years ago. Its roots stem back to 1942 in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico. For nearly 20 years now, the nonprofit has participated in ceremonies and cultural events that span the spectrum from museums, city-hosted events and nonprofit outings to intertribal gatherings throughout the region.
“We’re always looking for ways to partner and to uplift the community and other organizations,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said, noting that as a traditional ceremonial group and Indigenous culture center, the nonprofit strives to always preserve and promote Mexican heritage through a variety of ancestral ceremonial practices.
In that way, anybody who is eager to learn about the native customs of the Anahuac people, including traditions rooted in natural medicine, are welcome at the center.
“I share my Indigenous culture and traditions, and that’s very much a part of who I am,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said. “For me, it’s not a hobby. It’s a way of life. And on many levels, it’s about creating safe spaces for the community and for individuals who want to connect with their roots and cultural traditions. There’s a lot of resilience in the work that we do and, of course, we live in a time where we need a lot of that.
“We need a space where people can come together and learn and uplift each other,” she said.
Ceremonial “danzas,” Indigenous talking circles and other practices that have been passed down through generations filter into the mix here. This provides participants an opportunity to explore their identity, perhaps bring balance into their daily routines and create meaningful connections within community.
The gatherings have grown over the years, in fact. The community events have offered spaces for locals to participate and learn — everything from understanding a new language and pondering the deeper meaning of the cultural poetry and meaning within the songs to exploring the medicinal effects of everyday herbs.
Being part of a ceremonial circle also creates a rare opportunity to embrace a new structure, discipline and responsibility.
Another standout within the organization, beyond its diverse mix of resources and events, is a scholarship fund.
“We open up our scholarship fund once a year and direct it towards high school seniors and undergrads,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said. “Anybody can apply that falls under those guidelines. They don’t have to be registered with any tribe or group. In that way, students can utilize it the best way that they want to.”
The scholarship is fueled from fundraising efforts, whether it’s through the organization’s small bookstore or even yard sales and basic donations. Two scholarships were distributed this year.
It may take a village, however, to effectively maintain culture and tradition. And that’s where volunteers and allies come in.
“We always welcome volunteers,” Yaocihuatl Armenta said. “And it’s not just the volunteers that can come in and help with all the heavy lifting. It’s very hands-on training. We always look for folks who are interested in leadership roles and facilitator roles and anybody who’s interested in learning.”
Learn more at azteccirclecitlaltonac.org.
The Inland Empire Community Foundation works to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy. This grant was made possible by donations to the Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity Fund at IECF, launched in 2022 as a Signature Fund celebrating the Foundation’s 80th Anniversary. The CIELO Fund’s mission is to uplift and invest in organizations, initiatives and ideas that are led by – and serve – Latinos in the Inland Empire. Learn how you can support the causes you care about. Visit iegives.org or email giving@iegives.org.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Foundation grant enhances Aztec traditions
Reporting by Greg Archer, Inland Empire Community Foundation / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Greg Archer, Inland Empire Community Foundation | USA TODAY Network
