Shutdown, but Not "Shut Down!"

I want to be transparent with our community of friends and supporters--Alegria: Palenque Preservation Project had to temporarily close our doors due to funding challenges and some behind-the-scenes issues that needed our attention. The federal government shutdown made things even more difficult by halting applications for federal grants—grants we were counting on to begin and sustain our cultural preservation work. Like many of you navigating uncertain times, I also needed to take on work outside of APPP to support myself financially. It's been a humbling season, and I won't pretend it hasn't been frustrating to pause the mission that means so much to me and to all of us who believe in preserving Palenque.

But here's what I know for certain: practicing gratitude for the support we've already received, prioritizing self-care when the stress felt overwhelming, extending myself compassion during setbacks, and doing a little work towards our mission whenever possible—these practices kept me moving forward instead of giving up entirely. We may have closed our doors temporarily, but our commitment to cultural preservation has never wavered. I'm excited to share that we'll be back shortly with a new top-level domain for our website link and email address (check https://www.palenquepreservationproject.org/contact).

In the meantime, I'm curious: how are you all staying positive and productive during these challenging times? Let's keep lifting each other up, because our communities—and our shared mission—are worth the perseverance. We're shutdown temporarily, but we are definitely not shut down! Alexa, play "Crawling in the Dark" by Hoobastank! lol

Yours,

Erin

#MissionPreservePalenque #MisionPreservarAPalenque