The Corn Mothers

The Corn Mothers and Return of the Corn Mothers: Inspiring Women of the Southwest exhibits are traveling exhibits honoring women in the southwestern U.S.

Corn Mothers are indigenous Mexican deity-figures that represent growth, community, and sustenance. The honorees are Corn Mothers "who have become the backbones of their community. They provide their own types of sustenance, whether that be through their own community work or support of other community members," according to curator Renee Fajardo.

The project began in Denver in 2007 with a small grant from the Rocky Mountain Women's Institute. Eight women were honored in the first year. Fajardo wanted to keep alive the stories and oral history of important aunties in her life, and it expanded to include women in the community.

The creators of the project are curator Fajardo, photographer Todd Pierson, editor Ed Winograd, and graphic designer Toinette Brown. The project was supported by the Chicano Humanities Arts Council; the Colorado Folks Arts Council; MSU Denver’s Department of Chicana/o Studies, the MSU Denver Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Journey Through Our Heritage program and U.S. Bank.

The Return of the Corn Mothers exhibit book was a 2021 Indie Book Awards Publishing Finalist for Coffee Table Book/Photography and Anthology.