>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE  YOU.

>> Jeff: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO IN FOCUS, BLACK AND BLUE, TWO JOURNALISTS PREVIEW  A SUMMER OF PRIMARY ELECTION BATTLES FOR LEGISLATIVE SEATS  BETWEEN MODERATE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS AND PROGRESSIVE  INSURGENT CANDIDATES AND... >> SO, THIS IS NOT BOOTSTRAPS,  RIGHT?

THIS IS HOW DO WE DO STATE  GOVERNMENT TO GIVE PEOPLE DIGNITY AND MAKING THEIR OWN  FINANCIAL DECISIONS THAT IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.

>> Jeff: BUILDING WEALTH THROUGH EDUCATION.

THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NONPROFIT NEW MEXICO  VOICES FOR CHILDREN TELLS US HOW FINANCIAL LITERACY  PROGRAMS CAN HELP FIGHT CHILD POVERTY.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I AM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR AND WE HAVE GOT A BUSY  SHOW.

SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DIVIZIO  SITS DOWN WITH BOTH CHAIR WOMEN OF ALBUQUERQUE'S  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT COMMISSION TO DISCUSS  THE GROUPS' FIRST YEAR.

THEN, CORRESPONDENT ANTONIO  GONZALES LOOKS BACK AT 20 YEARS OF UNM'S NATIVE AMERICAN  STUDIES DEPARTMENT WITH A PROFESSOR AND ALUMNA.

THEY DISCUSS THE PROGRAM AND ITS IMPACTS ON LOCAL AND  NATIONAL INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.

WE CLOSE OUR PROGRAM WITH CORRESPONDENT RUSSELL  CONTRERAS INTERVIEWING GABRIELLE UBALLEZ, THE NEW  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NONPROFIT NEW MEXICO VOICES  FOR CHILDREN.

CHILD POVERTY HAS BEEN A  PROBLEM IN THIS STATE FOR DECADES.

BUT UBALLEZ BROUGHT ON HOPEFUL MESSAGE TO OUR STUDIO THIS  WEEK.

BUT WE BEGIN WITH A LOOK TO  THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE  SEATS THIS JUNE.

THERE IS A BATTLE UNDERWAY FOR  CONTROL OF THE NEW MEXICO DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS  PROGRESSIVES ATTEMPT TO OUST CENTRIST INCUMBENTS THIS  SUMMER.

IN A SPECIAL POLITICAL ROUND  TABLE, I SIT DOWN WITH SOURCE NEW MEXICO EDITOR SHAUN  GRISWOLD AND FREE-LANCE REPORTER JUSTIN HORWATH WHO  ARE DOCUMENTING THE ENSUING BLUE PARTY BRAWL.

SHAUN, WELCOME BACK TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

JUSTIN I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE HAD THIS JOB FOR 14 MONTHS AND  THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD YOU ON THE SHOW.

THANKS VERY MUCH TO BOTH YOU FOR COMING TODAY.

WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A LEFTWARD SHIFT  IN THE NEW MEXICO DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WHAT THAT MEANS  POLICY-WISE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS STATE AND ALSO A  LITTLE BIT ABOUT JOURNALISM, HOW SHOULD WE BE COVERING THE  BUSINESS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN WHAT IS INCREASINGLY  BECOMING A ONE PARTY STATE.

LET'S START WITH THE POLITICS  AND LET'S USE JUSTIN'S RECENT STORY FOR NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH  AS THE FRAME.

I AM GOING TO READ A LITTLE  BIT FROM THE TOP OF THE PIECE, STARTING WITH THE HEADLINE,  WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE DID NOT LACK SPICE.

"PROGRESSIVES GOING AFTER INCUMBENTS IN HOT DEMOCRATIC  PRIMARIES."

OKAY, THEN.

JUSTIN REPORTS THAT DEMOCRATS ARE EXTREMELY LIKELY TO KEEP  THEIR HUGE MAJORITIES IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE  BUT THERE IS A FIGHT BREWING DURING PRIMARY SEASON BETWEEN  PROGRESSIVES AND MODERATE INCUMBENTS.

HERE IS THE MONEY SHOT FROM JUSTIN'S STORY.

QUOTE, BECAUSE OF THIS ONE-PARTY DOMINANCE THE  IDEOLOGICAL FAULT LINES WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE  MAJOR POLICY IMPLICATIONS ON ABORTION, THE ENVIRONMENT,  EDUCATION AND WORKPLACE ISSUES LIKE MINIMUM WAGE AND PAID  FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE BENEFITS.

JUSTIN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE THE REAL STAKES OF  THIS ELECTION FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NEW MEXICO?

HOW WILL PEOPLE FEEL IT IN THEIR LIVES IF THE  PROGRESSIVES PICK UP SOME SEATS.

>> Horwath: I THINK IT IS ALL THE POLICIES THAT YOU LISTED  OFF.

YOU KNOW, THE SPLIT WITHIN THE  DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS A  DIFFERENCE OVER POLICIES AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE  INNER-PARTY BATTLES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF  PERSONALITIES INVOLVED AND HERE THERE IS A HUGE SPLIT  WITHIN KIND OF THE PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZING COMMUNITY THAT IS,  YOU KNOW, THEY ARE DEMANDING PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE,  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND ANY KIND OF THOSE POLICIES AND  I THINK THAT A LOT OF THIS IS JUST A BIG POLICY DISPUTE  WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> Jeff: SHAUN, LET'S KICK IT  TO YOU BUT KIND OF IN THE INVERSE.

IF THE MODERATES HOLD ON TO THESE SEATS AND THE BALANCE  WITHIN THE PARTY SORT OF REMAINS IN THE LEGISLATURE,  HOW WILL PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE FEEL THAT IN THEIR EVERYDAY  LIVES?

WILL IT BE DIFFERENT FOR THEM?

>> Griswold: YEAH, SOME OF IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE VERY MUCH  THE SAME.

AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT  THE PRIMARY OR THE ELECTION I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE  PRIMARY WHICH IS GOING TO BE NEXT WEEK, FIRST WEEK OF MAY,  EARLY VOTING BEGINS IN NEW MEXICO.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ELECTION.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER.

A LOT OF THESE RACES WE ARE SEEING EITHER IN THE STATE  HOUSE OR STATE SENATE, AND AS JUSTIN'S REPORTING IS POINTING  TOWARD, ARE GOING TO BE SETTLED AHEAD OF NOVEMBER.

SO, RIGHT NOW, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT  TIME FOR LOCAL NEW MEXICAN VOTERS TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE  LEGISLATURE IN HOW THEIR STATE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO WORK  BECAUSE, AS YOU ALL BOTH MENTIONED AND AS JUSTIN'S  REPORTING POINTS TO, DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE  MAJORITY IN THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE AND THEY ARE GOING TO  HAVE ANOTHER YEAR WITH MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE A DEMOCRATIC RUN AT THE  ROUNDHOUSE.

WHAT IS GOING TO BE MOST  IMPACTFUL FOR VOTERS IS, ONE, YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO  SEE SOME OF THE SIMILAR POLICIES AND LEGISLATIVE STUFF  THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WHERE  DEMOCRATS PRESENT A LIST OF PROPOSALS AND AGENDAS, SEVERAL  OF THEM WILL MAKE IT THROUGH INTO LAWS.

REPUBLICANS WITH KIND OF PUT UP A LITTLE FIGHT HERE AND  THERE, SPEND THREE OR FOUR HOURS FILIBUSTERING, BUT THEN  THE DEMOCRATS WILL SQUASH ANY OPPOSITION AND PASS IT THROUGH  TO THE GOVERNOR.

WITHIN THAT WE ARE GOING TO  SEE A BIT OF A DIVIDE IN ALMOST SPLITTING HAIRS OF THE  POLICY.

NOW WE START TO SEE THE  DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOW DO YOU DEFINE A DEMOCRAT AND WHAT ARE  DEMOCRATIC POLICIES BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS IN NEW MEXICO  RUN ON MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS.

THERE IS NOT A BINARY, LIKE,  WE ARE ALL MARCHING ORDER TOWARDS ONE VIEWPOINT AND  GOAL.

SURE, WE ALL WANT TO HELP NEW  MEXICANS AND PROTECT EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK WHAT  JUSTIN IS REPORTING REALLY SHOWS US, AND THE POLITICS OF  IT ALL, IS WHAT THOSE HAIRS ARE GOING TO BE SPLIT.

AND DEFINING WHAT IS A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT?

WHAT IS A CENTRIST DEMOCRAT?

WHAT IS A NEW MEXICAN  DEMOCRAT?

SO I THINK FOR THE MAJORITY OF  IT WE ARE GOING TO SEE KIND OF HOW THAT IS DEFINED IN NEW  MEXICO AND THAT IS WHAT NEW MEXICANS ARE GOING TO PLAY A  ROLE IN.

>> Jeff: AND DOES IT SETTLE AT  SOME POINT IS ANOTHER QUESTION FOR ME, BUT I WANT TO MOVE ON  TO THIS AND I WANT TO LET YOU BOTH KIND OF TAKE A WHACK AT  THIS.

AS JUSTIN REPORTED THERE HAVE  BEEN PROGRESSIVE INSURGENCIES IN NEW MEXICO FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT, WHAT I AM INTERESTED IN IS WHAT IS DRIVING IT THIS  TIME AROUND.

DO RESIDENTS, DO VOTERS, DO  PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE WANT THE PARTY TO MOVE LEFT OR IS WHAT  WE ARE SEEING TWO DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES AMONG THE WEEDS  ARGUING FOR LIKE WHAT THE SOUL OF THE PARTY SHOULD BE?

WHAT IS PUSHING THIS INSURGENCY THIS TIME.

START WITH YOU JUSTIN.

>> Horwath: I THINK AFTER AOC  WAS ELECTED IN I THINK IT WAS  2016 AND SHE HAD UPSET SOMEBODY WHO WAS IN CONGRESS  AND HAD A LOT OF POWER FOR A LONG TIME, AND HER CAMPAIGN  SERVED AS A LOT OF INSPIRATION FOR THE PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZING  COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THEY  ARE REALLY GETTING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TOGETHER, YOU  KNOW.

AS WE REPORTED THEY KIND OF  MOVED THEIR MONEY BETWEEN PACS AND DIFFERENT NONPROFITS AND  VARIOUS GROUPS AND PART OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS JUST  GETTING PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS AND GETTING PEOPLE  ABDICATING FOR THEIR CANDIDATES, WHOEVER THAT MAY  BE.

>> Jeff: SHAUN, WHAT ARE YOU  SEEING AT SOURCE ALONG THOSE LINES?

DOES IT FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN ACTUAL KIND OF GRASS ROOTS  THING THAT IS ASKING THE PARTY TO CHANGE OR ADOPT KIND OF  DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES OR IS THIS MORE OF A TOP DOWN KIND  OF THING?

>> Griswold: IT IS A POWER  STRUCTURE.

AND IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF  BOTH, BUT IT IS A POWER STRUCTURE.

RIGHT NOW PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS RUN -- HAVE ONE OF  THE MOST POWERFUL POSITIONS IN ALBUQUERQUE, HAVIER MARTINEZ  FROM ALBUQUERQUE.

AND THAT PROGRESSIVE POLICIES  INCLUDE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS, REGULATIONS AND  ENHANCEMENTS TO PROMOTE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES  IN THE STATE.

YOU KNOW, ENHANCING  PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS, BUT ALSO CREATING ENVIRONMENTAL  PROTECTIONS ON OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES.

THAT IS WHERE WE BEGIN TO SEE A SPLIT AND WHERE JUSTIN'S  REPORTING REALLY STARTS TO SHOW BECAUSE WE -- JUSTIN DOES  THE RESEARCH AND SHOWS US AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS LATER,  BUT THE POINT THAT HE HITS ON SHOWS THAT THE INTERESTS THAT  COME TO WHO IS GIVING MONEY TO WHICH LAWMAKERS AND WHICH  CANDIDATES TELLS US WHERE THOSE SPLITS WE ARE SEEING  ARE.

SOME OF THEM DO HAPPEN WITH  OIL AND GAS REGULATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.

SO, NOW, WE ARE SEEING A BIT OF, LIKE, PROGRESSIVE IDEOLOGY  IS FOCUSED AND THE PROGRESSIVE WING, AS WE ARE DISCUSSING  HERE, DOES HAVE IDENTITY ON FOCUSING HOW DO YOU REGULATE  THE ENVIRONMENT, OR REGULATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

HOW DO YOU REGULATE AND PROVIDE SERVICES THAT THE OIL  AND GAS INDUSTRY WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP IT SORT OF BOOM AND  HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENSURE NEW  MEXICANS ARE SAFE FROM IT.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE IS  THE SPLIT.

JUSTIN'S REPORTING SHOWS THAT  CLEARLY TOO.

>> Jeff: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE  MONEY FOR A SECOND.

FIRST OF ALL I JUST WANT TO  SAY IT IS GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK REPORTING ON NEW MEXICO  POLITICS AND IN THIS STORY AND CLASSIC HORWATH FASHION AND  NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH FASHION, YOU FOCUSED ON THE MONEY.

I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE INDIVIDUAL CORPORATIONS  NECESSARILY BUT GIVE US A SENSE, IF YOU COULD, OF WHO IS  FUNDING THESE TWO DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES AND IDEOLOGIES  YOU WROTE ABOUT.

>> Horwath: IF YOU'RE AN  INCUMBENT IN NEW MEXICO, YOU'RE GOING TO GET CORPORATE  MONEY.

YOU KNOW.

ALMOST REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR POLICY POSITIONS ARE, YOU  KNOW, YOU GET IN OFFICE AND THAT IS -- THE CORPORATIONS  ARE COURTING YOU AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST  CORPORATIONS IN THE NATION AND IN THE WORLD.

THEY ARE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND THE CHALLENGERS, THE  PEOPLE WHO ARE CHALLENGING THE INCUMBENTS, THEY DON'T HAVE  ANY CORPORATE MONEY REALLY.

THEY ARE GETTING THEIR MONEY  FROM INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS IS A BIG PART OF IT, BUT ALSO  AND, AGAIN, PROGRESSIVES HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS INFRASTRUCTURE  OF NONPROFITS, ISSUES-BASED NONPROFITS.

COULD BE IN CALIFORNIA, COULD BE IN NEW MEXICO, ANYWHERE,  BUT THEY'LL SEND MONEY TO THESE LITTLE TINY LEGISLATIVE  RACES IN NEW MEXICO TO AFFECT POLICIES.

>> Jeff: SHAUN, WHAT SHOULD VOTERS MAKE OF WHERE THE MONEY  COMES FROM ALONG THAT SORT OF ACCESS THAT JUSTIN WAS JUST  DESCRIBING.

SHOULD IT MATTER WHEN YOU GO  AND PULL THE LEVER IN THE BALLOT BOX WHETHER IT WAS  CHEVRON OR AN INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR WHO FUNDED THE  CANDIDATE?

>> Griswold: FOR A VOTER, I  THINK IT IS, AT LEAST THE VOTERS TELL ME, AS A VOTER  MYSELF, I CAN SAY THAT I AM INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING  WHAT ARE THOSE INTERESTS THE MONEY IS PAYING FOR?

WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE THEY ARE PROVIDING THAT THERE IS THE  ACCESS TO GIVING?

ARE THEY HAVING AN INFLUENCE  ON LEGISLATION ON LAWS THAT IMPACT MY EVERYDAY LIFE.

THAT IS WHAT I CARE MOST ABOUT.

I DO KNOW MONEY IN POLITICS IS COMING FROM EVERYWHERE AND IF  THOSE INTERESTS, WHETHER THEY LIE, ORIGINATED IN BARELAS IN  ALBUQUERQUE OR FROM A PLACE IN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, TEXAS,  ANOTHER STATE, BECAUSE YOU SEE THIS ON BOTH FACTIONS OF THE  PARTIES HERE IN NEW MEXICO, BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT  HAVE OUTSIDE INTERESTS BEYOND THE BUSINESS INTERESTS WHICH  EXIST IN NEW MEXICO, OUTSIDE OF ITS GOVERNMENT.

IT REALLY DOES DEPEND ON THE PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS OF IS THAT  INTEREST SERVING MY LIFE AS A NEW MEXICAN AND WHAT ARE MY  VALUES FOR THAT.

THAT IS WHY I THINK THE  ENVIRONMENT IS A CONTINUED SPLIT, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF  THE TRUE CORE VALUES OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A NEW MEXICAN IS  BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKIES, THE SUNSETS, AND MOUNTAINS.

THAT IS WHERE AT THE CORE OF IT WE ARE ALSO SEEING THAT  PHILOSOPHICAL DIVIDE.

BEYOND THE POLITICS HERE.

>> Jeff: I AM GLAD WE BROUGHT THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT THAT  WHERE YOU REALLY SEE THE SPLIT IS ON ENVIRONMENT ISSUES AND  THE WAY FUNDING WORKS FOR THOSE.

SO, I HAVE GOT SOME TIME AT THE END OF THIS FOR THE PART  OF THE CONVERSATION I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT.

LESS THE THREE OF US COME IN FOR THE PROVERBIAL LASHING ON  ILON MUSK'S HEALTH SITE FOR ONLY TALKING ABOUT DEMOCRATS,  I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS, OF COURSE, A BIG OLE  FIGHT HAPPENING ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE FOR THE SOUL  OF THAT PARTY AS WELL.

THAT IS OBVIOUSLY BETWEEN THE  MAGA TRUMPERS AND THE NEVER TRUMPERS, BUT THAT IS A  CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.

AND AS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING  ABOUT, THE REALITY IN NEW MEXICO IS THAT THE ACTION IS  ON THE DEM SIDE.

SO, MY QUESTION IS HOW DID WE  DEAL WITH THAT REALITY AS JOURNALISTS?

SHAUN, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS KIND OF A LOT  LATELY.

HOW DO WE AVOID THINGS LIKE  FALSE EQUIVALENTS?

HOW DO WE AVOID MAKING ONE  THING LOOK BIGGER SO THAT IT EQUALS SOMETHING ELSE?

HOW DO WE BE HONEST WITH OUR AUDIENCES BUT NOT PARTISAN  WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING WHAT IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING A  ONE-PARTY STATE?

>> Griswold: YEAH, I THINK,  WORKING WITH ACTUAL TRUTHS, THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT THOSE  ARE AND ESTABLISHING WHAT THOSE ARE, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

THAT IS JUST A BARE MINIMUM FACT WE HAVE TO SET NOW AS  JOURNALISTS AND HAS BECOME AN EXPECTATION WITH THE CLIMATE  OF THE FAKE NEWS THAT WE HAVE SURVIVED THROUGH.

AND WE ARE WORKING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.

I WILL SAY THAT WITHIN THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE  SORT OF MAGA IDENTITY OF REPUBLICAN POLITICS IN NEW  MEXICO, THAT COALITION IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY A MORE  GRASS ROOTS EFFORT OF NEW MEXICANS WHO ARE GIVING MICRO  DONATIONS OF 10, 15, $26 THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE  WITH THE PROGRESSIVE COALITIONS IN SOLICITING FUNDS  FROM INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CORPORATE INTERESTS, WHO  JUST HAVE -- WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO CANDIDATES.

THAT IS WHAT IS BUILDING THAT COALITION TOO.

SO, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE IT ON BOTH ENDS PLAY OUT, BUT  ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD ALSO SAY WITHIN THAT, WITHIN ONCE  WE ESTABLISH THOSE TRUTHS, NOW WE HAVE TO HOLD THE POWERFUL  ACCOUNTABLE.

AND IN NEW MEXICO THAT IS THE  PROGRESSIVE POLITICS.

THAT IS THE PROGRESSIVE  POLICIES.

THAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE  CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IS A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC  PARTY.

THE GOVERNOR, THE ENTIRE  LEGISLATURE, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL NOW.

THERE ARE POCKETS, OF COURSE, OF REPUBLICAN RUN LOCAL PLACES  AND THAT DOES GIVE INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THEIR POLICIES,  AGAIN BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT, PLACES LIKE SAN JUAN COUNTY,  CURRY COUNTY, OTERO COUNTY, HEAVY OIL AND GAS STUFF AND  HEAVY REPUBLICAN SPACES, BUT TO ME -- AND I AM CURIOUS  ABOUT HOW YOU APPROACH IT FROM THERE.

ONCE YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED, OKAY, WHO IS IN CHARGE, HOW DO  YOU THEN NOW USE WHAT YOU DID IN RESEARCH FOR LOOKING AT  CAMPAIGN FILINGS, HOW DOES THAT HELP YOU IDENTIFY SORT OF  WHAT THE POLICIES ARE FROM THAT POINT?

>> Horwath: IN POLITICAL REPORTING, ONE MANTRA OF MINE  HAS ALWAYS BEEN POLICY OVER POLLS, YOU KNOW.

THERE IS A PLACE FOR SO-CALLED HORSE RACE REPORTING.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHO IS AHEAD AND THAT IS NEWS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME I THINK THAT WE REALLY DO, AS  JOURNALISTS, NEED TO FOCUS ON POLICY BECAUSE WE ARE WRITING  FOR OUR READERS AND OUR LISTENERS OR AUDIENCE AND  THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY POLICIES.

I THINK THAT AS A JOURNALIST YOU HAVE GOT TO STICK UP FOR  YOUR READERS AND AUDIENCE AND FIGHT FOR THEM AND FIGHT FOR  TRANSPARENCY AROUND POLICY.

>> Jeff: AND IN NEW MEXICO,  RIGHT, THE POLICY IS COMING FROM THE DEMOCRATS.

SORT OF PART OF WHAT I AM GETTING AT HERE IS LIKE I FEEL  LIKE DURING THE SESSION I READ TOO MANY STORIES EARLY IN THE  SESSION ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY.

THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND MY CONCERN IS WHEN READERS  SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT IS SET DOWN RIGHT NEXT TO LIKE  THE PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE THING.

LIKE THESE ARE TWO COMPETING PROPOSALS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN  DURING THE COURSE OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SO, THAT DEATH PENALTY BILL WAS DEAD ON ARRIVAL, NOT GOING  ANYWHERE, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

AS JOURNALISTS, LIKE, I GET  THAT SOMEONE HAS PROPOSED THIS, BUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH  THAT?

>> Griswold: WE HAVE TO  UNDERSTAND FROM A HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND AGAIN THE  FOUNDATION TO READERS AT THE VERY BEGINNING, HEY, THIS GOT  PROPOSED.

THIS IS LIKELY WHERE IT IS  GOING TO GO AND IT WILL ULTIMATELY SEEK A FATE THAT IT  WILL NOT PASS BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EFFORT IS GOING TO  COMPLETELY DIE.

WHO KNOWS IF THAT COALITION OF  MAGA REPUBLICANS BUILDS UP ACTUAL SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP  AN THEN ENACTS THEIR OWN POLICIES IN 10, 15 YEARS DOWN  THE LINE.

THE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC  POWER WING WE ARE SEEING TOOK GENERATIONS TO BUILD.

AND SO I THINK IT IS THE POINT FOR US AND I THINK IT IS A  POINT FOR US, AND I THINK THAT IS WHY WE NEED LOCAL  JOURNALISTS.

I AM HAPPIER HERE, AGAIN,  PRAISE TO THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO ESTABLISH OUR TIME IN BEING  HERE SO WE CAN FOLLOW THOSE TRENDS.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE ISSUE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF  POWER HAPPENING BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS SOMETHING  THAT WE REPORTED ON IN THE PAST.

YOU MENTIONED EARLIER JOHN ARTHUR SMITH.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY NOW IS OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT  TIME.

I WASN'T HERE FOR THAT.

WERE YOU HERE WHEN THAT ELEMENT HAPPENED?

THAT IS THE MOMENT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL POINT TO AND IT  WAS RECENT THAT KIND OF LED US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW WHEN IT  COMES TO THE DIVIDE OF THE DEMOCRATIC FIGHTING IN THE  ROUND HOUSE.

>> Jeff: YEAH, THERE WAS  DEFINITELY A PREVIOUS EFFORT AT THIS.

I AM TERRIBLY SORRY TO DO THIS.

THIS WENT BY WAY TO FAST, AS I KNEW IT WOULD, BUT THANKS A  TON TO BOTH OF YOU FELLOWS FOR COMING IN.

>> YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH A NATIVE STUDIES DEGREE AND I AM  PROOF OF THAT.

A LOT OF OUR PEERS FROM OUR  GRADUATING CLASS ARE PROOF OF THAT.

WE HAVE GONE ON TO LAW SCHOOL, NURSING.

THE PRACTICALITY OF THIS DEGREE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES,  HONESTLY.

>> Jeff: FOLLOWING THE HOLIDAY  SEASON WITH A SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORTS, THE  CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE ESTABLISHED ITS DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT COMMISSION IN MARCH 2023.

ONE YEAR LATER, THE COMMISSION IS WORKING ON OFFICIAL  LANGUAGE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO IDENTIFY POSSIBLE DANGERS  FOR SURVIVORS.

IT HAS BEEN A BUSY FIRST 12 MONTHS FOR THE GROUP AND  SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DIVIZIO ASKS COMMISSION CO-CHAIRS,  TERESA GARCIA AND CHEARIE ALLIPAT ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR  THE WORK AHEAD.

>> Lou: TERESA GARCIA, CHEARIE  ALLIPAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME HERE ON NEW MEXICO  IN FOCUS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> START WITH YOU, TERESA, YOUR COMMISSION BEGAN ITS WORK  NOW MORE THAN A YEAR AGO IN MARCH 2023.

WHAT NEED WAS THE COMMISSION CREATED TO FILL?

>> Garcia: THE NEED THAT THE COMMISSION WAS CREATED TO FILL  IS REALLY ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS IN COMMUNITIES,  SPECIFICALLY TO THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND SO BRINGING IN  COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZERS, AS WELL AS LIVED  EXPERIENCE SURVIVORS, TO SERVE ON THE BOARD AND JUST ADVOCATE  ON THEIR BEHALF TO THE BARRIERS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE  CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE.

YEAH, JUST SUPPORT THEM AS  MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES AT THE TABLE AS  WELL.

>> Allipat: YEAH INVITING  FOLKS FROM LIVED EXPERIENCES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE  PASSIONATE TO ADDRESS THE GAPS AND THE BARRIERS THAT ARE THE  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

IT IS NOT AN EASY CONVERSATION BUT IT HAS TO BE COMMUNITY LED  AND IT HAS TO BE SURVIVORS.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT MAKES  THIS TASK FORCE, MAKING IT PERMANENT AS A COMMISSION,  HAVING A VISIBLE, TANGIBLE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY  SEEK ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES.

>> Lou: WHAT WERE SOME OF  THOSE GAPS AND BARRIERS?

HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU NEED TO  ADDRESS THEM TO.

>> Allipat: WE HAVE SEEN  LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

WE HAVE SEEN IMMIGRATION.

WE HAVE SEEN NOT JUST PHYSICAL ABUSE THAT NEEDS TO BE  ADDRESSED WHEN IT COMES TO SYSTEMS IN COURTS, BUT EVEN  ADDRESSING RESTRAINING ORDERS AND HAVING LEGISLATION THAT  ACTUALLY COMMUNITIES CAN UNDERSTAND AND USE WHEN IT  COMES TO ADDRESSING VIOLENCE.

WE KNOW THAT SAFETY IS A HUMAN  RIGHT AND THAT VIOLENCE IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE  TOLERATED IN ANY COMMUNITY OR ANY CULTURE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT AFFECTS ACROSS SOCIAL ECONOMIC CLASS  AND RACE AND ETHNICITY AND IT DOES NOT -- WE ARE NOT IMMUNE  AS A CITY TO NOT HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT ISSUES IN OUR  COMMUNITY.

>> Garcia: YOU KNOW, THE  SURVIVORS HAVE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE.

NONE OF THEM ARE ALIKE OR THE SAME.

AND SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT AS THEY GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM,  YOU KNOW, THEY GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.

IT TAKES SEVEN TO NINE TIMES FOR A SURVIVOR TO LEAVE AN  ABUSIVE SITUATION AND WHEN THERE IS GAPS AND BARRIERS, IT  PREVENTS THEM FROM MOVING FORWARD.

SO, HOW DO WE PROVIDE A VERY SUPPORTIVE PROCESS FOR THEM,  INCLUDING SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE SUPPORT THAT  THEY NEED AND THERE IS ALSO SAFETY.

BECAUSE WHEN THEY LEAVE IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME FOR A  SURVIVOR, RIGHT.

IT IS NOT AN EASY DECISION SO  I KNOW COMMUNITY SOMETIMES SAYS, RIGHT, WHY DON'T THEY  JUST LEAVE IF THEY ARE IN THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION.

IT IS NOT VERY EASY.

THERE IS A LOT OF FACTORS THAT  PLAY INTO IT.

SO THIS COMMISSION IS HOPING  TO BRIDGE THAT AND ALSO EDUCATE THE SYSTEMS AS WELL IN  MAKING THIS PROCESS MORE SUPPORTIVE FOR THE SURVIVOR AS  THEY DECIDE TO LEAVE AND CONTINUE THAT TO ALSO BRING  SAFETY TO THEIR FAMILIES.

>> Lou: OKAY.

YOU MENTIONED RESTRAINING ORDERS.

LAST MAY, YOUR GROUP WORKED TO STOP A SYSTEMATIC CHANGE THAT  WOULD HAVE ALTERED THE CITY'S RESTRAINING ORDERS FILING  PROCESS.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE  PROBLEM WAS WITH THAT AND WHAT WAS THE SOLUTION THAT YOU ALL  FOUND?

>> Garcia: WE HAD A COMMISSION  MEMBER, JODY JARAMILLO, FROM RAPE CRISIS COME FORTH AND  SAY, HEY, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH WORDING THAT IS ON THE  RESTRAINING ORDER.

SO IT BASICALLY STATED THAT  THE SURVIVOR, IT WAS A SURVIVOR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO  SERVE THE RESTRAINING ORDER AND SOME LANGUAGE THAT CAUSED  CONFUSION WHERE MAYBE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS NOT GOING  TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS ON THEIR BEHALF.

THIS RAISED HUGE CONCERNS, RIGHT?

SO WE ADVOCATED.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT ON THE  COMMISSION MEETING AND WE REACHED OUT TO JUDGE BAKER AT  SECOND JUDICIAL AND WITHIN 10 HOURS, THAT VERBIAGE WAS  CORRECTED.

AND SO WHEN SURVIVORS GO AND  FILE AND OBTAIN THE RESTRAINING ORDER, IT IS NOT  THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FILE, TO SERVE THE RESTRAINING ORDER  BECAUSE THAT POSES A LOT OF CONCERNS FOR SAFETY.

WHERE YOU CAN -- I MEAN, THAT DOCUMENT PREVENTS YOU FROM  SEEING THAT PERSON.

THERE IS THE NUMBER OF YARDS  THAT YOU CAN'T BE IN CONTACT WITH THAT PERSON.

SO, GIVING THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SURVIVOR TO SERVE IT,  THEY ARE ALREADY VIOLATING THAT ALREADY.

AND THE DANGER THAT COMES WITH IT IN THEIR ASKING AND SEEKING  SAFETY TO HAVE THE RESTRAINING ORDER IN PLACE, SO PUTTING  THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON THE SURVIVOR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND  SO WE CORRECTED IT.

SECOND JUDICIAL IMMEDIATELY  MADE THOSE CORRECTIONS AND REACHED OUT TO SURVIVORS THAT  HAD THAT PRIOR VERBIAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS NOT  THERE RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY FELT SUPPORTED.

AND ALSO COMMUNICATED COLLABORATION WITH THE  BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS WELL TO MAKE  SURE THEY ALSO WERE AWARE OF IT.

IT WAS A REALLY AMAZING COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

>> Allipat: AND I THINK COMMISSION MEMBERS DO NOT TAKE  THEIR JOBS HERE LIGHTLY.

BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND SYSTEMS  ALIKE, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND ADVOCATES, ALL  FEEL THAT SURVIVORS AND THEIR VOICES ARE PART OF OUR  CONVERSATION AND IT WAS BROUGHT BY A SURVIVOR'S NEED  AND SEEING THAT BARRIER AND ADDRESSING THAT GAP SO THAT  SYSTEMS CAN BRIDGE THAT CONVERSATION.

BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE, WE HAVE  THAT PRIVILEGE TO SIT AT THIS TABLE AND TO HAVE THESE  CONVERSATIONS SO THAT SYSTEMS CAN ALSO INTERVENE AS NEEDED.

SOMETIMES WHEN LEGISLATION PUTS IN POLICIES, WE DO THINK  ABOUT THE SURVIVORS.

WE DO THINK ABOUT FROM THE  DATA STANDPOINT, BUT THE STORIES THAT ARE SHARED IN THE  COMMUNITY BASE IS WHAT GETS IT TO THE COMMISSION AND WHERE WE  CAN HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS LIKE HAVING RESTRAINING ORDERS AND  EVEN HAVING A JUDGE THAT IS JUST AS PASSIONATE IN THIS  WORK AND WHO HAS DONE HER WORK IN DV DOMESTIC MATTERS CASES  TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY, DO IT WITHOUT  FURTHER CONVERSATIONS AND BUREAUCRACY AND ADMINISTRATIVE  STUFF.

>> Lou: I UNDERSTAND THAT THE  COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON SOMETHING CALLED  LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS FOR THE CITY'S FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN  THEY ARE GOING INTO THESE SITUATIONS TO HELP IDENTIFY  POTENTIAL RISKS TO SURVIVORS' LIVES.

WHAT WOULD A FIRST RESPONDER BE LOOKING FOR IN A SITUATION  LIKE THAT TO IDENTIFY A POTENTIALLY DEADLY RISK IN A  HOME?

>> Garcia: LETHALITY  ASSESSMENT IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE  INSTRUMENTAL FOR SURVIVORS AND ALSO BRIDGING THAT GAP.

WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF -- THERE HAS JUST BEEN A LOT OF  COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSATIONS ON THE  COMMISSION IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BRIDGING THOSE BARRIERS  AND THOSE GAPS AND THIS FALLS INTO PLACE WHERE I AM A  SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO HAVE  THIS DOCUMENT IN PLACE AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT IS AN 11  QUESTION QUESTIONNAIRE BASICALLY THAT WHEN THEY GO  OUT TO THE CALL, THEY'LL ASK THE SURVIVOR THESE QUESTIONS  AND THEY'LL BASICALLY -- THEY'LL ASK THE SURVIVOR THESE  QUESTIONS AND RATE THEM AS HIGH RISK, MEDIUM OR LOW.

OKAY.

BUT THE IDENTIFYING QUESTIONS  THAT ARE NEEDED IS TO IDENTIFY IF THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED  STRANGULATION, IF THERE IS GUNS IN THE HOME AND HAVE BEEN  THREATENED BY A GUN AND ANOTHER ITEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN  IN THE LETHALITY ASSESSMENT IN THE PAST IS SEXUAL ASSAULT  QUESTION, IF THEY WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.

BUT THIS IS A KEY COMPONENT BECAUSE IT IS CREATING ALSO A  RECORD OF WHAT HAPPENED AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, RIGHT?

IT TAKES SEVEN TO NINE TIMES FOR A SURVIVOR TO LEAVE.

SO, ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, FIRST RESPONDERS ARE ABLE TO  IDENTIFY HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT THEM, CONNECT THEM TO  RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALSO PROVIDED SAFETY,  RIGHT, CREATING A SAFETY PLAN.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE  HAVE HAD VERY THOROUGH CONVERSATIONS FOR SEVERAL  MONTHS IN TRYING TO PUSH IT THROUGH AND IT IS SOMETHING  THAT IS NEEDED.

AND, AGAIN, TO ALSO EDUCATE  FIRST RESPONDERS.

AND THAT COULD BE LAW  ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, THE ALBUQUERQUE FIRE DEPARTMENT,  BCSO, NOT JUST ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO  THE BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFFS' DEPARTMENT.

SO THEY CAN IDENTIFY ALL OF THESE NUMBER OF THINGS, RIGHT?

SO THEN IT WILL RESULT IN TRAINING, STRANGULATION  TRAINING.

IT WILL RESULT IN MORE  TRAINING FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ALSO RESULT IN MORE  TRAINING TO IDENTIFY GUNS.

AS WE KNOW I BELIEVE NEW  MEXICO IS RATED THIRD IN THE NATION FOR GUN VIOLENCE AND  THERE IS QUITE A FEW HOMICIDES THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND A  LOT OF THEM WERE DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

HOW DO WE SUPPORT SURVIVORS, RIGHT, WHEN THEY ARE  ADVOCATING AND SAYING THERE IS GUNS IN THE HOME AND THEY ARE  NOT BEING TAKEN AWAY.

AND IT GOES BACK TO THE  EXTREME ORDER OF PROTECTION RED FLAG LAW WHERE IF A  SURVIVOR IS ADVOCATING, I HAVE BEEN THREATENED BY A GUN,  THERE IS A GUN IN THE HOME AND I AM IN FEAR OF BEING KILLED,  OFFICERS THEN WILL -- THE INTENTION IS TO GO TO THE HOME  AND TAKE THE GUNS AWAY.

BUT THAT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW  IS NOT HAPPENING.

SO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT  WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH LEGISLATURE AND LEGISLATORS IN  OUR COMMUNITY TO ADVOCATE AND MAKE SURE THOSE THAT ARE  CAUSING HARM DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO GUNS OR THE GUNS ARE BEING  REMOVED TO PREVENT FUTURE HOMICIDES AND PROTECT  SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF  SITUATIONS LAST YEAR, WHERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, AN ALBUQUERQUE  POLICE CADET WAS MURDERED.

IT WAS A MURDER SUICIDE SO IT  LEFT THEIR EIGHT YEAR OLD WITHOUT THE MOM OR THE DAD.

SO HOW DO WE CONTINUE PROTECTING YOUR SURVIVORS?

AND THIS LETHALITY ASSESSMENT I FEEL IS THE KEY AND COMING  AT THE RIGHT TIME IN ADVOCATING AND RECOMMENDING,  RIGHT, BECAUSE THE COMMISSION WORKS ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO  PUT FORTH TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

WE ARE FIERCELY RECOMMENDING TO HAVE THIS LETHALITY  ASSESSMENT IN PLACE WHERE THERE IS TWO LETHALITY  ASSESSMENTS CURRENTLY THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING.

IT IS THE MNAD2.0.

SO IT COMES OUT OF MARYLAND.

IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LETHALITY ASSESSMENT AND THEN  THERE IS BRIDGING TWO OF THEM, ONE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS,  WHICH IS THE ODARA.

IT IS MORE -- THE ODARA  FOCUSES MORE ON THE LETHALITY OF THE OFFENDER AND THEN THERE  IS THE DA-LE ASSESSMENT THAT WE HOPE TO BRIDGE TOGETHER TO  CREATE THE LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING THE  STRANGULATION, GUNS IN THE HOME AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO ADDRESSING ALL OF THOSE  QUESTIONS THAT ARE SOMETIMES MISSED AND SUPPORTING  SURVIVORS AND BRIDGING THAT GAP WHERE THEY ARE ALSO  CONNECTED TO SERVICES.

AND SO IT IS A REALLY  WRAP-AROUND, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE  HOPING TO HAVE THAT THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY CITY COUNCIL  WILL TAKE SERIOUSLY.

>> Lou: WHAT WILL THAT  TRAINING LOOK LIKE?

IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR  ROLLING OUT THESE ASSESSMENTS SO THAT IT IS A CONTINUOUS  PART OF THE PROCEDURE?

>> Allipat: SO DANGER  ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN STILL LOOKING INTO IS STILL  BEING LOOKED INTO TO CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO POLICY TO  GET IT IMPLEMENTED.

SO AS WE GO THROUGH AND  NAVIGATE THE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING ORGANIZATIONAL  STRUCTURE CHANGE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ALSO  ALLIANCE WITH ALL OF THE BUY-INS FROM THE SYSTEM.

BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING THIS AS A TOOL AND A RESOURCE FOR  FIRST RESPONDERS AND ADVOCATES ALIKE.

IT IS NOT ON JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENFORCE THIS.

BECAUSE OF THE 11 QUESTIONS THAT WAS THOUGHTFULLY AND  CAREFULLY THOUGHT BY DR. JACQUELINE CAMPBELL, IT  WAS THE CONVERSATION OF IT IS ACROSS CULTURAL BARRIERS,  ACROSS ETHNIC, SOCIOECONOMIC BARRIERS TO ADDRESS  STRANGULATION, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THE IDEA OF GUNS.

I KNOW PEOPLE WOULD LEAN INTO THE ODARA WHICH IS ASSESSMENT  CURRENTLY USED BY APD AT THIS TIME.

ODARA DOES EXIST BUT ODARA IS AN ENTIRE RISK DANGER  ASSESSMENT THAT DOES NOT COVER THE FIREARMS COMPONENT.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE KEY PART OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN  IN HOMICIDE AND DEATH REVIEWS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN CASES, WE  HAVE SEEN IN THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THE FIELD IN THE  COMMUNITY IS THAT THESE THREE FACTORS ARE A MAJOR -- IT  INCREASES RISK FOR HOMICIDE.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING  TO DO.

IT DOES NOT CHANGE HOW THE  COURT'S PROCESS WORKS.

IT DOES NOT CHANGE HOW  STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SHOULD CHANGE.

IT SHOULD JUST BE AN ADDED TOOL FOR OFFICERS AND FIRST  RESPONDERS ALONG WITH COMMUNITY ADVOCATES WHO CAN  IMPLEMENT THESE TOOLS.

>> Lou: OKAY.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TIME AND THE WORK  THAT YOU ARE DOING.

>> THANK YOU AGAIN, LOU.

>> YEAH, THE PERSISTENT CHILDHOOD POVERTY NARRATIVE IN  NEW MEXICO IS SOMETHING I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FEW ISSUES WITH THAT  NARRATIVE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH A LOT MORE NUANCE.

AND UNDERSTAND HOW POVERTY IMPACTS DIFFERENT FAMILIES IN  DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE OF HISTORIC INEQUITIES AND  OPPRESSION THAT IS BAKED INTO OUR SYSTEMS.

WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN OF COLOR SUFFER MUCH GREATER RATES OF  POVERTY.

>> Jeff: THAT INTERVIEW WITH  GABRIELLE UBALLEZ WILL AIR IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES.

THE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY  OF NEW MEXICO IS MARKING 20 YEARS SINCE IT FIRST BEGAN  OFFERING A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN NATIVE AMERICAN  STUDIES.

THE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATED WITH  A SYMPOSIUM THIS SPRING ON CAMPUS IN ALBUQUERQUE.

THIS WEEK, CORRESPONDENT ANTONIA GONZALES TALKS WITH  ONE NAS PROFESSOR AND A GRADUATE OF THE PROGRAM ABOUT  SOME SUCCESSES AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

>> Antonia: NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE  AT UNM FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

BUT STUDENTS DID NOT START  EARNING DEGREES UNTIL YEARS LATER.

JOINING ME NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT HAS  EVOLVED IS NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES CHAIR AND PROFESSOR  DR. TIFFANY LEE AND GRADUATE OF THE PROGRAM, REBEKAH  HORSECHIEF.

WELCOME.

TIFFANY, GO AHEAD AND START US OFF AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT  ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

>> Lee: YEAH, AS YOU SAID, IT  STARTED IN 1970, REALLY AROUND STUDENT ACTIVISM.

STUDENTS WANTING TO HAVE THEIR EXPERIENCES PERSPECTIVE  HISTORY EMBEDDED MORE IN THE CURRICULUM.

SO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES WAS BORN OUT OF THAT ACTIVISM FROM  STUDENTS.

HOWEVER, IT WAS JUST SORT OF A  PIECEMEAL PROGRAM WITH FACULTY, YOU KNOW, TEACHING  IT.

IT WAS ACTUALLY A STUDENT  CENTER, MORE OF A STUDENT AFFAIRS TYPE OF ORGANIZATION  IN THE BEGINNING.

WE DIDN'T GET A MINOR DEGREE  UNTIL 1999, SO MANY YEARS LATER.

AND THEN IT BECAME A DEPARTMENT ONLY UNTIL 2018  WHEN WE MOVED INTO A NEW COLLEGE, BUT SINCE THAT TIME,  WE HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL DEGREES, YOU KNOW, BACHELOR'S  DEGREE, AN ON LINE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, BA, MA SHARED CREDIT  PROGRAM AND, MA, AND MOST RECENTLY OUR PHD PROGRAM.

>> Antonia: AND WITH THIS MILESTONE MARKING THIS YEAR,  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE CELEBRATING 20 YEARS WITH THE  BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAM.

>> Lee: YEAH.

IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE TIME HAS REALLY FLOWN SO FAST, YOU  KNOW.

I STARTED IN NATIVE AMERICAN  STUDIES AS A POST DOC FELLOW IN 2003 AND THEN WE GOT THE  PROGRAM APPROVED IN 2004 AND IT HAS JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE  HAVE OVER, I THINK, ABOUT 135 BA GRADUATES AND THE SAME  AMOUNT OF MINORS.

SO, 270 BA AND MINOR DEGREE  GRADUATES OUT THERE IN THE WORLD THAT ARE MOVING ON.

REBEKAH, FABULOUS REBEKAH, WHO WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN  HELPING US GET OUR DEGREE APPROVED AT THE STATE  LEGISLATURE.

>> Antonia: REBEKAH WHAT DREW  YOU TO PURSUE A DEGREE?

>> Horsechief: NOW, THAT I  HAVE LISTENED TO TIFFANY TALK, IT REMINDED ME THAT I ACTUALLY  HAVE BEEN AROUND AND KNOWING ABOUT AND WANTING TO BE A PART  OF THE NATIVE STUDIES PROGRAM SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I REMEMBER WHEN THE NATIVE STUDIES CENTER WAS, THEN,  WHERE THE BUSINESS SCHOOL IS.

AND, OF COURSE, SOME OF THOSE  CENTERS WERE TORN DOWN TO MAKE ROOM FOR OTHER PROGRAMS,  BUSINESSES, BUILDINGS.

IT WAS THEN MOVED TO MONTE  VISTA HALL.

AND SO, I GRADUATED FROM HIGH  SCHOOL IN 1995.

DID A SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM,  DID SOME OF MY ASSIGNMENTS AT THE THEN NATIVE STUDIES CENTER  THAT IS WHERE THE BUSINESS SCHOOL IS NOW, ANDERSON.

AND THEN I GRADUATED WITH THIS BRIDGE PROGRAM AND ACTUALLY  TIFFANY WAS ONE OF MY PROFESSORS THROUGH THIS BRIDGE  PROGRAM BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.

AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND WE FOCUSED ON  NATIVE STUDIES AND ENGLISH AND MATH.

SO REALLY CORE SUBJECTS, NATION BUILDING, YOU KNOW,  SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS WERE VERY NEW AT THAT TIME, YOU  KNOW.

THIS IS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HAD  NATIVE AMERICAN BANKS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING  ABOUT THEN, BUT, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MY EXPERIENCE  AND MY HISTORY WITH NATIVE STUDIES HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH  SINCE HIGH SCHOOL.

I AM SO PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM  A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, NATIVE AMERICAN  STUDIES PROGRAM.

AND AT THAT TIME, BEFORE IT  BECAME A DEGREE PROGRAM, I WAS ABLE TO, THROUGH UNIVERSITY  COLLEGE, SO I AM AGING MYSELF NOW, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A  DEGREE THEN, I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE THROUGH UNIVERSITY  COLLEGE AND I DESIGNED MY OWN DEGREE, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY  NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES.

BUT IT WAS POWER, SOVEREIGNTY  AND SELF DETERMINATION.

AND THROUGH THOSE COURSES, WE  WERE ABLE TO -- I WAS ABLE TO TAKE NATION BUILDING, FEDERAL  INDIAN LAW, LEARN ABOUT OTHER COMMUNITIES, NATIONALLY, LEARN  ABOUT FEDERAL TRIBAL RELATIONSHIPS, LEARN ABOUT  POLICIES, LEARN ABOUT EARLY INSTANCES OF ACTIVISM.

BECAUSE WE WERE CROSS LISTED WITH A LOT OF THESE 10-YEAR  TRACK POSITIONS, WE HAD PROFESSORS FOR FILM.

WE HAD PROFESSORS FOR HISTORY.

WE HAD PROFESSORS FOR MUSIC.

I MEAN, I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT WAS AN EARLY RENAISSANCE FOR  THE UNIVERSITY FOR THAT DEPARTMENT AND WE WERE  LEARNING ABOUT EARLY INSTANCES OF INDIGENOUS ACTIVISM LIKE  PRECOLONIAL SORT OF POSTCOLONIAL SETTLERS SORT OF  INSTANCES.

FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE HADN'T  THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE EARLY RESISTANCE ACTIVITIES TO  COLONIAL SETTLERISM, AND THAT IS THE THING WE WERE TALKING  ABOUT AND PONTIFICATING ABOUT AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING BIGGER,  LARGER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT.

AND I MEAN I COULD JUST GO ON.

BUT I AM SO PROUD OF BEING A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY,  SPECIFICALLY THAT PROGRAM, NOW, DEPARTMENT.

AND IT HAS OPENED SO MANY DOORS FOR ME PERSONALLY.

AND TIFFY AND I MET FOR COFFEE BEFORE WE CAME OVER HERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DR. LEE, WE HAVE A  LONG HISTORY TOGETHER BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN SAY IS  THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND HOW WE -- OH, MY  GOSH, A LITTLE EMOTIONAL, HOW WE ENGAGED IN THOSE COURSES IS  EVERYTHING THAT I AM DOING NOW AND WHO I WANT TO BE WORKING  WITH, AS FAR AS TRIBES AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.

I HAVE TOUCHED ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE AREAS THROUGH SELF  GOVERNANCE, LAW, EDUCATION, AND NOW ACCESS TO CAPITAL.

SO, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS.

>> Lee: YOU MADE ME THINK OF THE STRENGTH OF NAS REALLY IS  IT INTERDISCIPLINARITY SO WE DO HAVE TENURE LINES THAT ARE  SPECIFIC TO OUR DEPARTMENT BUT THE FACULTY HAVE BACKGROUNDS  IN HISTORY, SO WE LOOK AT ISSUES AROUND FOOD  SOVEREIGNTY, ENVIRONMENT, AROUND COMMUNITY, LANGUAGE  REVITALIZATION, BUT AT THE CORE IS REALLY ABOUT SERVING  COMMUNITY AND DOING RESEARCH THAT IS RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT  AND MEANINGFUL THROUGH A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP AS  WELL.

WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE WHAT  ACADEMIA IS.

WE ARE NOT SITTING IN THE  IVORY TOWER ANYMORE.

WE ARE REALLY EMBEDDED AND ALL  OF US IN NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES, ALL OF OUR FACULTY  ARE NATIVE AMERICAN, AND WE COME FROM THE SOUTHWEST.

SO WE HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND RELATIONSHIP AND VALUE FOR  DOING IMPORTANT WORK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SERVES OUR  COMMUNITIES AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE THE SAME.

THE MAJORITY ARE NATIVE AMERICAN.

AND I AM REALLY HAPPY THAT WE DO GET SOME WHO ARE NOT.

THERE IS A ROLE A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN PLAY TO SERVE THE  INTERESTS OF NATIVE AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN  COMMUNITIES.

>> Antonia: CAN YOU EXPAND --  I KNOW THE STUDENTS, LIKE REBEKAH, ARE THE BIGGEST  SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM.

CAN YOU EXPAND ON A LOT OF  STUDENTS INCLUDING AT THE CELEBRATION SYMPOSIUM YOU HELD  THIS SPRING, TALKED ABOUT USING THEIR DEGREES.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY LEARNING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS,  WRITING, CAREER SKILLS, BUT AS NATIVE PEOPLE, A LOT OF NATIVE  PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK AND USE THEIR EDUCATION TO SERVE THEIR  COMMUNITIES.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT  ABOUT THAT.

>> Lee: ONE OF THE QUESTIONS  WE ALWAYS GET, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES  DEGREE.

I TRIED TO PUT THAT BACK AND  REFRAME IT, WELL, WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR  DEGREE THAT YOU CAN THEN APPLY TO A CAREER OR TO MOVE INTO  GRADUATE SCHOOL OR LAW SCHOOL?

BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT  THE DEGREE.

OF COURSE, OURS IS NATIVE  AMERICAN STUDIES IS VERY SPECIFIC FIELD, BUT IT IS THE  SKILLS THAT THEY LEARN WITHIN THAT DEGREE THAT THEY CAN  APPLY TO ALMOST ANY CAREER THEY WANT.

THAT IS WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE DONE.

THEY MOVE INTO A LOT OF GOVERNMENT CAREERS, TRIBAL  GOVERNMENT, STATE, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE THAT IS  THE RELATIONSHIP IS AN IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY  RELATIONSHIP THAT OUR TRIBES HAVE WITH THOSE THREE LEVELS  OF GOVERNMENTS THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN  AND CONTRIBUTE TO, BUT THEY ALSO MOVE INTO NONPROFIT  INDUSTRIES.

THEY GO INTO EDUCATION.

THEY START THEIR OWN NONPROFITS, AS YOU SAW AT THE  PANEL.

THEY MOVE INTO GRADUATE  SCHOOL.

A LOT OF STUDENTS MOVE INTO  LAW SCHOOL.

I THINK WHAT THEY TAKE IN  THOSE POSITIONS WHEN THEY MOVE INTO CAREERS AND FURTHER  EDUCATION IS THAT FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY OF  SETTLER COLONIALISM, THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD AND  CONTINUES TO HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE POLICIES THAT  STILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE REPERCUSSIONS AND THEN HOW  TRIBES ARE EXERCISING THEIR OWN SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF  DETERMINATION TO TRANSFORM OR CREATE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE  SUSTAINABLE AND THAT REFLECT WHO THEY ARE.

>> Antonia: REBEKAH, YOUR THOUGHTS ON LISTENING TO  TIFFANY TALK ABOUT STUDENTS AND GOING ON AND EVEN WORKING  IN THE GRASS ROOTS LOCAL LEVEL WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL STUDENTS WHO WERE INTERESTED IN EARNING  A NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES DEGREE.

>> Horsechief: I WOULD SAY IT IS ONE OF THE BEST DEGREES YOU  CAN HAVE UNDER YOUR BELT.

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH A  NATIVE STUDIES DEGREE.

AND I AM PROOF OF THAT.

A LOT OF OUR PEERS FROM GRADUATING CLASS ARE PROOF OF  THAT.

WE HAVE GONE ONTO LAW SCHOOL,  NURSING.

THE PRACTICALITY OF THIS  DEGREE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES, HONESTLY.

WHEN WE WERE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY, AS TIFFANY  MENTIONED, WE WERE ADVOCATING, WE WERE DOING THE RESEARCH, WE  WERE LOOKING AT THE POLICIES, WE WERE WRITING THE RESEARCH  PAPERS, WE WERE PRESENTING AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES.

YOU KNOW, IN SOME INSTANCES SOME OF THE THINGS WE WERE  DOING WERE UNIQUE TO BOTH THE UNIVERSITY AND TO OUR GROUP.

IT IS NOT UNIQUE NOW, OF COURSE.

WE ARE OLD HEADS BUT WE STARTED A NATIVE AMERICAN  STUDIES INDIGENOUS RESEARCH GROUP WHICH WAS PRETTY  PROFOUND FOR US AT THAT TIME AND WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR  GOING TO LAW SCHOOL, FOR DOING THE RESEARCH, REALLY HELPFUL  FOR BEING ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CONTACTS AND COLLABORATING,  YOU KNOW, COLLABORATING IS HUGE.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT OUR CONNECTIONS -- THE  CONNECTIONS THAT WERE MADE AT THE UNIVERSITY ARE ALSO LIFE  LONG AND HAVE BEEN SO TREMENDOUSLY IMPACTFUL.

OF COURSE, I AM A LITTLE BIASED BUT I CAN SAY THAT I  KEEP COMING BACK.

EVEN IN MY CURRENT ROLE I AM  THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO  NATIVE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.

SO I KEEP FINDING WAYS TO COME  BACK AND BE INVOLVED.

AND GIVE BACK TO THE STUDENTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, CHEER ON THE NATIVE STUDIES PROGRAM AND  RECRUIT FROM THERE, THEIR GRADUATES, AND RECRUIT FROM  THE AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENT SERVICES COHORT AS WELL.

I AM JUST SO THANKFUL AND I THINK EVERY TIME I SEE  DR. LEE, AND IF WE ARE MEETING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT  IS PROFESSIONAL OR MEETING PERSONALLY OR WE'RE OUT  SOCIALLY, I AM ALWAYS JUST THANKING HER FOR THE  OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LEARNED FROM HER, TO HAVE HAD THOSE  EXPERIENCES AND JUST TO BE -- ME BEING A PROFESSIONAL NOW,  IT IS EVERYTHING TO ME.

YOU KNOW.

IT HAS BEEN EVERYTHING FOR MY PROFESSION.

I WORK FOR THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF INDIAN AFFAIRS  RIGHT NOW.

SO BRYAN NEWLAND WHO IS RIGHT  UNDER DEB HAALAND, WHO IS OUR SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

AND I GET TO WORK WITH TRIBES AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ON, I  WOULD SAY, SOME OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE HOT  SEAT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION SO, LIKE, LIVING LANGUAGES,  TRIBAL TOURISM, ACCESS TO CAPITAL, INDIAN BUSINESS  INCUBATORS, TRIBAL ELECTRIFICATION.

I LOVE IT.

BUT FOR THE DEGREE, TIFFANY  AND I WERE TALKING, I WANT TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT.

WE WERE TALKING AT THE CAFE EARLIER AND SHE REMINDED ME  THAT WE DID SOME LOBBYING, SOME EARLY LOBBYING AT THE  CAPITOL.

AND SO IT WAS MYSELF AND A  COUPLE OF OTHER STUDENTS GROUPS AND WE WENT UP TO SANTA  FE.

I DIDN'T REALLY RECOGNIZE IT  AS THAT AT THAT TIME BUT, YOU KNOW, AFTERWARDS THAT IS  EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.

WE SHARED WITH THE LEGISLATORS  THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAM, TO OUR STUDIES, TO OUR  PROFESSIONS AND TO OUR FUTURE.

SO, WE WENT DOOR TO DOOR AND I  THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY IMPACTFUL.

IT IS ONE THING TO SAY WE NEED FUNDING FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF  NEW MEXICO NATIVE STUDIES DEGREE, BUT WHAT DOES THAT  MEAN?

WHO ARE THESE STUDENTS?

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH IT?

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?

THAT IS IMPACTFUL.

IT WAS IMPACTFUL.

>> Lee: I WAS SAYING EARLIER  THAT SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US TO GET OUR DEGREE  APPROVED.

WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE  APPROVAL PROCESS OF UNM BUT ALSO THROUGH THE STATE SYSTEM  AND STUDENTS BEING THERE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF NATIVE  STUDIES WAS ESSENTIAL TO THAT GETTING PASSED.

AND I THINK THE PROMISE, THE STRENGTH AND THE PROMISE  REALLY IS THE STUDENTS, THE ONES WE HAVE NOW AND THE  ALUMNI BECAUSE THEY REALLY DEMONSTRATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT  YOU CAN DO WITH A NATIVE STUDIES DEGREE BUT ALSO HOW  TRANSFORMATIVE THAT KNOWLEDGE CAN BE.

YOU CAN APPLY IT IN SO MANY WAYS IF YOU HAVE THAT  FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING, CRITICAL AWARENESS, AND YOU'RE  IN TUNE WITH HOW THE CURRENT SOCIOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL  CONTEXT IS AFFECTING YOUR COMMUNITY, THEN, YOU KIND OF  KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THAT AND HOW TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT  IT.

SO IT WAS GREAT THAT THAT  PANEL THAT YOU CAME TO EARLIER CELEBRATING THE 20TH, WE HAD  ONE OF THE PANELIST WHO WAS SAYING SHE HAS LEARNED A LOT  OF ISSUES THAT COME UP IN HER WORK NOW, SHE THINKS BACK TO  WHEN SHE WAS IN NAS AND SHE WAS SAYING, THERE IS A CLASS  FOR THAT.

AND WE WERE LIKE THAT IS SUCH  A GREAT LOGO.

WE NEED TO PUT IT ON A  T-SHIRT.

EVERY ISSUE, THERE WAS A CLASS  THAT ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE OR THAT TOPIC IN ONE OF THE  CLASSES.

>> Antonia: LOOKING TOWARDS  THE FUTURE, BOTH OF YOU, REBEKAH GO FIRST, WHAT DO YOU  HOPE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES LOOKS LIKE AT UNM IN THE NEXT  20 YEARS?

>> Horsechief: SO, IT IS GOING  TO BE AMAZING.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THEIR  OWN BUILDING.

THERE IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE  FACULTY, ASSISTANTS AND SUPPORT.

THERE IS GOING TO BE -- IT IS GOING TO BE AN EXPANDED  PROGRAM.

I AM HOPING THAT THE STATE  WILL CONTINUE TO FUND IT, MEET IT AT ITS LEVEL OF A NEED,  THERE WILL BE OTHER PHILANTHROPIC INTERESTS THAT  ARE PARTICIPATING AS WELL.

AND I HOPE THAT ALUMNI CAN  ENGAGE TO GIVE BACK IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TOO.

SO, THERE IS REALLY NO -- IT KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES OTHER THAN  IF PEOPLE STOP SHOWING UP TO WORK, WHICH I DOUBT IS GOING  TO HAPPEN.

I MEAN, REALLY, THINK ABOUT  THESE INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS TOO, WHICH IS  WHAT THEY ARE EXCELLENT AT.

>> Lee: IN 20 YEARS I SHOULD  BE RETIRED BUT, NO, AS REBEKAH SAID WE ALREADY HAVE GROWN SO  SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS BUT REALLY IN  THE LAST 10 YEARS.

AND I REALLY SEE HOW NOW THAT WE HAVE A PHD PROGRAM ALL THE  WAY DOWN TO THE BA AND MINOR DEGREE, JUST THE BREADTH OF  WHAT OUR STUDENTS CAN DO IN THE COMMUNITIES AND I SEE  THAT -- I AM HOPING, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS  NOW, IS DEVELOPING AND BUILDING STRONGER, LONG-TERM  COLLABORATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES  AND THAT IS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL TO REALLY CREATE  IMPACTFUL CHANGE THROUGH RESEARCH AND THROUGH TEACHING  AND THROUGH SERVICE.

>> Antonia: THANK YOU BOTH FOR  BEING HERE TODAY.

AND CONGRATS ON THE 20 YEAR  ANNIVERSARY.

>> Jeff: EARLIER THIS MONTH,  ACLU BOARD MEMBER GABRIELLE UBALLEZ BEGAN HER NEW JOB AS  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN,  A NONPROFIT THAT HAS HELPED LOW-INCOME CHILDREN AND  FAMILIES FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

CHILD POVERTY HAS PLAGUED NEW MEXICO FOR YEARS.

IT IS A COMPLEX ISSUE AND DURING HER CONVERSATION THIS  WEEK WITH CORRESPONDENT RUSSELL CONTRERAS, UBALLEZ  TALKS ABOUT SEARCHING FOR NEW SOLUTIONS AND WHY SHE WANTED  TO TAKE THIS ISSUE ON.

>> Russell: GABRIELLE UBALLEZ,  THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Uballez: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, RUSSELL.

>> Russell: SO, NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN, WE HAVE  THIS ANNUAL KIDS COUNT AND REPORT.

AND MONITORS OUR CHILD POVERTY ANNUALLY.

WHILE THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE SIGNS ABOUT IMPROVING FAMILIES  WITH, SAY, HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS, WE STILL RANK NEAR  THE BOTTOM IN MANY CATEGORIES.

WHAT ARE WE GETTING WRONG  HERE?

>> Uballez: THANK   YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, RUSSELL.

I THINK THAT THE KIDS COUNT REPORT DOESN'T TELL US A FULL  STORY AND IT TELLS US A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY AT  THE SAME TIME.

SO, OUR MOST RECENT KIDS COUNT  DATA SHOWED THAT 24% OF CHILDREN IN NEW MEXICO ARE  STILL LIVING IN POVERTY.

AND THAT IS DOWN FROM 31% 10  YEARS AGO.

SO WE ARE MAKING GREAT STRIDES  AND WHAT WE MEASURE MATTERS.

AT VOICES WE LIKE TO NERD OUT  ABOUT POLICY IN THE WAY THAT WE LOOK AT DATA.

AND THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO LOOK AT WHERE NEW MEXICO IS IN  TERMS OF POVERTY FOR CHILDREN.

ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS THE  SUPPLEMENTAL POVERTY MEASURE AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT WE  ARE ACTUALLY AT 10% AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE REALLY  ROBUST INCOME SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT OUR STATE HAS ENACTED  RECENTLY.

>> Russell: INCOME SUPPORT  PROGRAMS, NERDING OUT, LOVE THIS.

BUT WE OFTEN HEAR CRITICS OF REPORTS LIKE THESE SAY, LET'S  NOT COMPARE NEW MEXICO TO OTHER STATES.

LET'S JUST DISMISS THE DATA.

WHAT ARE THE DANGERS WHEN WE  SAY THAT, LET'S JUST DISMISS THE DATA, NEW MEXICO IS SO  UNIQUE, WE DON'T NEED TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO  CONNECTICUT OR MASSACHUSETTS.

ARE THERE ANY DANGERS TO THAT?

>> Uballez: I DON'T THINK THERE ARE DANGERS IN THAT  SPECIFICALLY AND I DON'T SEE THE VALUE IN SAYING, OKAY, WE  ARE 50TH.

I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE  INDIVIDUAL DATA STATS AND UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT  POLICIES AND SYSTEMS ARE RESULTING IN THOSE OUTCOMES  AND LOOK AT THEM BOTH IN DISCREET WAYS BUT IN  INTERCONNECTED WAYS.

SO, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT  WE ARE COMPETING AGAINST OURSELF AND THERE ARE OTHER  THINGS WE CAN MEASURE THAT SHOW US WHERE WE ARE MAKING  POSITIVE IMPACT.

>> Russell: WE OFTEN ASK THE  EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM TO FIX EVERYTHING WHEN WE ARE NOT  DEALING WITH POVERTY.

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING TO  ADDRESS THE POVERTY AND CHILD WELL-BEING WHEN THAT COULD FIX  THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

IT IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

ANYTHING WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOLISTICALLY  THERE?

>> Uballez: YEAH, THE  PERSISTENT CHILDHOOD POVERTY NARRATIVE IN NEW MEXICO IS  SOMETHING I AM REALLY INTERESTED IN.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A FEW ISSUES WITH THAT  NARRATIVE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH A LOT MORE NUANCE.

AND UNDERSTAND HOW POVERTY IMPACTS DIFFERENT FAMILIES IN  DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE OF HISTORIC INEQUITIES AND  OPPRESSION THAT IS LIKE BAKED INTO OUR SYSTEMS.

SO, WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN OF COLOR SUFFER MUCH GREATER  RATES OF POVERTY.

I THINK HISPANIC CHILDREN ARE  AT 27%, BLACK CHILDREN IN NEW MEXICO, 29%, NATIVE CHILDREN, 39%.

AND SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND  HOW RACE PLAYS INTO INEQUITIES THAT RESULT IN POVERTY.

AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW IN NEW MEXICO OUR GOAL SHOULD BE  ZERO CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY AND 14% OF WHITE  CHILDREN ALSO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY IN NEW MEXICO.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE  DEFICIT BASE DATA, SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY RIGHTFULLY FRUSTRATED  AND THINK THAT WE ARE SAYING NEW MEXICO IS BAD OR NEW  MEXICANS ARE BAD.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

WE BELIEVE THAT SYSTEMS THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR A REALLY LONG  TIME ARE RESULTING IN THESE PERSISTENT POVERTY RATES AND  THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THEM.

SO, WHAT I AM REALLY PROUD OF IS ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST  DECADE, NEW MEXICO HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THOSE INCOME  SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, THAT HAS REDUCED OUR  SUPPLEMENTAL POVERTY RATE TO 10%.

SO, NEW MEXICO FAMILIES ARE DOING MUCH BETTER.

AND WE HAVE RESULTS TO SHOW FOR IT AND SO WE NEED TO KEEP  INVESTING IN THOSE PROGRAMS.

>> Russell: YOU MAKE A GOOD  POINT.

LET'S LOOK AT SOME OTHER DATA.

THE DATA THAT WE RUN TO SAY LIKE LUNCH PROGRAMS AND SO  FORTH.

WHAT OTHER DATA SHOULD WE BE  PULLING OUT AND LOOKING AT THAT TELLS US A DIFFERENT  STORY THAT WOULD KIND OF CHANGE THE WAY WE LOOK AT  THINGS.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU  COULD POINT TO AND SAY WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THAT?

>> Uballez: I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY LIKE WHAT OTHER DATA  WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS WE SHOULD ALSO START COLLECTING  DATA THAT FOCUSES ON SYSTEMS.

AND SO NOT HOW ARE NEW  MEXICANS DOING AS THE ONLY THING WE LOOK AT, BUT HOW ARE  SYSTEMS SERVING PEOPLE?

HOW ARE THEY REACHING PEOPLE  AND HOW ARE THOSE SYSTEMS IMPACTING THEIR LIVES?

LET'S JUDGE THE SYSTEMS A LITTLE MORE AND COMPARE THAT  TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE ENDING UP AS A RESULT OF THEM.

>> Russell: SO YOU WOULDN'T PUT THE BLAME ON THE PEOPLE,  YOU'RE SAYING.

WAIT A MINUTE YOU HAVE TO PUT  THE BLAME ON THE SYSTEMS.

>> Uballez: YEAH, WE NEVER PUT  THE BLAME ON THE PEOPLE.

IT IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE  THE POWER TO CHANGE AND THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS, RIGHT.

WE CREATE THE SYSTEM.

WE CAN REIMAGINE THEM TOO.

>> Russell: THAT IS A GOOD POINT BUT HOW CAN WE MEASURE  THOSE SYSTEMS BECAUSE WE COULD GO A LOT OF DIFFERENT -- YOU  CAN MEASURE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

YOU CAN MEASURE THE -- WHAT  CAN WE DO TO MEASURE THOSE?

>> Uballez: I MEAN, SO, NEW  MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN HAS THIS REPUTATION AS A TAX AND  BUDGET POLICY ORGANIZATION WHICH I REALLY LOVE.

IT IS VERY NERDY AND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON'T  IMMEDIATELY CARE TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT  IMPROVING NEW MEXICO.

BUT THAT IS A BIG ONE, RIGHT?

ADDRESSING WEALTH INEQUALITY AND WHO PAYS INTO THE SYSTEM  AND HOW IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE SHOULD MEASURE.

AND NEW MEXICO IS DOING REALLY GREAT THERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HEARD THE STAT BUT WE ARE IN THE TOP  10 IN THE NATION FOR THE MOST FAIR AND PROGRESSIVE TAX  POLICIES.

AND WE ACTUALLY ARE THE MOST  IMPROVED IN THE NATION.

SO THOSE WHO ARE MAKING AND  EARNING THE LEAST ARE NOT PAYING THE MOST ANYMORE, AND  THOSE WHO ARE VERY WELL OFF AND WEALTHY ARE PAYING MORE  INTO THE SYSTEMS THAT BENEFIT US ALL.

SO THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE WHERE WE CAN MEASURE OUR SYSTEMS FOR  IMPACT.

>> Russell: SINCE THE 1960'S,  EFFORTS TO FIGHT INEQUALITY CENTER AROUND ANTI-POVERTY  INITIATIVES BUT THERE IS A NEW MOVEMENT.

LET'S START TALKING ABOUT BUILDING WEALTH, FINANCIAL  LITERACY.

WHERE DO YOU COME IN ON ALL  THAT.

>> Uballez:   SO, THAT IS MY JAM.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN WEALTH BUILDING.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT I DON'T THINK THE DISCUSSION  SHOULD EVER BE, SHOULD WE FOCUS ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION  OR WEALTH BUILDING.

IT IS AND.

WE NEED THEM BOTH.

WEALTH BUILDING, THE  DIFFERENCE IS THAT IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT MEETING PEOPLES'  IMMEDIATE NEEDS SO THEY CAN SURVIVE, BUT ABOUT GIVING THEM  THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIGNITY TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN POLICY ARE THINGS LIKE BABY BONDS,  ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CREDIT, FREE COLLEGE TUITION, ACCESS  TO AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, AND THINGS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO  BUILD FINANCIAL STABILITY.

AND ADVANCE THEIR LIVES ON  THEIR OWN TERMS WITH SUPPORT FROM OUR STATE GOVERNMENT AND  SO THIS IS NOT BOOTSTRAPS, RIGHT.

THIS IS HOW DO WE USE STATE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE PEOPLE  DIGNITY AND MAKING THEIR OWN FINANCIAL DECISIONS THAT  IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.

>> Russell: NOW YOU ARE FROM  THE SOUTH VALLEY.

YOU'RE A PRODUCT OF THE SOUTH  VALLEY.

AND YET YOU WENT TO COLLEGE  OUT OF STATE.

WHAT ARE WE MISSING TO GIVE  OTHER SOUTH VALLEY YOUNG WOMEN LIKE YOURSELF THE SAME  RESOURCES TO THINK ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION IN OTHER  STATES, BECAUSE SOME FOLKS SAY, YOU GOT LUCKY, YOU GOT  INTO A PROGRAM, RIGHT?

THE WORLD HELPED YOU OUT IN  SOME WAYS, BUT THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.

HOW CAN WE TALK TO SOME OF THOSE OTHER SOUTH VALLEY GIRLS  TODAY AND SAY, NO, YOU CAN FOLLOW IN GABRIELLE'S  FOOTSTEPS AND GO TO SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA OR THINK ABOUT  YALE.

>> Uballez: YEAH, THANKS FOR  THAT QUESTION.

I WILL PROUDLY CLAIM THE SOUTH  VALLEY.

MY PARENTS ARE FROM RIO GRANDE  HIGH SCHOOL.

I ACTUALLY WENT TO VALLEY HIGH  SCHOOL.

SO I WAS A NORTH VALLEY KID  BUT VALLEY GIRL THROUGH AND THROUGH, SIMILAR EXPERIENCE,  YOU KNOW, GOING TO AN ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND  I THINK DREAMING BIGGER THAN MAYBE SOME OF THE PEOPLE  AROUND ME THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE.

PART OF IT WAS LUCK, BUT NOT DUMB LUCK.

IT WAS THE ADULTS AROUND ME CREATING THINGS THAT SET ME UP  FOR SUCCESS.

A BIG THING IN MY LIFE WAS  AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAM I WENT TO CALLED  WORKING CLASSROOM.

IT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS  STILL AROUND.

IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR, I  THINK, ALMOST 40 YEARS NOW.

AND, IT IS WHERE WE SPENT OUR  SUMMERS AND AFTERNOONS BEING CRITICAL THINKERS.

AT 17 WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE PREDATORY LENDING  WHICH IS HILARIOUS TO ME.

WHAT 17 YEAR OLD KNOWS THAT  TERM?

AND THAT JUST REALLY GOT US  INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ART AND SOCIAL JUSTICE  AND COLLABORATION.

>> Russell: YOU HAVE THREE  SMALL CHILDREN, AS I DO.

I HAVE TWO.

YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

IN ALBUQUERQUE.

YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE ELSE.

WHY DO YOU STAY HERE?

>> Uballez: THIS IS HOME.

WE LOVE NEW MEXICO.

WE LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE.

AND I KNOW THAT BOTH MY HUSBAND AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE  WE OWE OUR HEARTS AND OUR LABOR AND OUR VISION AND  WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS TO MAKE NEW MEXICO  THE BEST PLACE TO BE A KID, BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST PLACE  TO BE A TEACHER, A DOCTOR, A CARE WORKER.

THAT IS HOW WE GET TO MAKE NEW MEXICO THE BEST PLACE TO BE A  KID.

>> Russell: GABRIELLE UBALLEZ,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW MEXICO VOICES FOR CHILDREN,  THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> Uballez: THANK YOU, RUSSELL.

>> Jeff: THANKS FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.