Doña Ana Village Association hosts Secretary Haaland in historic colonia
DOÑA ANA – The Doña Ana Village Association hosted U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in the historic village Sunday, March 27, the first visit by a U.S. Cabinet Official in the village’s nearly 200-year history.
According to a news release from DAVA, the village is listed on the State National Register of Historic Places and is the only village in the U.S. to have the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail running directly through the original village.
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DAVA board members were able to continue their advocacy and highlight the importance of their community during the secretary’s visit.
“For too long, the village has not received the attention it deserves. We want to show that Doña Ana Village is a vibrant determined community, and has been for a very long time,” DAVA board secretary Sylvia Chavez said in a news release.
DAVA and their partners led Secretary Haaland and her staff on a tour of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, the oldest church in Southern New Mexico, the De La O Visitor’s Center — formerly the village saloon — and on a nature walk down what would have been the original Camino Real Trail. At key points along the tour, DAVA Partners, including the Endangered Species Coalition and a local tribal consultant, talked about significant aspects of the open space adjacent to the trail and highlighted DAVA’s vision for the space.
“We’ve applied for the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance technical services grant to transform this 14-acre parcel into a community open space that benefits the village and the animals that benefit the local environment,” said Israel Chávez, DAVA board chair and Doña Ana attorney. “We are hoping to create a one-of-a-kind space, where families can learn about wildlife, engage in outdoor recreation and better understand our local history.”
DAVA was founded in 2021 to address the need for community organizing and representation. The Village of Doña Ana is the oldest federally-designated colonia in southern New Mexico, which are defined as unincorporated communities that lack basic services such as infrastructure, housing or sanitation, the news release states.
DAVA members said Doña Ana’s representation is limited to legislators and county commissioners who are tasked with representing large districts.
Read More: Doña Ana Village Association hosts Secretary Haaland in historic colonia