The PUEBLO Analysis approach was developed and introduced in the fall of 2018 for an evaluation of the BRAVE Program at Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo (YDSP) in El Paso, Texas. The mission of the BRAVE Program, sponsored by the Pueblo’s Department of Tribal Empowerment, is to provide a safe, healthy, and drug-free environment for the Tigua youth at the Pueblo.

The evaluation was conducted to assess the BRAVE program as a whole to better understand:

1. the program’s current performance;

2. the external communication between program staff and the extended community;

3. key elements on how to improve the program from an internal perspective;

4. collective implementation of new ideas, framework, and practice; and

5. how to ensure culturally appropriate practices. 

Traditionally, this process would use the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) participatory methodology.  Developed in the nineteen-sixties at the Stanford Research Institute, SWOT Analysis has been adapted very successfully by community developers and planners for engaging leaders, administrators, and managers in determining strategies for organizational planning. Participants map out and reflect on the four elements of a SWOT matrix to understand the internal and external influences on an organization and its work and mission. The goal is to refine strategies and approaches to overcome weaknesses and improve efficacy.

Unfortunately for communities like YDSP, the technique tends to come across as vague and esoteric. Unlike mainstream urban communities, the Pueblo is semi-rural and is in a place where essentially everyone shares a common land base, sustained histories of engagement, and kinship relationships to one another. In such communities, dialogue and storytelling is particularly valued. Moreover, this narrative approach is enriched by staging conversations across intergenerational voices.

In 2015, the University of New Mexico Indigenous Design and Planning Institute (iD+Pi) was awarded a $225,000 ArtPlace America grant. Its major partners were the Zuni Artists, Creative StartUps and Zuni Pueblo MainStreet; secondary but equally important partners were the Zuni Pueblo Tourism Department, Zuni Pueblo Tribal Council, Zuni Pueblo Roads Department, local businesses like the Bistro and Chu Chu’s, and Ashiwi College. 

The project title was, “Solving Real Places for Real People: Zuni Pueblo MainStreet”, which was informed by the value of ‘healing the people through art’ because artists expressed their dismay with the living conditions of some of the community members. For example, there are major concerns for the general Zuni Pueblo for diabetes, alcoholism, poor drainage on the main road during monsoon season, and vacant/underutilized buildings along MainStreet.

From the beginning, the artists sought to work on a project that would positively impact their families and community because everyone has an obligation to another articulated Zuni value of ‘do no harm’.

As part of the UNM Historic Preservation and Regionalism Certificate Program, the Southwest Summer Institute afforded students an opportunity to learn and develop skills in Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico. The course was a two-week, intensive course. As mentioned, the students in the ARCH 402 studio worked closely with local Zuni artists for inspiration and guidance to best improve the local artist community sales and visibility through Main Street improvements.

Building off of those ideas, students in the Zuni Design Build course developed a prototype ArtWalk sign that would be placed in front of each participating artist’s home. This would allow visitors to distinguish the artist (in correspondence with an ArtWalk map from the Visitor’s Center), the type of art they create, and if they are open or closed. Students enhanced both the overall design and specific design of elements of a previously proposed sketch by including an etched Zuni ArtWalk logo, creating a rotating Open & Closed feature, and working out logistical details of fabrication such as size, materiality, and joinery. 

The finished prototype was then taken to a Zuni Pueblo ArtPlace America meeting for community input and comment. The prototype was left with Zuni Pueblo for further consideration and eventually put on display in the Zuni Pueblo Tourism Department’s Visitor’s Center to familiarize the public of what was soon to come. 

The School of Architecture + Planning (SAAP) Architecture Program and the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute (iD+Pi) assisted Cochiti Pueblo with the conceptual redevelopment plan of a brownfield site that is a former gravel mine pit. There were design and planning assistance through the UNM Architectural studio and iD+Pi. Whereby, the Architecture Program conducted a design studio that focused on architectural programming of the site. Additionally, the architecture studio conducted research on case studies of brownfield redevelopment projects related mining/extraction activity.

The costs for the studio classroom sessions/spaces, iD+Pi coordination, Architecture UNM instructor, travel and other projects expenses like materials, printing food for community engagements were supported by the KSU Tribal TAB Grant. 

At the completion of the studios, the deliverables included a final report which was provided to the Cochiti Pueblo for their use in future community design concepts/planning.

In partnership with the UNM School of Architecture and Planning's Landscape Architecture program, the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute worked with the Diné of Red Water Pond Road Community (RWPRC). The RWPRC  initially approached iD+Pi  to design a project that brings renewable energy, self-sufficient housing, and cultural respect to their dreams of moving to the mesa top, formerly sheep grazing areas. 

The project was informed by the on-the-ground experience of a community living with uranium contamination and remediation efforts together with the cutting edge design expertise of UNM Landscape Architecture program and the community participatory process of iD+Pi. Single solution projects are valuable, but in sharing the work on this project, we will offer a prototype to many situations throughout the world that are engaged with local sustainable energy generation and the assertion of Indigenous sovereignty.