Nacha Mendez, a nationally acclaimed singer, composer and New Mexico State University alumna, has been selected by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham as one of seven influential artists to receive the 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts.
This award celebrates New Mexico’s diverse artistic traditions and the artists that make them accessible to their communities. Mendez, who is also known as Margarita Cordero and is an enrolled member of the Chihene Nde Nation of New Mexico, performs her original, pan-Latin-style songs under her grandmother’s name. She’s also executive director of the Nacha Mendez Music Scholarship, which supports young girls with a passion for music through scholarships, music education and mentorship.