Ute Mountain Ute, Diné, and Hispanic Presenters Ground Southwest Colorado’s Cultural Preservation

For years, the Colorado Archaeological Society’s regional conferences have brought together history enthusiasts, researchers, and community members to interpret and preserve southwest Colorado’s cultural heritage. Yet Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo, and Hispanic voices have remained largely absent. Ahead of a statewide conference coming to Cortez, a member of the local Colorado Archaeological Society chapter reached out to LOR with a solution. LOR’s funding will help the Colorado Archaeological Society hire 15 Ute Mountain Ute, Diné, and Hispanic workshop presenters at the Four Corners Heritage Confluence conference in October 2026. Their presentations will be recorded and post-conference activities—including Zoom discussions and oral history recordings—will extend the project’s reach, centering overlooked local voices in the region’s history.