Talpa Community Center

Talpa, New Mexico established in the 1700s is a designated unincorporated community located south of Taos.

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As I approached the Talpa Community Center on a sunny Friday morning the parking lot was bustling with people. The weekly Community Market – now a beloved local tradition after five years - was in full swing. Rows of vendors lined both sides of the inner lot and offered everything from homemade tortillas to plants and hand-carved woodwork. Beneath shaded outdoor tables, people sat clustered together chatting and indulging in treats like popcorn, snow cones, and tamales.

After taking in the lively market scene, I was welcomed by Center’s Director of Management Lupita, who ushered me inside to meet Effie and Nina. Effie, the Library Director, helped found the library alongside her late husband in 2003. Her granddaughter, Nina, carries on the family’s legacy in the library as the Children’s Programs Coordinator.

Once the lunchroom of the old elementary school, the space now serves as the local library. The room houses thousands of books, computers, and even a section of DVDs and audiobooks tucked into the corner. Next door, the Kid’s Corner invites young people in with its own book collection, puzzles, and art supplies. Outside, children in the Summer Program tend to tomato and green chile plants in the garden – combining hands-on learning and outdoor play.

The free program developed by Nina strikes the perfect balance of learning and fun. Kids ages 5 to 13 are tasked with writing and presenting a weekly book report to their peers. Not only that, they are invited to participate in a range of different activities like printing making, weaving, and baking. I had the joy of assisting with that afternoon’s lanyard-making session, which encouraged both creativity and fine motor skills through beading and braiding.

Across the hall is the Sewing Center and fabric room where donated scrap materials – of every color and type – are sold to support the library. Talpa C.C. Quilters Guild y Mas meets here weekly, and members often lead sewing workshops to share their skills with the community.

Inside, the building buzzed with activity. In the hallway a new family browsed tall shelves packed with excess books, free for the taking. Their three children beamed with delight cradling arms full of their own finds.

A kitchen and reception hall available for graduations, birthdays, and other celebrations can be found at the far end of the building. The community center itself hosts various events throughout the year such as a holiday craft fair and an annual quilt show. Twice a month it serves as a vital hub for the distribution of food, health-care items, school supplies, and other essentials to local families.

I was struck by how much this one building holds: history, creativity, celebration, and above all, community. Since its beginnings in 1997, the Talpa Community Center has grown to be a truly unique place thanks to the many supporters who donate materials or their skills and labor. It’s a place where many small efforts come together to create something enduring.

As Effie said, “It’s a little here, and a little there that makes everything happen” – and in Talpa, that spirit is flourishing.

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