Tune in to WOL 1450 AM, 95.9 FM and WOL Live Stream, November 4, 2021 at 10:30 am Eastern, for Everything Co-op, hosted by Vernon Oakes. This week Everything Co-op kicks off its observance of the National Native American Heritage Month. This year’s theme is Rising Above Adversity: Bringing Native Voices to the Forefront. In our first installment, we bring forth the voice of Kandis Quam, an artist with the Ancestral Rich Treasures of Zuni Cooperative (ARTZ). ARTZ is the only Zuni artists owned and managed cooperative in New Mexico. Vernon and Kandis will discuss how the cooperative gallery is used by community artists to strengthen the Zuni community.
Kandis Quam is one of many artist at the Ancestral Rich Treasures of Zuni Cooperative (ARTZ). She grew up in an artistic family where she learned how to navigate the art show world by observing her parents, Jayne and Lynn Quam. Her main subject matter of choice is imagery with a heavy Zuni influence. Through the use of visual media, Kandis seeks to bridge the past with the present and create change through beauty. She also hopes to instill a sense of cultural preservation in the modern age younger generation through art.
Our host, Vernon Oakes, is a consummate advocate for cooperatives. He is a Past President of the National Association of Housing Cooperatives and has served on several boards and committees to advance the interests of cooperatives. Recently, he served on the Limited Equity Cooperative Task Force, established by Anita Bonds, At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia. Vernon is an MBA graduate of Stanford University, who has used his business acumen to benefit the community, by promoting the added value of the cooperative business model.