The vernacular architecture of rural New Mexico is one of the most visible and powerful manifestations of the cultural values of its people. Traditional building arts, passed down for centuries through intergenerational teaching, are increasingly in danger of being lost.
     For the past twenty years in response to community need, Cornerstones has worked  rural Hispanic and Native American villages in New Mexico and the Southwest in  help preserve the symbols of the rich cultural heritage of this region.
 

"Partnership with communities is the heart and soul of the work while mutual learning and respect is the core of its mission"

Components of Cornerstones Mission

1. Providing hands on assistance and technical consultation to communities in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Texas. Cornerstones has developed a nationally recognized model for involving community members in dynamic, volunteer-driven preservation projects to restore and protect historic community buildings and heritage. The expert staff works with communities to plan these projects, offering technical direction, while eliciting and supporting local leadership. Community ownership is always critical to the success of the restoration/preservation process.
 

2. Education and applied learning is the key to success and the sustainability of community based preservation. Cornerstones has developed specialized experiential, training programs to teach youth and young adults important concepts regarding preservation standards and the use of traditional building materials and to promote the development of the skills necessary for the restoration and maintenance of historic adobe buildings. Important in the training programs, is the young peoples' exposure to their leaders and elders who act as mentors throughout the process, teaching not only about building traditions, but their historical and cultural significances as well.
 

3. Inherent in the work is the affirmation of a community's cultural values and heritage. Cornerstones' staff works sensitively and respectfully to affirm and support the communities' long-held traditions of family independence, community cooperation, and intergenerational teaching about traditional building methods and the passing down of these important cultural practices to the next generation. The process of restoring and preserving significant historic, and often sacred, places offers communities a way to honor and affirm their cultural values and heritage.
 

     Cornerstones has become the organization of record for the restoration and preservation of historic, vernacular, and earthen architecture in New Mexico and the Southwest. The results to the community are measured not only by the work completed or the number of people receiving training, but also by the intangible elements of pride, self worth, and an enhanced sense of an individual's connection to one's community. Economic and community development, volunteerism, and participation in community decision making, are all outgrowths of the process. The organization continues to learn from that process and from its many partners, and based on that learning is committed to giving back in a more vibrant way.