Durango City Council awarded $135,893 in lodgers tax arts and culture grants last week, including $10,000 to Compañeros, despite criticism of the nonprofit’s co-executive director following an incident last year.
In total, councilors approved funding to 16 organizations in the first round of city grants for 2026.
The annual grant cycle was particularly competitive, with about 50 applications totaling more than $1 million in requests, said Tommy Crosby, the city’s economic opportunity manager.
Among the top winners: Durango Arts Center received $18,000 for theater and sound enhancement; the Mountain & Valley Wool Association received $15,400 for its 43rd annual fiber arts festival, workshops and fiber demonstrations; and Annie Bussell received $12,925 to complete a mural at the Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County.
What began as a routine vote on arts and culture funding became a debate over whether Compañeros should receive a grant after its leader clashed with officials at a public meeting.
In the end, Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center was awarded $10,000 for a community mural, its annual Latin American Cultural Celebration and expansion of its La Escualita children’s art program – despite Mayor Gilda Yazzie’s objection.
A funding item to approve all 16 grants appeared on City Council’s consent agenda – which typically does not require discussion unless a councilor removes it for consideration.
Yazzie did just that, suggesting all grants be approved except for the $10,000 grant for Compañeros.
“The reason is I don’t think they’re in very good standing with the city of Durango, given their outburst during our immigration hearing,” she said.
She was referring to an October special meeting at which City Council received a debriefing from Durango Police Chief Brice Current about recent federal immigration enforcement activity that prompted a protest.
More than 100 people attended the meeting, filling council chambers and gathering outside with signs, chalk and loudspeakers.
Outside City Hall, Enrique Orozco-Perez, co-executive director of Compañeros, used a megaphone to comment on the meeting.
After the meeting, he yelled and cursed at police, a councilor and, Yazzie said, U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd’s representative, Amy Huff.
Huff, along with representatives of U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, said the congressmen were investigating the arrests of Fernando Jaramillo-Solano and his children – who were arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last fall in Durango.
Police issued Orozco-Perez a noise citation and summons, but the case was later dropped because police did not record a decibel level and the city attorney’s office identified conflicting language in the noise ordinance.
Orozco-Perez said the citation was an attempt to suppress his speech.
“I don’t see how acting so rude and negative and cursing at our congressperson’s assistant adds to any cultural education,” Yazzie said at the March 3 meeting. “That’s a really fine line that I think the city of Durango has to look at really clearly. Are we going to accept somebody who obviously sets the agenda for this group but breaks all norms?”
She said she has been asked about the special meeting and Orozco-Perez’s behavior at other meetings. She said she has had to explain Orozco-Perez is not a representative of the city and that upsets her.
She told The Durango Herald the same in an interview Friday.
“I just feel like you have to set a good example for the community,” she said.
Orozco-Perez said in a statement to the Herald that Compañeros stands up for marginalized communities, and it’s “unfortunate, but not surprising” to face opposition when it challenges the status quo.
“It is important to recognize that denying funding to organizations serving vulnerable populations is a disservice to the entire community,” he said.
Councilor Shirley Gonzales – who formerly worked with Orozco-Perez as a co-executive director at Compañeros – said Compañeros’ La Escualita program is “wonderful.”
She said La Escualita is an after-school program for children who primarily speak Spanish. The program provides transportation for children from Park Elementary School and other elementary schools to Fort Lewis College, where they are entertained until their parents can pick them up.
“It was a wonderful program. I was really proud of the work that they did and all of the volunteers, the students that came in to support,” she said. “There are times where we could find a problem with an individual, but that shouldn’t impact our support of a particular organization or their programs.”
Councilor Jessika Loyer said she was disappointed by Orozco-Perez’s “tone and conduct” at the October special meeting. She said public discourse must meet a standard of professionalism – especially when tensions are high.
But she said withholding an arts and culture grant from Compañeros is not appropriate.
She said the grant is not an endorsement of Orozco-Perez’s behavior; rather, it is a recognition of Compañeros’ program, its impact and the organization’s eligibility.
“Compañeros serves people in our community who had no role in that outburst. The families and individuals supported by the program should not bear the consequences of a moment of poor judgment by leadership,” she said.
Councilor Kip Koso agreed.
Orozco-Perez said Compañeros is excited to use the grant to “highlight the beautiful and diverse cultures that make Durango unique” at its annual Latin American Cultural Celebration.
“We appreciate the council members who have shown understanding and support for our mission, and we remain focused on our work of empowering immigrants and advocating for justice,” he said.
Editor’s note: Staff writer Christian Burney has a family member who serves on the board of Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center.