Isaac Alvarez Cardenas is
a member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan
(Qua-wheel-tek-can) Nation, a Native American Indian, son of an Apache
mother and a Coahuiltecan father, raised in the inner city west side of San
Antonio, Texas. Mr. Cardenas married to his wife Sylvia for 34 years, and is a
father and grandfather of two young adult sons, Michael Isaac White Cliff and
Jason Adam Black Cliff, wife Marissa and Grandchildren Nicholas and Kylee
Anabella Cardenas. Isaac is currently working as Director of Programs for the
American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM) “Rites of
Passage Program”. He was also involved in the conceptualizing, of the Avance’s
“Fatherhood” project in 1988 bringing male involvement to San Antonio. Mr.
Cardenas is a graduate with a Masters degree in Science, Psychology Counseling,
at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. Isaac is also a
Mental Health Psychotherapist working with AIT-SCM’s “Healing the Wounded
Spirit” and other Mental Health Clinics in the city. Isaac designed a program
providing services for Native American Indian, Alaska Natives and Pacific
Islanders that is culturally inclusive for mental health programs and treatment
centers. Isaac is also the prayer and spiritual leader for the, Coahuiltecan Nation.
It should be noted that Mr. Cardenas has chosen to reside in the inner city,
working with high-risk, minorities, children, families, and youth for over
twenty years. The purpose, to strengthen the family, and community by
providing, culturally competent, mental wellness, information, education,
spiritual support, health, parenting, social, emotional enlightenment.
As we approach 25 years of
gathering in Circulo I reflect on who my path lead me to meeting Jerry
and accepting his invitation to the first “Circulo de Hombres” gathering in
November of 1988, at San Antonio de Padua mission in Jolon, California. I
arrived at the Monterrey California airport, in a suit expecting to attend a
fatherhood male involvement conference. I waited outside and Mr. Manuel Mena
and Ed Duran picked me up and quickly realized I was overdressed for the event.
The drive took me through the fields, passing field workers bent over
harvesting the crops then a prison what a contrast, which reminded me of home
in Texas. Almost an hour into the journey to Jolon, I thought where this place
is, and then heard Manuel ask Ed, “Where do we exit?” and he replied “I don’t
know, there is suppose to be a sign that will say Mission San Antonio”. I didn’t feel alone, all three of us were
entering an unknown journey on a less traveled path, “Look there’s the sign,
get off here”. We turned off and began to climb the mountain, passing small
farms and ranches along the rolling hills of golden grass and lonely oaks, as
the sun began to set we arrived at the gate of Fort Hunter Legget, and the
military guard asked us where we were going also for insurance and registration
of the vehicle, that took me back to my United States Marine Corps service as a
military police, we journeyed on passing an obstacle course, tanks, helicopters
and other military ordinance. I thought now is this event going to be in a
barracks? On the left side of the road a sign appeared Mission San Antonio,
this was truly surreal I really felt at home, it reminded of our missions and
my people back home in San Antonio, TX.
Passing the Church façade little did I know, that after this first
experience, I would be returning to this sacred place for twenty-five more
years.
On the flight home I felt the Creators guiding the decision that I would
start my own Circulo de Hombres (Circle of Men) and to ask the elders of our
Coahuiltecan nation to begin to provide social and cultural services for
father’s and their families, under the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish
Colonial Missions.
Next year our Hombres Circulo (Men’s
Circle) will also celebrate 25 years; it has been a great trek with the Circulo
de hombres, National Compadres Network (NCN) and our local NCN of San Antonio.
As the Director of programs for
the American Indians in Texas at The Spanish Colonial Missions and Texas
regional representative for our chief editor Jerry Tello and Dr. Ricardo
Carrillo with their authored curriculums have made it possible to train many
practitioners in San Antonio, Bexar County, and in the state Texas. AIT-SCM has
been able to spread the teachings for Joven Noble (Noble Youth), and other
related curriculums, in local San Antonio school districts along with our many
partners that include Southwest Keys Program Inc, Peace Initiative Inc.
National Urban Indian League and University of Texas Health Science Center at
San Antonio, just to name a few that are working with us in the same areas and
share the same philosophies in community healing.
Our own San Antonio Fatherhood
Campaign under the direction of Mr. Frank Castro for the last 12 years. San
Antonio fatherhood Campaign in San Antonio, an idea with the vision of a
handful of men concerned with Latino/Chicano and Native American Indian fathers
quickly developed into an organized community campaign to promote responsible
fatherhood to fathers of all ages.
Healing the Wounded Spirit
Application of:
Family Violence and Men of Color
Healing the Wounded Male Spirit:
by (Ricardo Carrillo & Jerry Tello)
One of the programs I was able
to design with the support of the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish
Colonial Missions, (AIT-SCM) has been
providing culturally-based services to Latino and Native American Indian youth,
adults, children, and families in the inner-city Westside of San Antonio, Texas
for over 12 years. Violent crimes: including gang violence, intimate partner
violence, child abuse, and crimes against victims have been of great concern in
our community. Many mental health care systems and social service agencies are
faced with the dilemma of treating people of color with little or no
information on how to handle the cultural and ecological aspects of their
communities. There is a great need in our community to provide mental health
psychotherapy, counseling, and support groups for victims of violence that have
multicultural sensitivity and vision. A program that offers a process of
support and education which promotes a sense of awareness, belonging, and an
enhanced self.
The 15 week course, of character
development curriculum for male and their families, uses a process that
includes practical elements related to culture, education, learning, identity
development, male/female relationships, racism, oppression, substance abuse,
domestic violence, political/community involvement, and planning for the future
as a basis for manhood.
AIT-SCM’s “Healing the Wounded Spirit”
Programs provide counseling and support groups to nurture and heal the wounded
spirit of individuals and families needing mental wellness. Historically,
Native American Indians and other Indigenous native people have used the forum
of the “Talking Circle” to educate, counsel, and gain wisdom, as well as to
celebrate the sacred interrelationship that we all share with one another and
with our world.
AIT-SCM expands beyond the traditional
methods of providing counseling and support groups by sharing cultural
traditions and life ways to help individuals achieve and maintain balance and
harmony in their lives.
“Talking Circles” and other indigenous healing strategies such as
storytelling are designed to include physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual
aspects of each individual as a basis for direction. The counseling is based on the
utilization of the reflection process of teaching and guidance.
In closing I look forward and see the next
generation of storytellers and helpers continuing the work in community healing
and invite you visit our website:
www.aitscm.org
.jpg)
