Susana Valadez is the founder and curator of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts. She has spent decades supporting and promoting the artwork unique to the Huichol people, as well as their cultural heritage. She truly believes that preserving the folklore, art, and rituals of indigenous peoples enriches humanity.
This year, her stepson, Miguel Carrollo, Jr., was seriously injured when a large tree branch fell on him while he was assisting community members. His spine was crushed and he nearly died. Miguel Jr. is a man who the community relies on for his constant support and help to his neighbors and friends. He is a judge in their community.
Miguel was hospitalized but his treatment is far too expensive for his family to manage. Susana started a GoFundMe and the entire family was overwhelmed with gratitude by the response of strangers who offered funds to assist Miguel during this terrible time.
Recently, Susana wrote a thank you message to all those who contributed. She said,
“On behalf of Miguel Carrillo, his family, community, and the Huichol Center, we would like to express our deepest appreciation to you for your kind donation towards his long term recovery. Because of caring people like you, we were able to pay for his very expensive spinal cord surgery, which repaired his broken body. He still remains hospitalized in Guadalajara, but the doctors are optimistic that he will be released next week after his extended hospital stay of over two months. The Huichol Center community awaits him with open arms and will provide the continuing care he requires to literally get back on his feet. We thank you for your outpouring of love and support towards this long healing process, and for joining in unity with us with the hopes that this very wonderful person will pull through and prevail over this twist of fate.
With great appreciation, Susana Valadez, Huichol Center Director www.thehuicholcenter.org“
As Susana has stated, this will be a long-term rehabilitation with extensive expenses, therefore the GoFundMe account is ongoing.
