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

>> Nash: THIS IS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, LEON HOWARD IS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO.

HE TELLS US ABOUT HIS PRIORITIES AND HOW THE ORGANIZATION PLANS TO CONTINUE ITS WORK IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE.

>> Howard: WE SEE UNREST IN THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE.

WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR-EYED ABOUT WHAT IMPACTS NEW MEXICO.

WHAT WE CAN DO AS AN ORGANIZATION TO HOLD THE LINE.

>> Nash: AND THE NATIONWIDE NO KINGS PROTEST MAKES ITS MARK IN NEW MEXICO AS THOUSANDS RALLY IN ALBUQUERQUE.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I'M NASH JONES.

THIS WEEK, WE ARE MAKING SOME INTRODUCTIONS.

THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO HAS A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN LEON HOWARD.

HIS PREDECESSOR, PETER SIMONSON, WAS AT THE HELM FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW HOWARD'S LEADERSHIP AND PRIORITIES MAY DIFFER.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME NEW BLOOD HERE AT NMPBS.

WE'LL WELCOME MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST CAILLEY CHELLA TO THE TEAM LATER THIS HOUR.

AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HER AND HER WORK.

YOU'LL ALSO SEE HER WORK FOR YOURSELF.

OVER THE WEEKEND, CAILLEY AND I WENT OUT TO ALBUQUERQUE'S NO KINGS PROTEST TO SEE WHAT THE NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AGENDA LOOKED LIKE HERE AND LEARN WHY THOUSANDS SHOWED UP.

WE'LL ALSO BRING YOU AN UPDATE ON RECA, THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT FROM CONGRESS.

AND WE'LL MEET A COUPLE OF NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO JUST RETURNED FROM COMPETING IN A NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION.

BUT FIRST, PART ONE OF MY INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, LEON HOWARD.

LEON HOWARD, WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> Howard: IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE AGAIN.

TO TALK ABOUT THE CRITICAL CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES WORK WE'RE DOING HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> Nash: AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

YOU'VE ALSO BEEN WITH THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO FOR MANY YEARS IN OTHER CAPACITIES.

I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OUR VIEWERS AS THE ORGANIZATION'S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

>> Howard: YEAH.

I GREW UP HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.

I WENT TO HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL.

UNM, ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

BLEED RED AND GREEN.

SO, THIS IS HOME FOR ME.

HAVING A POSITION LIKE THIS THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN THE MOMENT WE'RE IN WHEN IT PERTAINS TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES IS A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY, BUT ALSO KIND OF A DREAM COME TRUE TO BE WHERE I AM IN THIS MOMENT.

>> Nash: YOU'RE ALSO AN ATTORNEY.

YOUR PREDECESSOR, PETER SIMONSON, WHO LED THE ORGANIZATION FOR OVER TWO DECADES, WAS NOT AN ATTORNEY.

WHAT CHANGES WITH A LAWYER AT THE HELM OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO?

>> Howard: NOT A WHOLE LOT.

PETER BUILT A STRONG, RESILIENT ORGANIZATION.

AND BEING IN A POSITION LIKE THIS FOR 24 YEARS, YOU START TO UNDERSTAND CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES.

ALSO, I DO HAVE A BACKGROUND AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATOR AND THIS IS A LEGAL ORGANIZATION.

SO, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT WE ADD THAT VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY OF ALL OF THE ORGANIZERS AND FOLKS ON THE GROUND THAT RAISE ISSUES UP TO US TO BRING CIVIL RIGHTS CASES THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY CARES ABOUT AND WANTS TO SEE US BRING.

>> Nash: DO YOU IMAGINE THAT, BECAUSE OF THAT LITIGATION THAT THE ACLU LEADS ON, WILL INCREASE UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP?

>> Howard: WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL INCREASE, BUT WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS NOT AFRAID TO BRING ISSUES TO THE COURTS.

AND THAT IS DEFINITELY AN ETHOS THAT I HAVE AS WE MOVE INTO MY LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION.

>> Nash: YOU MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BACKGROUND GROWING UP HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

YOU BRING A DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCE AS THE -- NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

HOW WILL THAT INFORM YOUR APPROACH?

>> Howard: AS I MENTIONED, I GREW UP IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.

I'VE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCES GROWING UP HERE WITH PROFILING.

SO, THAT'S WHAT KIND OF LED ME TO THINK ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES AND LEARN THOSE THINGS.

BUT THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IS EARLY IN MY LIFE I GOT LUCKY AND GOT THIS JOB AS A RUNNER, OR A COURIER, AT A LAW FIRM.

THROUGH THAT, I GAINED TREMENDOUS MENTORS AND I WAS ABLE TO SEE HOW ATTORNEYS CAN HELP PEOPLE, LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEGAL SYSTEM, AND START ENVISIONING MYSELF IN THAT ROLE, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T EXPOSED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME UNTIL I HAD TO RUN ERRANDS TO THE COURT.

AND WHEN I WOULD GO INTO METRO COURT I WOULD SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM WHERE I GREW UP JUST KIND OF LOST IN THAT SYSTEM.

SO, IT REALLY MOTIVATED ME TO NOT JUST BE A PART OF THE LAW THAT IS BEING ACTED UPON, BUT TO BE IN THE SYSTEM AND TRYING TO CHANGE IT FROM THE INSIDE.

>> Nash: AS THE NEW LEADER OF THE ACLU'S LOCAL CHAPTER, CRITICS OF THE ORGANIZATION ARGUE THAT IT STRAYED FROM BEING A NON-PARTISAN DEFENDER OF FREE SPEECH TO BECOMING AN ADVOCATE FOR PROGRESSIVE VALUES AND CAUSES.

THE FORMER NATIONAL ACLU DIRECTOR, IRA GLASSER, IS QUOTED AS SAYING: "THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS FIGHTING ELOQUENTLY FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.

BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE ACLU THAT IS A CONTENT NEUTRAL DEFENDER OF FREE SPEECH.

I FEAR WE'RE IN DANGER OF LOSING THAT."

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT?

>> Howard: YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND YOU DO SEE A SHIFT IN OUR ORGANIZATION FROM WHAT IS THE MOST DIRE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I WOULD PUSH BACK ON THE NOTION THAT THERE AREN'T ORGANIZATIONS ALSO WORKING ON FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES.

WE ARE STILL STAUNCH DEFENDERS OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TRACK RECORD, I BELIEVE YOU WILL SEE THAT.

WE ARE REPRESENTING -- PROTESTERS THAT DATE BACK TO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.

WE'RE REPRESENTING A WOMAN FROM THE EAST MOUNTAINS WHO WAS ARRESTED FOR PROTESTING OUTSIDE OF A GUN SHOW.

SO, IT'S STILL PART OF OUR IDENTITY.

IF WE SEE FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS, WE'RE THERE TO REACT.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT TO BE USED BY EXTREMISTS UNDER THE GUISE OF FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES.

SO, WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE BUILDING INROADS WITH.

IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, BLACK COMMUNITIES, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, THE LGBTQ COMMUNITIES.

SO, WE TAKE AN APPROACH WHERE WE GO THROUGH WHAT WE CALL A CASE SELECTION CRITERIA.

>> Nash: OKAY.

>> Howard: IN THAT, WE DO, A, IS THERE A NOVEL ISSUE ABOUT SPEECH OR THE FIRST AMENDMENT, THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE?

B, CAN THE PERSON WHO IS CONTACTING US GET REPRESENTATION ELSEWHERE?

DO THEY HAVE THE MEANS?

THREE, WE DO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT OUR ADVOCACY IN AN ISSUE WILL DO HARM TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BEING OVER-POLICED.

THAT ARE BEING OPPRESSED IN THE MOMENT.

BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO HOLD BOTH OF THOSE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.

TO GO INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND SAY WE CARE ABOUT YOU, AND THEN TO DO WORK ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT COMMITTED TO NON-VIOLENCE AND WHO ARE ADVANCING RACIST CAUSES.

>> Nash: WHILE YOUR LOCAL CHAPTER HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY IN RECENT YEARS, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ANY NONPROFIT FACES CHALLENGES IN CAPACITY.

AND BEING ABLE TO MEET EVERY ISSUE, EVERY CASE THAT COULD COME UP, THAT ALIGNS WITH THEIR MISSION.

WITH THAT SAID, WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES AS YOU TAKE THE LEADERSHIP ROLE AT THE ACLU?

>> Howard: YEAH, I HEAR THAT QUESTION IN TWO WAYS.

ONE IS, PERSONALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERS.

SO, FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT OF BEING A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND LITIGATOR, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE ME THAT HAVE OPENED DOORS FOR ME.

SO THAT MENTORSHIP, REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE ENVISION THEMSELVES AS LEADERS IN NONPROFIT, OR AS A LAWYER TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING WHAT I CAN TO OPEN DOORS FOR A DIVERSE SET OF UP-AND-COMERS THAT CAN HAVE TOUCH POINTS WITH OUR ORGANIZATION AND ALL OF OUR COALITION PARTNERS.

SO, WE'RE BUILDING THERE.

BUT I THINK THE REAL MEANING BEHIND YOUR QUESTION IS, LIKE, AS THE LEADER OF THIS ORGANIZATION, WHAT IS MY VISION FOR PROTECTING AND ADVANCING CIVIL RIGHTS.

SO, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.

THOSE ARE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, PROTECTING ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM REFORM.

BOTH IN THE CONTEXT ADVOCATING FOR CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING, AND ADVOCATING TO END MASS INCARCERATION.

AND BEING IN A STATE WITH SUCH A VIBRANT NATIVE COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS JUSTICE.

SO, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT YOU'LL SEE US BE VERY PROACTIVE IN, BUT GOING BACK TO OUR OTHER POINT, WE'RE STILL VERY REACTIVE IN HOLDING THE LINE WHEN IT COMES TO SPEECH, PRIVACY, LGBTQ+ ISSUES.

THINGS THAT FOLKS KNOW THE ACLU FOR.

>> Nash: ARE THOSE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT YOU LAID OUT A SHIFT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP?

OR WERE THOSE PRESENT BEFORE YOU TOOK OVER?

>> Howard: SO, THOSE ARE PRESENT.

AND THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEAN INTO EVEN UNDER MY LEADERSHIP.

I SEE TWO PRIMARY VEHICLES TO DO THAT.

OF COURSE, WE SEE UNREST GOING ON THE FEDERAL LANDSCAPE.

AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR-EYED ABOUT WHAT IMPACTS NEW MEXICO, WHAT WE CAN DO AS AN ORGANIZATION, TO HOLD THE LINE THERE.

OUR ORGANIZATION HAS GOTTEN TWO TROs HERE IN NEW MEXICO FROM FEDERAL JUDGES.

ONE TO PREVENT THE TRANSPORT OF OUR CLIENTS HERE IN IMMIGRANT DETENTION TO GUANTANAMO BAY, WHICH IS JUST A CRAZY THING TO THINK ABOUT AND EVEN SAY.

TWO IS ON THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA ISSUES THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT WHERE THEIR VISA STATUS WAS JUST CALLED INTO QUESTION OVERNIGHT.

WE GOT A TRA FROM A FEDERAL JUDGE.

>> Nash: TRO IS A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER.

>> Howard: CORRECT.

TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER TO REINSTATE THE STUDENT VISA STATUS OF A STUDENT FROM GHANA.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE US DO THAT.

BUT I SEE THE REAL WORK TO DO IN NEW MEXICO, TO ENSURE THAT NEW MEXICO IS A BEACON FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, IS ON THE STATE LEVEL.

SO, THE TWO VEHICLES I MENTIONED, ONE IS THE NEW MEXICO CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

AND THAT IS A LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN 2021 THAT CREATES A RIGHT OF ACTION FOR PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO TO ACCESS OUR STATE CONSTITUTION, WHICH PROVIDES GREATER PROTECTIONS TO PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO THAN THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.

>> Nash: SO THEY CAN BRING THEIR CASE IN STATE COURT RATHER THAN FEDERAL COURT?

>> Howard: YES.

AND YOU'LL BE IN FRONT OF JUDGES WHO WE ELECT AS THE ELECTORATE AS OPPOSED TO IN FRONT OF JUDGES THAT ARE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT.

SECOND, WE ARE DEFINING WHAT CIVIL RIGHTS MEAN FOR PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.

WHICH I THINK IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE'S DANGEROUS FEDERAL PRECEDENCE, I CAN SAY, OR PROVISIONS OUT THERE, THAT ARE PRO-GOVERNMENT IN A WAY THAT CREATES BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS THE COURTS, TO ACCESS SOME MEASURE OF RESOLVE WHEN THEIR RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED.

YOU'VE HEARD OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, DELIBERATE INDIFFERENCE.

SO WE'RE REALLY PUSHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FAIRER STANDARDS FOR PEOPLE HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> Nash: WITH THOSE PRIORITIES IN MIND, I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR STRATEGIES.

ATTORNEY FOR THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, DEANNA WARREN, WAS ON WITH US LAST MONTH AS WE MARKED THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND TERM.

SHE LAID OUT A FEW DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT YOU ALL ARE USING, INCLUDING LITIGATION.

SHE NAMED OVER 100 CASES FILED IN THAT FIRST 100 DAYS.

AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, SHE TALKED ABOUT SOME KNOW YOUR RIGHTS EVENTS THAT YOU ALL WERE PUTTING ON IN COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ADVOCATING AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

WITH THOSE STRATEGIES IN MIND, ARE THOSE WHAT IS NEEDED?

ARE THOSE THE RIGHT ONES FOR THIS CURRENT POLITICAL MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN?

>> Howard: ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS A GOOD SEGUE.

I MENTIONED TWO PRIMARY FOCUSES.

ONE IS ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

TWO IS ON PRIVACY ITSELF THAT AS AN UMBRELLA TO ALL OF THOSE AREAS.

WHEN WE REALLY PUSH AT A STATE LEVEL FOR ROBUST PRIVACY PROTECTIONS, THAT PROTECTS OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

IT PROTECTS FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES.

AND IT PROTECTS COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY OVER-POLICED.

SO, YOU HAVE THIS WHOLE UMBRELLA THAT TOUCHES ON ALL OF THOSE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

SO, IF I WAS ABLE TO BREAK THOSE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WE NEED PROVISIONS THAT EMBOLDEN OUR STATE ACTORS TO KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO EXPEND STATE RESOURCES OR COOPERATE IN FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT MEASURES.

THAT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE FOR OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH.

AND WE DON'T NEED OUR STATE RESOURCES GOING TO THAT.

WE HAVE ENOUGH ON OUR HANDS.

AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THE STATUS OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE.

IT'S SO INGRAINED IN NEW MEXICO.

AND IT'S A PART OF OUR RICH, VIBRANT CULTURE.

IF YOU MOVE TO THOSE ACCESSING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, YOU SEE OUR NEIGHBOR IN TEXAS TRYING TO PROSECUTE PEOPLE FOR GOING ACROSS STATE LINES TO ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICE.

AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROVIDERS ARE PROTECTED AND THOSE THAT ARE TRYING TO ACCESS THOSE SERVICES ARE PROTECTED IN A WAY THAT PROVIDERS DON'T HAVE TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH OTHER SOVEREIGNS.

AND NEITHER DOES OUR STATE ACTORS.

AND THEN, GOING INTO KIND OF OVER-POLICED COMMUNITIES.

THERE'S A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.

AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS, FACIAL RECOGNITION, ET CETERA, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR GOOD WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO DO ITS JOB.

RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT ANY SORT OF PARAMETERS ON HOW LONG THEY STORE INFORMATION, WHAT THEY DO WITH IT, WHO THEY SHARE IT WITH, WHEN THEY SHARE IT.

SO, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO PUT GUARDRAILS AROUND HOW OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS USING THAT.

>> Nash: AND THAT WILL BE POLICY CHANGE EFFORT?

>> Howard: CORRECT.

>> Gabauer: NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IS A WORLDWIDE COMPETITION TO SHOW HISTORY TO OTHERS, AND ALSO SHOW STUDENTS WHAT CAN THEY DO WITH THEIR ABILITIES.

AS WE WERE GOING ALONG, WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT ALL THESE ATROCITIES THAT JAPAN DID TO ALL THESE CHINESE OR KOREAN OR ASIAN OR EAST ASIAN PEOPLE ALL OVER THE GLOBE.

AND WE ALL JUST FELT SO BAD THAT WE HAD TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD.

THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE FORGOTTEN.

THAT SHE SHOULD SHARE WHAT HAPPENED IN JAPAN AT THAT TIME PERIOD AND WHAT UNIT 731 DID TO THESE PEOPLE.

>> Nash: MY INTERVIEW WITH THOSE TWO ALBUQUERQUE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE STUDENTS, NICOLE BRICENO GABAUER AND MASARA ALGBURI, IS IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.

A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT ONCE PROVIDED FINANCIAL COMPENSATION TO THE FAMILIES OF PEOPLE EXPOSED TO NUCLEAR RADIATION MIGHT SOON RETURN.

U.S.

SENATORS HAVE ADDED LANGUAGE FROM THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, OR RECA, TO THE MULTI-TRILLION DOLLAR TAX BREAKS BILL.

A PACKAGE REFERRED TO BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AS THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.

THE MOVE COMES NEARLY A YEAR AFTER FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THAT PROGRAM DIED IN D.C.

WITHOUT RECEIVING SO MUCH AS A VOTE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

RECA WAS ORIGINALLY ENACTED IN 1990 AND COMPENSATED VICTIMS IN ABOUT A DOZEN STATES THAT DEVELOPED ILLNESSES FROM NUCLEAR TESTING AS WELL, AS THOSE WHO WORKED AT URANIUM MINING SITES.

THE NEW BILL WOULD EXPAND COVERAGE TO OTHER STATES, INCLUDING MISSOURI AND TENNESSEE.

DEMOCRATIC U.S.

SENATOR BEN RAY LUJAN OF NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN PART OF THE BIPARTISAN PUSH TO KEEP RECA ALIVE.

LAST JUNE, SOURCE NEW MEXICO'S DANIELLE PROKOP SPOKE TO THE SENATOR ABOUT HIS PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE ISSUE.

>> Lujan: I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF LEARNING ABOUT THE INJUSTICES AND CHALLENGES THAT FAMILIES HAVE BEEN FACED WITH FROM FAMILIES IN NEW MEXICO.

LEADERS LIKE TINA CORDOVA OR PHIL HARRISON, AND SO MANY OTHERS, WHOSE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FOR DECADES AND THEY CONTINUE, THEMSELVES, TO FIGHT THE HARMS THAT WERE CREATED FROM BEING EXPOSED.

IN THE CASE OF TULAROSA, NEW MEXICO, FAMILIES LIKE TINA CORDOVA'S, THOSE FAMILIES WERE NEVER WARNED ABOUT THE FIRST ATMOSPHERIC TEST IN THE COUNTRY.

AND IT WAS IN A LITTLE BITTY COMMUNITY IN NEW MEXICO.

THE TRINITY TEST SITE.

WHERE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, LIED TO THESE FAMILIES YEARS LATER AND SAID IT WAS SIMPLY A MUNITION DROP.

NOT THAT IT WAS A NUCLEAR ATMOSPHERIC TEST.

KIDS THOUGHT IT WAS SNOWING.

THEY WERE PLAYING IN THE ASH.

FAMILIES STARTED TO GET CANCER AND CHRONIC AILMENTS AT RECORD PACES.

AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO SEE THAT FOR DECADES.

I LEARNED FROM THEM WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO FIGHT FOR ALL OF THESE INITIATIVES.

AT THE SAME TIME, MY FATHER WHO WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM THE RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT, WHO PASSED AWAY 12 YEARS AGO, HE HAD HIS OWN CANCER FIGHT.

MY DAD WAS NOT A SMOKER.

BUT MY DAD, SADLY, WAS EXPOSED TO BAD THINGS THAT CAUSED THAT CANCER WHILE HE WAS AT THE NATIONAL LABS AS AN IRON WORKER, AS WELDER.

I SAW THE FIGHT THAT HE AND MY MOM FACED EVERY DAY.

AND I SAW FIRST-HAND WHAT FAMILIES GO THROUGH.

SO, THAT EXPERIENCE WITH MOM AND DAD AND MY DAD'S FIGHT AS WELL, WHOSE LIFE WAS TAKEN SOONER THAN IT EVER SHOULD HAVE, COUPLED WITH WHAT I LEARNED FROM PEOPLE AND LEADERS LIKE PHIL AND TINA, TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF FIGHTING FOR THIS.

I MADE THIS COMMITMENT THAT AS LONG AS I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING THE HOUSE AND IN THE SENATE OR IN WHATEVER FORM OR FASHION, THAT I WOULD FIGHT TO CORRECT THIS WRONG.

AND THIS IS AN INJUSTICE THAT WAS CREATED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO SADDLE UP AND HELP THESE FAMILIES TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO.

BECAUSE WHILE NO ONE WILL BE MADE WHOLE, DANIELLE, I BELIEVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HELPING MAKING THESE FAMILIES AS WHOLE AS POSSIBLE.

>> Nash: IF THE TAX BILL IS APPROVED AS IT STANDS, RECA FUNDS WOULD BE EXPANDED TO DOWNWINDERS HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

FAMILIES WHO ONCE LIVED NEAR THE TRINITY TEST SITE.

THE SENATE MUST VOTE ON THE PACKAGE BY JULY 4th.

ON SATURDAY, JUNE 14th, THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED AT MARIPOSA BASIN PARK IN ALBUQUERQUE'S NORTH VALLEY TO VOICE THEIR ANGER AND DISTRUST OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS POLICIES.

THE LOCAL NO KINGS PROTEST COINCIDED WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALONG WITH A MILITARY PARADE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., HELD ON FLAG DAY, WHICH ALSO FELL ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR.

THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR TEAM, CAILLEY CHELLA, TAKES US TO THE ALBUQUERQUE RALLY TO HEAR WHAT DEMONSTRATORS THERE HAD TO SAY.

PROTESTOR: DONALD TRUMP, LET'S BE CLEAR, [IN UNISON ] IMMIGRANTS ARE WELCOME HERE!

DONALD TRUMP, LET'S BE CLEAR, [IN UNISON ] IMMIGRANTS ARE WELCOME HERE!

>> Cailley: THOUSANDS OF NEW MEXICANS GATHERED AT MARIPOSA BASIN PARK IN ALBUQUERQUE LAST SATURDAY FOR THE NO KINGS DAY PROTEST, JOINING A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION POLICIES THAT ORGANIZERS BELIEVE ARE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC.

>> Eisenhart: THEY'VE DEFIED OUR COURTS, DEPORTED AMERICAN CITIZENS, DISAPPEARED PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS, PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF THE RULE OF LAW, SLASHED SERVICES, ALL WHILE ORCHESTRATING A MASSIVE GIVEAWAY TO THEIR BILLIONAIRE BUDDIES.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

A KING IS ONLY A KING IF WE BOW DOWN.

WE'RE NOT BOWING DOWN.

>> Cailley: ALBUQUERQUE'S EVENT WAS A PART OF A WAVE OF HUNDREDS OF LARGELY-PEACEFUL PROTESTS ACROSS THE U.S. ORGANIZERS PROMISED A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DAY.

>> TRUMP IS DESTROYING OUR WORLD.

>> Cailley: BUT THE EVENT'S MESSAGE WAS CLEAR, NEW MEXICANS ARE STANDING UP AGAINST POLICIES THEY SAY THREATEN DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

WHILE THE MOOD HERE IS OBVIOUSLY FESTIVE, THE UNDERLYING CONCERNS ARE SERIOUS.

SPEAKERS RANGED FROM POLITICIANS TO ACTIVISTS, LIKE A 17-YEAR-OLD POET TO REPRESENTATIVE MELANIE STANSBURY.

THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE HERE REPRESENTING TONS OF DIFFERENT CAUSES, BUT THE MAIN FOCUS IS THE BROADER THREAT THAT MANY HERE ARE SEEING TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

>> Stansbury: THAT IS WHO WE ARE.

A BIG BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE, LOVING COUNTRY.

AND WE WILL NOT LET THEM STEAL OUR DEMOCRACY OR OUR JOY!

>> Wewerka: THERE SHOULD BE NO GREATER MISCHIEF, NO SCHEME MORE DISAGREEABLE, NO SENSATION MORE PAINFUL THAN TO HAVE ANOTHER MONARCH, ANOTHER TYRANT, ANOTHER BUFFOON WITH HUNGRY POCKETS AS A LEADER.

>> Cailley: THEN I ASKED SOME ATTENDEES WHY THEY WERE THERE.

>> Vigil: THIS IS EMILIANO ZAPATA, A MEXICAN REVOLUTIONARY WHO WAS VERY FAMOUS FOR A COUPLE OF HIS QUOTES.

ONE WAS: "IT'S BETTER TO DIE ON MY FEET THAN TO LEAVE ON MY KNEES," WHICH IS WHAT THAT SAYS.

HIS OTHER QUOTE WAS: "IF THE PEOPLE CAN HAVE NO JUSTICE, THEN THE GOVERNMENT SHALL KNOW NO PEACE."

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.

TRUMP AND MAGA ARE -- IT'S ESSENTIALLY A FASCIST COUP.

AND AS A PROUD AMERICAN, AND A VETERAN, I HAVE TO RESIST.

>> O'Shea: I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ALL HEALTH CARE.

I'M A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.

I CARE ABOUT GIVING BASIC QUALITY HEALTH CARE TO EVERY PERSON WHO NEEDS IT, ESPECIALLY WITH HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN.

WE CANNOT TAKE WOMEN'S RIGHTS AWAY FROM THEM TO MAKE CHOICES WITH THEIR DOCTORS ABOUT THEIR BODY.

PERIOD.

IT IS THEIR CHOICE.

>> Cailley: AFTER THE SPEECHES, ATTENDEES MARCHED AROUND THE PARK HOLDING SIGNS AND CHANTING.

[FREE, FREE PALESTINE] >> Cailley: AND PBS EVEN GOT A SHOUT OUT.

>> WE NEED OUR PUBLIC RADIO.

WE NEED OUR PUBLIC TELEVISION.

WE NEED NON-PARTISAN NEWS AND INFORMATION WE CAN TRUST.

I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO THE PARTY NOW.

[SPANISH MUSIC PLAYING] >> Cailley: ALBUQUERQUE FIREFIGHTERS SAY, BESIDES HEAT-RELATED ISSUES, THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS.

FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, I'M CAILLEY CHELLA REPORTING.

>> Nash: THANKS TO OUR NEWEST REPORTER HERE AT NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, CAILLEY CHELLA, AND WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME TO INTRODUCE HER TO YOU IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES.

BUT NOW, TO THE SECOND PART OF MY INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, LEON HOWARD.

WE LEFT OFF TALKING ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIORITIES AND HOW THEY FIT INTO THIS CURRENT POLITICAL LANDSCAPE.

AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION, I ASK HOWARD ABOUT A FEW SPECIFIC CASES THAT THE LOCAL ACLU IS WORKING ON AND WHAT HE AND THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION'S ATTORNEYS ARE WATCHING FOR.

AS PROTESTS OVER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT CONTINUE, WITH THE U.S. MILITARY DEPLOYED IN LOS ANGELES.

YOUR ORGANIZATION FILED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE PENITENTIARY.

CHALLENGING AND SEEKING TO END ITS USE OF LONG-TERM SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT CASE STANDS?

>> Howard: IT WAS JUST FILED A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND IT'S IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF LITIGATION.

BUT THIS GOES BACK TO USING OUR STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE BETTER STANDARDS FOR PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO.

IN 2019, WE WERE A PART OF HELPING GET A MEASURE PASSED CALLED THE RESTRICTIVE HOUSING ACT, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO END THE USAGE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, PREGNANT WOMEN, A WHOLE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULDN'T BE SUBJECTED TO THOSE CONDITIONS, AND SHOULDN'T BE SUBJECTED TO THEM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

WHAT WE FOUND IS THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM JUST CREATES PROGRAMS OR OTHER NAMES LIKE RESTRICTED HOUSING.

THE PARTICULAR AIM IN OUR LAWSUIT IS THIS PROGRAM THEY CALLED PREDATORY BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

>> Nash: BUT IT'S SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

>> Howard: BUT IT'S SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

AND PEOPLE ARE IN THERE FOR, MINIMUM, A YEAR BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO ADVANCE THROUGH STEPS.

SO, THE AIM IN THAT LAWSUIT IS TO END SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR LONG-TERM UNDER OUR STATE CONSTITUTION'S EIGHTH AMENDMENT ANALOG.

SO, IN FEDERAL LAND, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED DELIBERATE INDIFFERENCE WHEN YOU TRY TO REDRESS VIOLATIONS FOR CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT.

AND IT'S A HIGH BARRIER TO MEET.

JUST SO LONG AS YOU'RE TOSSING FOOD AT SOMEBODY AND HAVE SOMEBODY WITH HEALTH CARE BACKGROUND CHECKING IN, IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD TO GET REDRESS FROM OUR FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM.

>> Nash: SO, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE BAR IN NEW MEXICO?

>> Howard: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DEFINITELY SHORT OF DELIBERATE INDIFFERENCE HERE.

AND THAT MOVES US TO SOMETHING LIKE THE MANDELA STANDARDS THAT ARE INTERNATIONAL FOR HOW PEOPLE WHO ARE IN GOVERNMENT CAN CONTROL ARE TREATED.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIMITS LIKE 15 DAYS FOR SOMEBODY TO BE HELD IN THOSE TYPES OF CONDITIONS.

>> Nash: OKAY.

THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN RECENTLY UNCOVERED THAT MANY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE NOT REPORTING -- THEY'RE REQUIRED BY LAW, A LAW THAT WAS PASSED TEN YEARS AGO, TO REPORT ANY ASSETS THAT THEY SEIZE.

AND MANY OF THESE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AREN'T FILING THOSE REPORTS.

IT'S MEANT TO BAN WHAT'S CALLED POLICING FOR PROFIT.

WHERE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WOULD SEIZE AN ASSET AND THEN SELL IT.

WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, DOES THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO PLAY IN THIS KIND OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY WORK?

>> Howard: YES, SO, GOING TO THE CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE PROVISION ITSELF, IT JUST SHOWS A NEED FOR US TO CREATE SOME TEETH IN LAWS WHEN WE PASS THEM TO CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY.

BECAUSE, RIGHT NOW, WHAT I GATHER FROM THAT INVESTIGATION IS IT'S REALLY HARD TO FIND A WAY TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE, THESE AGENCIES, ACCOUNTABLE FOR NOT FOLLOWING THAT LAW AND REPORTING OUT THE ASSET FORFEITURES.

THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT THE RESTRICTIVE HOUSING ACT.

IT'S A GREAT LAW, BUT IT'S REALLY HARD TO HOLD THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE IF THERE'S NO TEETH IN THAT LAW.

SO, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD START IS CREATING TEETH SO THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T FOLLOW THE LAW.

ALSO, WHAT ROLE DO WE PLAY IN CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE STUFF?

LIKE WE'VE BEEN TRADITIONALLY INVOLVED WHEN IT CAME TO THE VEHICLE SEIZURE THAT THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE HAS DONE.

IT'S A BREAD-AND-BUTTER FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUE.

IF WE SEE PROBLEMS THERE, WE WOULD RESPOND TOO.

I'LL TAKE YOU BACK SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

THIS IS ANOTHER LAYER OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE.

I WORKED ON A CASE WHERE THERE WERE TWO GENTLEMEN DRIVING THROUGH NEW MEXICO.

THEY WERE PULLED OVER BY STATE AGENCY.

THEY HAD THEIR STUFF SEARCHED AND WERE SENT ON THEIR WAY UP I-25 AND LATER PULLED OVER BY HSI.

>> Nash: HOMELAND SECURITY?

>> Howard: CORRECT.

AND THE FEDS SEIZED THEIR ASSETS.

IN THAT SCENARIO, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS WAY LESS PROTECTION WHEN IT COMES TO ASSET FORFEITURE.

SO, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER LAYER OF THE ISSUE WHEN OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATES WITH THE FEDS AND TURN OVER THE ASSET FORFEITURE TO THE FEDS, IT'S MUCH HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR ASSETS BACK.

AND IT ALLOWS OUR STATE AGENCIES TO SKIRT THE WHOLE ISSUE AROUND TAKING ON THAT PROPERTY.

>> Nash: THANKS FOR BREAKING THAT DOWN.

THIS MONTH, WE'VE UNREST UNFOLD IN LOS ANGELES, WHERE PROTESTERS AGAINST ICE RAIDS IN THAT CITY HAVE BEEN RESPONDED TO BY PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO SENT IN NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM.

AS WELL AS THE MARINES.

AS A BLUE STATE HERE IN NEW MEXICO THAT IS ALSO SEEING ICE RAIDS, MOST RECENTLY AT A DAIRY FARM IN LOVINGTON, HOW DO YOU VIEW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN L.A., FIRST OF ALL?

BUT ALSO, ANY LOCAL IMPLICATIONS?

>> Howard: YEAH, I MEAN, YOU JUST HAVE TO SIT AND LET THAT SINK IN.

OUR PRESIDENT HAS MILITARIZED THE NATIONAL GUARD AND INVOLVED THE MARINES TO SHOW FORCE AGAINST ITS OWN CITIZENS.

THAT SHOULDN'T JUST BE A FOOTNOTE OR SOMETHING THAT WE JUST SKIM BY.

THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT IN OUR COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR THESE MEASURES, TITLE 10, HAVEN'T BEEN USED SINCE WE WERE TRYING TO DESEGREGATE OUR SCHOOLS.

IT'S JUST A PROFOUND ABUSE OF WHAT TITLE 10 IS MEANT FOR.

>> Nash: CAN YOU BREAK DOWN, FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR, WHAT TITLE 10 SAYS?

>> Howard: YEAH, SO, TITLE 10 IS A MEASURE THAT OUR PRESIDENT CAN USE TO INVOKE -- TO GO INTO A SITUATION WHERE A STATE IS BASICALLY BEING RESISTANT TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

AND WHEN I SAY IT THAT WAY IT DOESN'T SOUND THAT PROFOUND, BUT IT IS USED FOR MEASURES LIKE WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH UNREST AS THERE WAS WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO DESEGREGATE SCHOOLS.

IT'S NOT TO BE USED FOR A PRESIDENT'S AGENDA TO MAKE A BLUE STATE LOOK BAD, WHEN THEY ALREADY HAD THOUSANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, DEALING WITH THE SITUATION IN L.A. AND THEY WERE MAKING ARRESTS, AND THEY HAD THE SITUATION CONFINED.

AND WHEN THE PRESIDENT SENT IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, IT STOKED THE PROTESTERS TO BECOME MORE AGITATED AND ACTUALLY START DIRECTING SOME OF THEIR ANGST TOWARDS THE NATIONAL GUARD ITSELF.

AND YOU HAD LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PROTECTING THE NATIONAL GUARD.

IT JUST SHOWS HOW UNWIELDY THAT SITUATION CAN BE AND GET.

YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A CONSTITUTIONAL STANDPOINT, WE ARE PUTTING OUR FEDERAL OFFICERS IN A VERY LEGAL AND MORAL BIND HERE BECAUSE THE CITIZENS STILL HAVE THEIR RIGHTS.

AND THESE OFFICERS TOOK AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION.

WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE, THE RIGHT TO PROTEST PEACEFULLY, AND DUE PROCESS ITSELF.

NOW, WE'VE JUST PUT OUR MILITARY IN A BIND.

AND IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THAT SITUATION, WHEN YOU FEDERALIZE THE NATIONAL GUARD, YOU'RE PULLING THEM AWAY FROM THE WORK THEY'RE DOING TO PREVENT WILDFIRES.

YOU'RE PULLING THEM AWAY FROM THE BORDER WHERE THEY'RE WORKING ON EXTRADITION ISSUES.

AND JUST CREATING A THEATER THAT IS VERY SAD AND SCARY TO SEE.

>> Nash: THE ACLU BILLS ITSELF AS THE NATION'S PREMIER CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES ORGANIZATION.

AS YOU TAKEN LEADERSHIP OF THE LOCAL CHAPTER, WHAT ARE THE STAKES FOR VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES IN NEW MEXICO?

>> Howard: SO, THE STAKES ARE VERY HIGH.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO HOLD THE LINE WHEN THESE FEDERAL ISSUES CREEP INTO OUR COMMUNITIES AND BE VERY RESPONSIVE AND ACCESS THE FEDERAL COURTS WHEN WE NEED TO.

BUT I'LL DOUBLE DOWN AND SAY IT'S WHY WE NEED TO BE VERY BOLD AS A STATE.

WE NEED OUR LAWMAKERS TO BE BOLD WHEN IT COMES TO INSTITUTING PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO.

WE NEED OUR COURTS TO REALLY INTERPRET OUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS IN A WAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THAT PROVIDE GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO.

AND WE NEED TO HOLD OUR GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, ACCOUNTABLE.

I THINK YOU ASKED ME A QUESTION AROUND HOW WE ENGAGE IN ACCOUNTABILITY WORK USING PUBLIC RECORDS LAWS TO DISSECT WHERE OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ARE COOPERATING WITH THE FEDS.

AND ENSURING WE HOLD OUR STATE ACTORS ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR STATE CONSTITUTION, EVEN IF THEY'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE IN FEDERAL ACTIVITY.

>> Nash: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ACLU OF NEW MEXICO, LEON HOWARD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> Howard: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> Nash: A GROUP OF NEW MEXICO HIGH SCHOOLERS JUST RETURNED FROM MARYLAND, WHERE THEY WERE COMPETING IN A NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION PUT ON BY NATIONAL HISTORY DAY, A NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION.

THE FOUR STUDENTS FROM THE ALBUQUERQUE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE, NICOLE BRICENO GABAUER, MASARA ALGBURI, TAM PHAM, AND SMRITI MONGER, ALONG WITH GUIDANCE FROM THEIR TEACHER SHANNON BEYER, WENT THROUGH A RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION PROCESS TO TELL THE STORY OF UNIT 731, A CLASS FIVE HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION PROJECT IN JAPAN DURING WORLD WAR II.

IF YOU AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE SUBJECT, TWO MEMBERS OF THE TEAM JOIN US NOW TO TELL US ABOUT THEY LEARNED AND WHAT IT TOOK TO BRING THEIR SHORT FILM TO THE NATIONAL STAGE.

NICOLE BRICENO GABAUER, MASARA ALGBURI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.

THE DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION THAT YOU COMPETED IN WAS FOR NATIONAL HISTORY DAY.

WHAT IS NATIONAL HISTORY DAY, NICOLE?

>> Gabauer: NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IS A WORLDWIDE COMPETITION BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY IN AMERICA, BUT ALSO PEOPLE IN ASIA, LIKE KOREA AND CHINA, ALSO JOINED THE COMPETITION.

IT'S BASICALLY JUST A COMPETITION TO SPREAD HISTORY.

TO SHOW HISTORY TO OTHERS.

AND ALSO SHOW STUDENTS WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR ABILITIES AND ALSO MAKE THEM GO AND COMPETE AND LEARN AND EVERYTHING.

THAT'S USUALLY WHAT NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IS.

IT'S JUST TO SHOW OFF HISTORY.

SHOW OFF FORGOTTEN HISTORY.

AND SHOW STUDENTS THAT THEY CAN RESEARCH AND DO SO MANY THINGS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE AND LEARN AS THEY LEARN ABOUT HISTORY AND ALL THINGS THAT HAPPENED.

>> Nash: AWESOME.

YOU ALL MADE A DOCUMENT.

IS EVERYONE DOING DOCUMENTARIES?

>> Gabauer: NO.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES IN THE COMPETITION.

THERE ARE EXHIBITS, PERFORMANCES, PAPERS.

AND ALL OF THAT -- AND ALSO, OBVIOUSLY, DOCUMENTARIES.

AND ALL OF US COMPETE ALL AT ONCE.

BUT WE DON'T ALL GET THE SAME AWARDS.

SO, A DOCUMENTARY HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE AWARD AND PERFORMANCE AND EXHIBIT AND PAPER.

AND ALL THAT COMES TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE CEREMONY.

>> Nash: OKAY.

YOU ALL WENT THROUGH A LOT TO GET TO NATIONALS.

MASARA, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STEPS YOU TOOK TO GET TO MARYLAND?

>> Algburi: SO, WE FIRST HAD OUR SCHOOLWIDE COMPETITION.

IT WAS JUST MS. BEYER AND OUR AP SEMINAR CLASS.

SHE STARTED US OFF WITH NHD, WHICH IS NATIONAL HISTORY DAY, SHORT FOR NATIONAL HISTORY DAY WE STARTED OFF AS A CLASS COMPETITION.

BUT ALSO, A SCHOOL-WIDE COMPETITION TO SEE WHO CAN GO ON TO REGIONALS.

AND AFTER REGIONALS, WE WENT TO STATE.

AND FROM STATE TO NATIONALS.

SO, I'M PRETTY SURE FOR THE SCHOOL-WIDE COMPETITION WE WON SECOND.

>> Gabauer: WE PLACED SECOND.

>> Algburi: AND FOR REGIONALS WE PLACED THIRD.

AND STATE FIRST.

>> Nash: CONGRATULATIONS.

>> Gabauer: THANK YOU.

>> Nash: THAT'S HUGE.

YOUR TEAM CREATED A TEN-MINUTE DOCUMENTARY.

IT'S ENTITLED, THE HIDDEN ATROCITIES OF UNIT 731: DENIAL, DUTY, AND THE RIGHT TO JUSTICE.

I'D LIKE TO PLAY A CLIP FOR OUR VIEWERS NOW.

>> IN 1936, JAPAN ESTABLISHED UNIT 731 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. SHIRO ISHII.

DISGUISED AS THE EPIDEMIC PREVENTION AND WATER PURIFICATION DEPARTMENT, ITS TRUE MISSION WAS TO DEVELOP BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN PREPARATION FOR WAR.

THIS PROGRAM DIRECTLY CONTRADICTED JAPAN'S RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.

DESPITE SIGNING THE 1925 GENEVA PROTOCOL WHICH BANNED CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE, JAPAN FAILED TO RATIFY IT DOMESTICALLY.

AS A RESULT, THERE WAS NO LEGAL ENFORCEMENT TO PREVENT THE CREATION OF UNIT 731.

OR TO UPHOLD JAPAN'S BROADER RESPONSIBILITIES TO PROTECT PRISONERS OF WAR AND CIVILIANS UNDER THE HAGUE CONVENTIONS.

UNDER ALIASES, FACILITIES ACROSS EAST ASIA PROCEEDED WITH EXPERIMENTS THAT VIOLATED THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THEIR VICTIMS.

EXPERIMENTS SUBJECTED PRISONERS OF WAR TO VIVISECTION, FROSTBITE, AND WEAPON TESTING FOR KNIVES, FLAMETHROWERS, AND GAS.

PRISONERS WERE INFECTED WITH VARIOUS DISEASES, STARVED, SHOT, STABBED, BOILED ALIVE, HUNG UPSIDEDOWN FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AND THEIR LIMBS WERE CUT OFF AND ATTACHED TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY OTHER THAN THE AMPUTEE SITE.

FEMALE PRISONERS WERE IMPREGNATED BY MALES WHO WERE INJECTED WITH DISEASES AND THEN DISSECTED TO LOOK AT THE DISEASE'S PROGRESSION IN THE FETUS.

THESE EXPERIMENTS RESULTED IN AN ESTIMATED 850,403 DEATHS AND NO RECORDED SURVIVORS.

>> Nash: SO, NICOLE, WE JUST HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE ATROCITIES THAT JAPAN COMMITTED UNDER UNIT 731.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO RESEARCH BUT ALSO RETELL SUCH A BRUTAL HISTORY?

>> Gabauer: AS WE WERE GOING ALONG, WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT ALL THESE ATROCITIES THAT JAPAN DID TO ALL THESE CHINESE OR KOREAN OR ASIAN OR EAST ASIAN PEOPLE ALL OVER THE GLOBE.

AND WE ALL JUST FELT SO BAD THAT WE HAD TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD.

THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE FORGOTTEN.

THAT WE SHOULD SHARE WHAT HAPPENED IN JAPAN AT THAT TIME PERIOD AND WHAT UNIT 731 DID TO THESE PEOPLE AND HOW MUCH PEOPLE THEY HURT.

BUT WHILE WE WERE ALSO RESEARCHING THIS, WE HAD EACH OTHER TO COPE AND TO, YOU KNOW, ALMOST MAKE US FEEL GOOD THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.

THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH PEOPLE THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS HAPPENED, WE'RE SHARING IT NOW.

AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HARMED AND WERE VICTIMS OF THIS ATROCITY ARE NOW ABLE TO GET SOME SORT OF JUSTICE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT IT MORE NOW THAT WE'RE SHARING THIS WITH PEOPLE.

>> Nash: YEAH, KIND OF THE GRAVITY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WORK.

A LOT OF FOLKS ARE PROBABLY UNFAMILIAR WITH UNIT 731.

MASARA, WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS BEFORE YOU CHOSE THIS AS YOUR TOPIC AND STARTED LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT IT?

>> Algburi: NO.

BEFORE OUR TOPIC, WE NEVER CAME ACROSS UNIT 731.

WE TOOK A LOT OF ADVANCED HISTORY CLASSES.

LIKE AP WORLD HISTORY, AND A LOT OF AP CLASSES, AS WELL AS HONOR CLASSES FOR HISTORY.

BUT NOT ONCE DURING THE MENTION OF THE TIMELINE OF WORLD WAR II DID WE EVER HEAR THE WORD IN PASSING, UNIT 731.

SO, WHEN WE CAME ACROSS THIS TOPIC, WE WERE REALLY ASTONISHED THAT SUCH A HUGE ATROCITY WAS COVERED UP AND IS NOT EVEN CONVEYED OR SHARED IN HISTORY CLASSES.

>> Nash: SO, HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT CHOOSING THIS ONCE YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT IT?

>> Algburi: IT PIQUED OUR INTEREST THAT SUCH A HUGE AND FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC WASN'T TALKED ABOUT.

>> Nash: HOW DID YOU LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT THE TOPIC?

ALSO, OUR VIEWERS WILL SEE YOU ALL USED A TON OF ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE, VIDEO AND IMAGES, BOTH.

SO, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU RESEARCHED THE TOPIC.

>> Gabauer: WHAT WE DID WAS THAT, WE SPLIT OUR WORK INTO PERSPECTIVES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD LOOK AT THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVE AND HOW JAPAN WENT THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO ACTUALLY START UNIT 731 AND HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO, WITH THE INTERNATIONAL LAWS, ABLE TO HIDE THAT.

AND THERE WAS NO LEGAL ENFORCEMENT FOR THAT.

ALSO, AT THE END, THEY WERE BEING TRIED FOR THESE CRIMES AND HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO BE LET GO FREE, EVEN THOUGH THOSE ATROCITIES HAPPENED.

AND MASARA WAS LOOKING AT THE MEDICAL AND ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE.

HOW WAS THIS MEDICALLY ADVANCING?

OR HOW WAS THIS EVEN ETHICAL FOR THE JAPANESE TO DO THIS?

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE SPLIT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVES, AND THEN AS WE RESEARCHED WE LOOKED AT ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND ALSO PROFESSORS FROM ALL OVER THAT WERE ACTUALLY RESEARCHING AND SHARING ABOUT UNIT 731 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.

AS WE WERE DOING THAT, WE WERE ALL COMMUNICATING AND MAKING SURE WE ALL HAD THE SAME STORY BECAUSE SO MANY SOURCES CONTRADICTED EACH OTHER.

BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION ON UNIT 731.

WE ALL MADE SURE WE WERE ALWAYS COMMUNICATING.

ALWAYS MAKING SURE WE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE, SO WE COULD FORMULATE THE STORY OF UNIT 731 TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE ELSE.

>> Nash: WELL, YOU FOUND A LOT, INCLUDING FOOTAGE OF THE WAR CRIME TRIALS THAT OCCURRED AFTER WORLD WAR II.

HOW DID THAT TRIAL TURN OUT, MASARA?

AND WHAT IS THE LASTING PRECEDENCE THAT IT SET?

>> Algburi: SO, FOR UNIT 731, AFTER THE WAR ENDS, THE BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI.

THE UNITED STATES AND I THINK 13 OTHER NATIONS, TYPICALLY FROM THE UN, WENT AND TRIED JAPANESE SOLDIERS IN THE TOKYO TRIALS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL FOR THE FAR EAST.

THEY TRIED LOTS OF JAPANESE OFFICIALS, BUT THE OUTCOME OF IT WAS ACTUALLY GRANTING THEM IMMUNITY IN RETURN FOR ACCESS TO THE DATA.

THIS WAS THE UNITED STATES ITSELF.

BECAUSE THEY WENT IN AND THEY GOT JAPAN FIRST.

THEY CAPTURED, THEY CONQUERED, THEY OCCUPIED FIRST, AND THAT ALLOWED THEM TO CAPTURE A LOT OF THE JAPANESE OFFICIALS -- AND THEY GRANTED THEM IMMUNITY TO GAIN DATA THAT THE JAPANESE GOT FROM UNIT 731, IN ORDER TO KEEP THIS AWAY FROM THE SOVIET UNION.

BECAUSE THE COLD WAR IS ON THE BRINK OF HAPPENING.

AND THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE DO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION THAT CAN GIVE THEM A HUGE MILITARY ADVANTAGE.

>> Nash: IN ADDITION TO A MILITARY ADVANTAGE, HOW WAS THAT DATA USED?

>> Algburi: WELL, THE DATA FIRST -- THE UNITED STATES DIDN'T FIND IT REALLY USEFUL ACTUALLY, FOR MILITARY ADVANTAGE.

THEY FOUND IT USEFUL FOR PREVENTING DISEASES.

APART FROM THE DATA, THEY ALSO BEGAN EMPLOYING JAPANESE OFFICIALS.

SO, THEY GRANTED THEM IMMUNITY AND GAVE THEM JOBS TO WORK UNDER THEM, TO HELP THEM DEPLOY AND MAKE MORE BACTERIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.

>> Nash: SO, IT WAS KIND OF AN EXCHANGE AT THAT POINT.

AND DID THAT PLAY INTO WHY SO FEW PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF UNIT 731?

>> Gabauer: THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

SO, IN THAT TIME, THERE WITH WAS A LOT OF MEDIA CENSORSHIP ON THOSE TRIALS.

ALSO, AS THE TOKYO TRIALS, LIKE MASARA SAID, BUT ALSO THE KHABAROVSK TRIALS THAT THE SOVIET UNION DID, WHICH HAD A SIMILAR OUTCOME TO THE TOKYO TRIALS.

WHERE THEY WOULD CENSOR EVERYTHING AFTER THEY RECEIVED THE DATA.

THEY WOULD CENSOR ANYTHING ABOUT UNIT 731.

THEY WOULD CENSOR THE PROTESTS THAT WERE HAPPENING.

THEY WOULD CENSOR EVERYTHING AND ALL THE INFORMATION LEADING UP TO THE TRIAL, SO THAT THE PEOPLE WOULDN'T ALSO SEE THAT JAPAN DID THIS, BUT ALSO THE UNITED STATES OR THE SOVIET UNION COVERED THAT HORRIBLE ATROCITY UP.

>> Nash: WHAT ABOUT JUSTICE?

HAVE THE VICTIMS OR THEIR FAMILIES EVER SEEN JUSTICE?

>> Algburi: NO.

SO, AFTER THE TRIALS WERE HELD, AND AFTER ALL OF THAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE ANGERED.

A LOT OF THE CHINESE AND KOREAN AND RUSSIANS HAD BEEN PROTESTING AGAINST THIS.

AND THERE HAS BEEN SLIGHT COMPENSATION, BUT ONLY TO SELECT VICTIMS THAT THE JAPANESE ACTUALLY VIEWS AS VICTIMS.

THEY SAY A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE PRETENDING THEY'RE VICTIMS.

AND LOTS OF PRIME MINISTERS, OR JUST LEGAL OFFICIALS IN JAPAN, HAD BEEN DENYING THAT THIS EVER OCCURRED.

>> Nash: Y'ALL'S EXPERTISE IN THIS TOPIC IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

YOU CLEARLY DID A TON OF RESEARCH.

I THOUGHT THE DOCUMENTARY WAS REALLY WELL-SOURCED AND REALLY WELL DONE.

WHILE YOU DIDN'T PLACE IN NATIONALS, YOU GOT THERE.

YOU WENT THROUGH ALL THOSE STEPS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IN STATE COMPETITIONS.

AND THAT'S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT IN AND OF ITSELF.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

>> Algburi: THANK YOU.

>> Nash: IN GENERAL, EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T CONTINUE MAKING DOCUMENTARIES, DO YOU SEE THIS PROCESS IMPACTING YOUR FUTURE?

WHETHER THAT'S ACADEMICALLY, OR ANY FUTURE CAREER THAT YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF?

>> Algburi: I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE MAIN PART OF THE DOCUMENTARY ITSELF IS THE RESEARCH.

AND RESEARCH IS REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR ACADEMIC CAREER.

BEING ABLE TO FIND SOURCES THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND SYNTHESIZING THEM AND GAINING WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FROM THAT.

AND THEN, BEING ABLE TO CONVEY THAT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE NHD ALLOWS YOU TO CONVERT IT INTO DIFFERENT MEDIA WAYS.

SO, YOU HAVE THE DOCUMENTARY.

YOU HAVE AN EXHIBIT.

YOU HAVE A PERFORMANCE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO RESEARCH.

TAKE OUT THE INFORMATION YOU WANT, SYNTHESIZE THAT, AND COMPACT IT AND CONVEY IT.

>> Gabauer: ALSO, NATIONAL HISTORY DAY, FOR US ESPECIALLY, TAUGHT US HOW TO WORK IN A GROUP.

USUALLY, IN GROUPS YOU ALWAYS HAVE LET'S DIVIDE AND CONQUER.

YOU DO THIS PART.

YOU DO THIS PART.

YOU DO THIS PART.

WE ALL COME TOGETHER, PRESENT THE POWERPOINT OR GOOGLE SLIDES, AND THAT'S IT.

FOR THIS SPECIFIC ONE, SINCE IT WAS SUCH AN UNKNOWN TOPIC, WE COULDN'T DO THAT.

WE HAD TO CONTINUE CONVERSING, LIKE I SAID BEFORE.

WE HAD TO CONTINUE TALKING.

WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, THE SAME STORY, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE CONFLICTING AND SOURCES AND EVERYTHING WAS BLOCKED.

SO, WE DIDN'T WHAT TO TRUST.

LIKE IF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED, WAS THIS TRUE?

WAS THIS NOT TRUE?

WITH THAT, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SEE HOW WORKING IN A GROUP IS DIFFERENT FOR THIS SPECIFIC PART AND LEARNING FOR FUTURE PROJECTS HOW THIS IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF ALL OF US UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

>> Nash: TOTALLY.

I IMAGINE THOSE SKILLS WILL SERVE YOU WELL.

NICOLE, MASARA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON TO TALK ABOUT YOUR DOCUMENTARY AND YOUR PROCESS.

AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.

>> Gabauer: THANK YOU.

>> Algburi: THANK YOU.

>> Nash: EARLIER, WE BROUGHT YOU TO THE NO KINGS PROTEST IN ALBUQUERQUE.

AND YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED AN UNFAMILIAR REPORTER TELLING YOU THAT STORY.

WELL, LET'S MAKE HER UNFAMILIAR NO MORE.

CAILLEY CHELLA IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO OUR TEAM HERE ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

I GOT A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH HER TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HER WORK AND WHAT SHE'LL BRINK TO THE PROGRAM.

CAILLEY, WELCOME TO THE TEAM.

I KNOW IT MIGHT BE KIND OF FUNNY TO HEAR THAT FROM ME, HAVING JUST STARTED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

WE'RE REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US.

>> Cailley: YEAH, NASH, WE'RE THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.

>> Nash: THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Cailley: WE COULD START A BAND.

ALTHOUGH, I FEAR THAT NAME IS PROBABLY ALREADY TAKEN.

>> Nash: I HEARD IT IS.

WELL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PATH TO GET TO, NOT ONLY NEW MEXICO, BUT NEW MEXICO PBS.

>> Cailley: YEAH, SO I STARTED MY CAREER IN LOS ANGELES.

AND AND WORKED MY WAY UP INTO WORKING WITH VICE NEWS, WHICH IS A NATIONAL NEWS ORGANIZATION THAT DOES A LOT OF DOCU-STYLE STORIES.

THAT MEANS THEY'RE A LITTLE LONGER THAN THE AVERAGE NEWS STORY.

VICE WAS GREAT AT DOING IN DEPTH STORIES.

VICE DID GO UNDER.

SO, NO ONE WORKS FOR VICE NEWS ANYMORE.

BUT THAT LED ME INTO THE PUBLIC SPHERE OF NEWS.

SO, I STARTED WORKING AT PBS UTAH.

AND I WAS THEIR POLITICS AND ELECTIONS REPORTER.

OBVIOUSLY, THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE IS OVER.

SO, YEAH, I'M HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

AND I THINK NEW MEXICO IS GREAT.

IT'S A PLACE THAT'S FULL OF CULTURE AND DIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE PART OF A NEWS TEAM THAT I THINK IS INVESTING IN STORIES THE SAME WAY THAT VICE WAS.

>> Nash: NICE.

I'M GLAD THAT YOU SEE THAT IN US.

>> Cailley: YEAH.

>> Nash: SO, YOU DID WORK IN L.A. FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

AND IT WASN'T ALWAYS HARD NEWS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT?

>> Cailley: TONS.

LOTS OF CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS.

I STARTED IN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING.

SO, I HAVE MET ARTISTS AND PEOPLE LIKE LADY GAGA, ARIANA GRANDE, YOU NAME IT.

I THINK ONE OF MY MOST FUN CELEBRITY STORIES IS -- I WAS A PART-TIME ASSISTANT FOR SUZANNE SENA.

AND SHE GOT INVITED TO A GIFTING SUITE, WHICH IS AROUND ALL OF THE AWARDS SHOWS.

THEY INVITE FAMOUS PEOPLE TO COME AND BRANDS JUST GIVE YOU FREE STUFF.

SO, SHE INVITED ME TO GO WITH HER.

I SHOW UP TO THE GIFTING SUITE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WEAR.

IT'S A GIFTING SUITE.

IT'S LIKE THE ACADEMY AWARDS.

I GET ALL DRESSED UP.

SO, WE GO IN AND PEOPLE THINK I'M FAMOUS.

SO, THEY'RE GIVING ME FREE STUFF.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY NO TO FREE WIRELESS HEADPHONES, RIGHT?

SO, WE LEAVE.

I'VE GOT A BAG OF STUFF THAT I'M GOING THROUGH ON THE ELEVATOR DOWN.

SUZANNE IS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE.

AND WE GET OUT, AND SHE ELBOWS ME ON THE SIDE.

AND SHE'S LIKE, CAILLEY, DO YOU KNOW WHO WE WERE JUST IN THE ELEVATOR WITH?

IT TURNS OUT WE WERE IN THE ELEVATOR WITH ERNIE HUDSON, AND I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT THE BEST GHOSTBUSTER WAS THREE FEET AWAY FROM ME.

BUT, YEAH.

L.A. WAS A GOOD TIME.

WHAT I REALLY THINK I CAME AWAY FROM WITH L.A. IS THE PEOPLE.

LIKE, I REALLY LIKED DOING STORIES ABOUT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WORKING FOR CHANGE.

OR, YOU KNOW, GRASSROOTS GROUPS THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

>> Nash: SO, THAT KIND OF SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LIKE YOUR ORIGIN STORY WHEN IT COMES TO JOURNALISM.

BUT WHAT BROUGHT YOU INTO JOURNALISM?

ALSO, WHAT SUSTAINS YOU IN THIS WORK?

>> Cailley: YEAH.

I GOT INTO JOURNALISM BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF STORYTELLING.

THAT IT CAN CHANGE HOW PEOPLE SEE THE WORLD.

AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT.

I THINK STORYTELLING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND EVEN IF IT JUST HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR NEIGHBOR BETTER, LIKE, WE'RE DOING OUR JOB.

WHAT KEEPS ME GOING IS A GOOD QUESTION.

I FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME SOMEONE TRUSTS ME WITH THEIR STORY, IT'S NOT JUST PRIVILEGE, BUT IT REALLY SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE AN HONOR THAT THEY'RE BRINGING ME INTO THEIR LIFE AND SHARING THEIR SOUL AND THEIR STORY AND THEY'RE LETTING ME TELL IT.

SO, THE CHALLENGE OF TELLING THEIR STORY, NOT JUST IN THE MOST IMPACTFUL WAY, BUT ALSO THE MOST ACCURATE WAY AND THE MOST FAIR WAY, IS A CHALLENGE WITH BASICALLY EVERY STORY.

SO, I LIKE THE CHALLENGE.

>> Nash: YEAH.

WHAT KIND OF STORIES ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT TELLING?

MAYBE IN GENERAL, BUT ALSO HERE AT NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, SPECIFICALLY.

>> Cailley: YEAH.

I LOVE STORIES THAT MAKE PEOPLE STOP AND THINK, "I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS HAPPENING HERE."

WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SMALL, LOCAL GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING TO ENACT CHANGE.

OR A POLICY WITH UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, OR A FAMILY WORKING THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT WASN'T MADE FOR THEM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CENTERING PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE ISSUES AND NOT ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE PERSON THAT'S IN POWER.

I ALSO REALLY LOVE STORIES THAT -- INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE ISSUE, FOCUS ON SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE DOING TO HELP.

SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY AFTER WATCHING THE STORY FEELING INSPIRED AND EDUCATED, BUT ALSO MAYBE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE INSTEAD OF FEELING OVERWHELMED OR ISOLATED.

>> Nash: YOU'RE ALSO NEW TO TOWN.

AT THE SAME TIME, JOURNALISM IS HAVING TRUST ISSUES LIKE THE INDUSTRY HAS NEVER HAD BEFORE, IN TERMS OF PEOPLE DOUBTING WHAT THEY'RE SEEING ON THE NEWS.

WHAT ROLE DOES TRUST BUILDING PLAY IN GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE NOW REPORTING ON?

AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IT?

>> Cailley: THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

THIS MIGHT BE A CONTROVERSIAL ANSWER.

I HOPE NONE OF MY JOURNALISM PROFESSORS ARE WATCHING.

WHEN IT COMES TO JOURNALISM, ON THE WHOLE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN AND SHOWING PEOPLE HOW WE GET THE STORIES WE GET, HOW WE TALK TO THE PEOPLE WE TALK TO, WHY WE CHOSE THE SPECIFIC WORDS WE CHOSE.

AND I THINK BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT IS GOING TO LEAD TO MORE TRUST.

I THINK PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE THESE INSANE DATABASES OF PEOPLE TO CALL.

AND WE HAVE EVERYONE'S CELL PHONE.

AND WE'RE INVOLVED IN SOME UNDERGROUND THING WITH ALL THIS MASSIVE TECH.

WE DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE THAN PEOPLE HAVE AT HOME.

ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, I THINK TRUST COMES, FIRST AND FOREMOST, FROM EDUCATING YOURSELF.

MAKING SURE YOU'RE NOT WALKING INTO A STORY AND EXPECTING MORE LABOR OUT OF THE PEOPLE YOU'RE INTERVIEWING THAN YOU'RE ALREADY ASKING FROM THEM.

SO, EDUCATING YOURSELF, AND THEN SHOWING UP WITHOUT JUDGMENT.

YOU KNOW, ALWAYS BEING FAIR, BALANCED, AND ACCOUNTABLE.

>> Nash: YEAH.

IN TERMS OF THE TRANSPARENCY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT WITH WOULD YOU LIKE OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW ABOUT HOW YOU WORK, BUT ALSO HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED WITH THE REPORTING YOU'RE DOING?

>> Cailley: I WOULD LOVE VIEWERS TO SEE ME AS A RESOURCE.

YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME ON FACEBOOK, ON INSTAGRAM, ON BLUESKY, ON THREADS.

YOU NAME IT.

@CAILLEYCHELLA.

FIRST NAME, LAST NAME.

OR YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT THE AT CCHELLA@NMPBS.ORG.

JOURNALISM IS A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION.

AND THAT'S WHEN IT WORKS BEST.

>> Nash: WELL, WE'VE HAD A, MORE OR LESS, SERIOUS CONVERSATION.

AND AS YOU'RE TRYING TO GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I GUESS I WANT TO ASK IS THERE ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?

NOT ONLY PROFESSIONALLY, BUT PERSONALLY?

>> Cailley: YEAH, THIS IS A FUN QUESTION.

I LOVE KARAOKE.

LOVE KARAOKE.

>> Nash: OH, REALLY?

>> Cailley: AND I LOVE SURPRISING PEOPLE.

SO, EVERY TIME I GO TO KARAOKE MY NUMBER ONE SONG IS COMO LA FLOR BY SELENA.

AND I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH FLUENTLY, BUT NEITHER DID SELENA.

ENTONCES SI SOLO HABLAS ESPANOL Y TIENE UNA HISTORIA O UNA PROBLEMA PUEDES CONTACTAR ME.

Y POR FAVOR, CONTACTAR ME.

EL LENGUAGAJE NO SERA UNA BARRERA.

AND THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL LANGUAGES NEW MEXICANS SPEAK.

LANGUAGE WILL NOT BE A BARRIER.

I WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL SEEN AND REPRESENTED, REGARDLESS OF THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY SPEAK.

>> Nash: CAILLEY CHELLA, THANK YOU.

AND WELCOME, AGAIN, TO THE TEAM.

>> Cailley: THANK YOU, NASH.

>> Nash: THANKS TO CAILLEY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INTRODUCE HERSELF A BIT.

AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING US WELCOME HER HERE TO THE PROGRAM.

JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR AN INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE SPECIAL, HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF OUR COLLABORATION WITH NONPROFIT NEWS ORGANIZATION NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH.

FOR NEW MEXICO PBS, I'M NASH JONES.

UNTIL THEN, STAY FOCUSED.

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