Strong Indigenous Sisters, Pati Martison and Terri Badhand, Co-Founders of Taos County Economic Development Corporation, share their story of Community Development work over the past 40 years. In the 70’s, Pati and Terri met and became sisters through a Lakota Ceremony that bonded them for life.

With their passion to help all indigenous peoples in Denver Colorado, they successfully established the Denver Indian Center Development Corporation. While in Denver they also created a elder living center complete with gardens and indigenous values. In 1985 the sisters moved to small town Taos, New Mexico with intentions of helping Taos Pueblo and its economic development but as it turns out the Town of Taos gave them an opportunity to lead the Taos Economic Council first.

Pati and Terri demonstrated the first “Shared Leadership” approach to running an organization. Since then they have grown a 24,000 sqft facility that is on 6 acres on Bertha Street. This Facility offers a school, a commercial kitchen, youth programming in agriculture, and a mobile meat processing vehicle called the “mobile Mantanza”. The site also boasts 2 hoop houses and 1.5 acres of growing space for food.

Taos County Economic Development Corporation is a great resource for all community members.

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