IDRS Acorn Project

11/04/2026

🎨 Native Business Spotlight | Meet Jerome L. Martinez of Pueblo Prints!

From protecting ancestral lands to preserving cultural traditions through art, Jerome L. Martinez has dedicated his life to service, storytelling, and creativity! 🌿

🌟 Meet Jerome L. Martinez, a Pueblo artist from San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico!

With over 45 years of experience as a self-taught artist, Jerome blends traditional Pueblo influences with contemporary artistic expression. His paintings, drawings, and prints draw inspiration from ancestral stories, nature, Pueblo pottery designs, petroglyphs, and traditional dances.

🔥 Lifetime of Service & Cultural Preservation

Jerome's journey extends far beyond the canvas. His professional background includes:

🟠 14 years as a Wildland Firefighter with the National Park Service.

🟠 Serving his Tribe as Natural Resource Director and Parks and Wildlife Manager.

🟠 Working as an Interpretive Ranger at Bandelier National Monument, where he educated visitors about San Ildefonso Pueblo and other Pueblos of New Mexico.

Now retired from the National Park Service, Jerome continues sharing his heritage through art. His work has been featured in exhibitions, cultural programs, and private collections, reflecting the strength and resilience of Pueblo traditions.

💛 At IDRS Acorn Project, we're proud to highlight Native artists and entrepreneurs like Jerome, whose creativity and dedication help keep cultural traditions thriving for future generations.

🛍️ Support Jerome & Explore Pueblo Prints!

Interested in discovering his artwork? Visit his website, browse his online shop, and connect with Pueblo Prints on social media!

🎨 Website: https://puebloprints.com/

🛍️ Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PuebloPrints

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puebloprints

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puebloprints

👏 Join us in celebrating Jerome L. Martinez! Supporting Native artists and entrepreneurs helps uplift Indigenous creativity, cultural expression, and the next generation of Native business owners.

11/04/2026

If you're around Sacramento this Saturday, please join the IDRS Acorn Project at the 3rd Annual National Native American Month Parade.

11/02/2026

Motivational Monday ✨

A new month is a new opportunity to move your business forward.

This November, keep it simple:

Choose 1 goal you want to accomplish before the end of the month, then break it down into 3 action steps you can realistically take.

Big progress does not always come from doing everything at once. It comes from taking focused steps with intention.

Ask yourself:
• What is one goal I want to accomplish this month?
• What are three action steps I can take to get there?

Whether your goal is launching a product, applying for funding, getting organized, improving your marketing, or building your online presence, small consistent action matters.

Tell us in the comments: What is one business goal you want to accomplish in November?

11/02/2026

11/02/2026

🎉Are you are Navajo rancher, farmer, own an agribusiness, or landowner?👩🏾‍

Join our upcoming Learning Hour🤓This session will be a Navajo Rancher + Farmers Resource + Tools Webinar.

🗓 Monday, November 2, 2026,
⏰1:00–2:30 PM
📍Teams Link: NRFRTW - Webinar | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
*Join with QR code*

This webinar is part of our commitment to professional development and showcases our collaboration with other various partners.

Special thanks to Bailey Tom, Credit and Technical Assistance Officer Native Ag Financial Services Katie Miller, Technical Assistance Manager Quivira Coalition

11/02/2026

📣 Free and open to the public! Want to better understand what a capability statement is and why it matters when pursuing contracting opportunities?

Join us for Capability Statement Basics, a Choctaw Horizon partnered training presented by Ron DeGiacomo APEX Accelerator. Learn how a strong capability statement can showcase your business and help you compete for opportunities with local, state, federal, and Tribal entities, including the Choctaw Nation.

📅 November 3, 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:00 a.m.
📍 Durant Chahtapreneur Business Center 517 N. 16th Ave., Durant, OK
💻 Attend in person or online Choose your preferred attendance option when registering.
🔗3d91f413-2678-4c46-a5df-96b55c5a1520_c15282a9-26bd-4427-814c-ceadec54114b@unq.gbl.spaces/1792681877292?context=%7B%22contextType%22%3A%22chat%22%7D" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://teams.microsoft.com/l/message/19:3d91f413-2678-4c46-a5df-96b55c5a1520_c15282a9-26bd-4427-814c-ceadec54114b@unq.gbl.spaces/1792681877292?context=%7B%22contextType%22%3A%22chat%22%7D

SkillBridge | Where Skill Meets Opportunity

11/02/2026

This Thursday!

Have you ever wondered how artists get their designs onto products, what it means to license your artwork, or how licensing agreements actually work? Join us for a conversation about art licensing specifically for Native artists. Our panelists will share different perspectives on the licensing proce...

11/02/2026

Your next business step could start with a stronger plan, a pitch, or a new way to power your work. 🌱

Native entrepreneurs, here are three opportunities to explore:

🎤 UNM Pitch Deck Competition
Apply by November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Compete for a share of $20,000 in prizes, including $10,000 for first place. Selected finalists receive pitch coaching.

• For teams of 1–3 eligible New Mexico college or university students
• Submit a five-minute pitch video and up to 15 slides
• Finals take place December 3 in Albuquerque
• No tribal-affiliation requirement or entry fee is stated.
• Deadline timezone is not listed.

Details: https://innovations.unm.edu/program-activities/pitch-deck/
Apply: https://forms.gle/t198sssrMqSAjPd76

📝 Business Modeling & Planning: The Role of a BMC
Hosted by Change Labs
November 10, 2026 | Noon–1:30 p.m. MST | Virtual

Turn your ideas into a clearer business plan. Learn to organize your customers, products, revenue, expenses, and partnerships using a Business Model Canvas.

• Free and open to the community
• For aspiring, new, and established business owners
• No registration deadline is listed.

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/QVn4BX6YSaWZ1rOgNPObSg

☀️ Solar Solutions for Mobile Businesses
Hosted by Change Labs
December 2, 2026 | 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Shiprock E-ship Hub, Shiprock, NM

Running a food truck, mobile shop, or another business on the go? Learn to calculate your electricity needs, size a solar system, and practice wiring a working setup. Lunch is included.

• No tribal-enrollment or residency requirement is stated.
• Cost, registration deadline, and event timezone are not listed.

Register: https://q14gd.share-na2.hsforms.com/2PAyt2HaZTqOKacu3MixB1A

IDRS Acorn Project is sharing these opportunities to help Native entrepreneurs access practical tools and business connections. Review each organizer’s requirements before signing up.

11/01/2026

🍂 November is Native American Heritage Month! 🧡

Behind every Native-owned business is a story. A story of courage, resilience, sacrifice, and a vision for something greater. A story rooted in generations of strength, wisdom, and determination. And those stories deserve to be told, honored, and celebrated! ✨

This month, we honor our Native ancestors, Tribes, Nations, Pueblos, and all Indigenous communities. We celebrate the generations who came before us, the traditions and knowledge they have passed down, and the strength of our communities today.

We honor the changemakers, the visionaries, the artists, the innovators, and the entrepreneurs who are paving the way for future generations. 🌿

To our Native entrepreneurs and business owners, we see you, we celebrate you, and we appreciate you!

Building a business isn't easy. It takes courage, sacrifice, determination, and a whole lot of heart. There are challenges, setbacks, long nights, and moments of uncertainty. Yet you continue to show up, pursue your dreams, create opportunities, and make a difference in your communities.

You deserve to be seen. You deserve to be recognized. You deserve to be supported. And you deserve to be celebrated, not just this month, but every day!

At the IDRS Acorn Project, we are honored to support and uplift Native entrepreneurs who are building businesses, creating opportunities, and inspiring the next generation.

Your stories matter. Your businesses matter. Your contributions matter. And the paths you're creating today will help shape the future for generations to come.

🧡 This month, let's make sure our Native entrepreneurs get the recognition they deserve!

💬 Tag a Native-owned business, entrepreneur, artist, or changemaker who deserves to be celebrated! Whether they're just getting started or have been serving their community for decades, let's show them some love and support.

Happy Native American Heritage Month! 🍂

10/28/2026

🌿 Wellness Wednesday | Your Business Needs You at Your Best!

Native entrepreneurs, when you're running a business, it's easy to put everyone else's needs before your own. But taking care of yourself is part of taking care of your business.

💡 Here are 4 ways to protect your energy this week:

✅ Set business hours. You don't have to respond to every message immediately. Give yourself permission to disconnect.

✅ Build breaks into your schedule. Even 10 minutes away from your work can help you reset and refocus.

✅ Know when to ask for support. You don't have to manage every part of your business alone. Reach out to mentors, fellow entrepreneurs, or business support programs.

✅ Celebrate small wins. Every customer served, lesson learned, and goal reached is progress worth recognizing.

🌱 Remember: Building a sustainable business also means building a life where you can thrive.

💬 What's one boundary you've set that has helped you as a business owner? Share below!