Open Letter: Why From The Andes Supports NPR and Public Radio

From The Andes pledges 10% of every retail sale to NPR — permanently. Here’s why.

In 1987, From The Andes was founded in Taos, New Mexico, as a gallery for handmade cultural artifacts sourced from artists and villages across Latin America and beyond. Today, as we prepare to relaunch online, our mission remains unchanged: to protect what’s worth keeping — the handmade, the meaningful, the true.

As part of that mission, we’re making a standing commitment:
10% of every retail purchase at From The Andes will be donated to National Public Radio — every month, for as long as we operate.

This is not a temporary fundraiser. This is a permanent value embedded into our business model — because cultural preservation doesn’t stop at art. It includes the voices that tell our stories.

 


Why We Support NPR

If you’ve ever spent a Sunday morning listening to Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me, Car Talk, or This American Life, you already know: NPR is more than background sound. It’s cultural memory. It’s how many of us learned to listen — with care, curiosity, and depth.

From The Andes exists to protect heritage through handmade objects. NPR protects it through sound, story, and truth.

 


Why Now: The Attack on Public Broadcasting in 2025

In May 2025, the Trump administration signed an executive order eliminating federal funding for NPR and PBS — a direct attack on independent public media.

This isn't hypothetical. It's active. And it puts the future of non-commercial journalism at risk — especially for rural stations, educational programming, and underrepresented voices.

We believe businesses — especially cultural businesses — can no longer afford neutrality. That’s why we’re taking a position.

 


Our Public Pledge to NPR

We reached out directly to NPR’s development team with a letter outlining our support. In that letter, we offered:

  • A permanent 10% pledge from all retail proceeds

  • Public transparency through monthly donation reports

  • Checkout-level donation options for customers

  • A request to reference NPR’s name and mission in our giving statements

You can read the full open letter here:
Read the full letter to NPR →

We will update that page with any response we receive. Until then, our giving begins the moment we open.

 


This Is Not Charity. It’s Cultural Continuity.

When you buy from From The Andes, you’re supporting:

  • Heirloom-quality handmade goods

  • Global artists and ancestral craftsmanship

  • Ethical business practices that give back to real institutions

  • Public radio and independent journalism

We’re proud to build a business that curates meaning — and funds truth.

 


Support Cultural Art + Public Radio

Shop rare, handmade cultural artifacts and know that 10% of every retail purchase helps protect the voices that shaped us.
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