Fall 2009 Report of Mike Gray's Service Activities

I became unemployed at the end of September, but thanks to a generous separation package from AFSC, not much has changed in my life yet.  

In May, when I was in California with the Seri artisans, we were invited to a market and exposition to showcase a new basketry exhibit at the Gene Autry museum in Los Angeles. So in November, I went to El Desemboque and picked up four women and two children and drove them to California for a seven day trip to that event. On the way back, we did an event with the Fair Trade Store in Phoenix, which also bought some of their arts to sell in the store. 

Beginning with the year I took my sabbatical and spent six weeks working with the Seri on economic development, I have been able to demonstrate increased income for the tribe of between 25 and 30 thousand dollars, per year, coming in from my efforts. Most of this is due to increased efforts marketing arts and crafts. I have also worked to increase eco-tourism and the income from marketing food products like Mexican Oregano and Mesquite Bean flour. And after my sabbatical, most of this work has been done on my own time, since it didn’t fit in my old job description. 

But it is important work, since about half the income for the tribe comes from these sales of  baskets and carvings. These varied efforts help bring money in to all economic strata, not just one sector. And, as an extra benefit, most of this activity puts money in the hands of women, many of whom are single heads of households who do not benefit from the fishing sector of the economy which accounts for the other half of income for the Seri. 

I didn’t do my usual Thanksgiving trip to Desemboque, because of insurance concerns, but, instead, took a couple who make Mesquite flour products and a woman who does eco-tours of Mexico into the village for a few days to acquaint them with the people necessary to do some business. The Mesquite flour enterprise I worked to get started has now been spun off to a cooperative of Seri women, who operated it on their own for the first time this harvest season. Harvest and milling went fine, but they still need help making connections for marketing the product, like the one I just made for them. 

On the way home, we brought Marta Monroy and her daughter with us as far as Tumacacori, AZ, and left them there with friends to sell baskets at a crafts fair. Marta heads an artisans’ cooperative in Desemboque and travels widely in Mexico for sales. Meanwhile I went on to sell crafts for them at the Cascabel Christmas Fair. 

I’ll be leaving Cascabel this afternoon, driving to Colorado, to meet with my new support committee in Fort Collins, where I am a member. Fort Collins has released me to the ministry to continue the work I do with indigenous people. The Fort Collins Meeting has also agreed to accept tax-deductible donations toward my work. (See attached minute for an address and more details), should you be moved to help support my ministry.

In service,  Mike Gray