In a room right outside of the lunch area at New Mexico School for the Arts, students and staff are working to bring a new community to life. Among the bright colors on the wall and the many posters of Native American cultures decorating the room, students can be found planning events and thinking about how to address concepts like cultural differences in school. The place is called the cultural room, and those involved are hoping to get even more students on board.

“I believe with the creation of the cultural room more students are finding their sense of belonging at NMSA,” said the school’s cultural liaison, Jolene Vigil, who runs the room.

With many of the clubs at New Mexico School for the Arts using the room as a meeting area, the cultural room has gained a reputation since its opening in 2022 as a place for students to go if they want to know more about the events happening within the school, or to find a club or community to join.