Profiling Tepehua – December 2024

Remembering Moonie’s Mission

We sadly lost Moonie King, the heart and tenacity behind Tepehua Community Center, last December. It’s been a long, sad year without her, but with the infrastructure that she put in place, those that follow in her footsteps are keeping things running well. Her “foot soldiers” keep her visions and philosophies front and center.

Sandra Zamora, who now holds Tepehua’s reins, has realized the importance of keeping the quality of the existing programs intact: the medical and dental clinics, the maternal health program, the education program, the sewing program, the thrift shops (in Riberas and in Tepehua), the water program. Sandra often references Moonie’s philosophies, which is a strong indication that she is firmly following in her footsteps.

Moonie shared her visions of Tepehua on a monthly basis since 2013 in this magazine. I thought I’d pick through some of her articles to highlight challenges she faced, heartbreaks and victories, strongly held beliefs, and love for the people for which she worked tirelessly.

January 2013 – “Tepehua has magic in the smiles of the street children, and of the women who can love, in spite of the ravages of poverty. They can make a fiesta out of nothing. Improvisation is a friend here, active and healthy… an art forgotten in the societies of plenty.”

December 2013 – “Educating the next generation and educating women on Maternal Health and the wisdom of family planning is just a start. Dignity is the right of everyone, and education is the right of every child.”

May 2014 – “The untapped strength in the barrio women is evident, in lemonade stands, second-hand clothing sold from their garages, new children’s clothing made by hand or machine and sold from a fence, recycling, making pastry and walking the beat selling it door to door. They know how to work and barter and keep family together at the same time.”

August 2017 – “The Tepehua Center has created many dreams, by not only putting young children into the local school system but sending others on to University pursuing dreams they once never dared to dream.”

December 2019 – “In Tepehua Community Center one of its creeds is to be our brother’s keeper. The Tepehua Community is realizing that part of their strength is the support they are finding within their own ranks. From the house next door and down the street. By supporting each other, the isolation that poverty brings is broken. The people have taken ownership of their Community Center because of that very creed.”

January 2020 – “Drastic changes have taken place in Tepehua since the Center opened its doors, only because people are taking charge of their Center, the responsibility of their future and that of their children. Days are not taken one at a time now, there is a tomorrow for children that is finally possible to achieve.”

December 2022 – “In this author’s travels around the world, which has been extensive, she has never witnessed anywhere the coming together of a people as witnessed here at Lakeside. People of all races and beliefs, or non-belief, reach out to help from their couch and from their cars and ivory towers. Not only has the topography of Lakeside changed (and is still changing, proof is in the traffic jams as cars try to maneuver the torn-up streets), but the barrios and attitudes as people come together to make this a much better place. Poverty has an ugly face and it’s usually the women who are impacted most by it.  Be proud. YOU are changing it.”

“Wishing everyone health and high hopes for the new year. Always have a dream.”

Thank you, Moonie, for your words that shared Tepehua’s world with us for many years.