Information School Associate Professor Ricardo Gomez explores efforts to strengthen community development among the Tseltal Maya people of Chiapas, Mexico, in his new book, “Living Fully: Lekil Cuxlejalil among Tseltal Mayan Communities in Chiapas.â€
The book, published by One Equal Heart Foundation, is . All proceeds will go to the foundation to continue its support for indigenous communities in Chiapas. The book is trilingual – with passages in English, Spanish and Tseltal.
Gomez has taken several trips to Chiapas with iSchool graduate students to work on creating a library for the Tseltal Maya, one of 25 indigenous Mayan groups in southern Mexico and Central America. The five-year project is part of an effort that also includes a radio station and community wellness evaluation.
The project gives students an opportunity to help create a library from a scattered collection of materials in the Tseltal language. During their visits, they have engaged with members of the community to develop a library that works for them.