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

>> Lou: THIS WEEK ON NEW  MEXICO In FOCUS, BEND IT LIKE BURQUE.

NEW MEXICO UNITED’S CEO TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES  AS CITY COUNCILORS APPROVED A LEASE FOR A NEW SOCCER  STADIUM, YEARS AFTER VOTERS DECLINED THE INITIAL IDEA.

PLUS -- >> Kevin: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN  YOU ADD MORE TIME AND DON’T  CHANGE THE FUNCTIONING REALITY OF WHAT’S HAPPENING  IN SCHOOLS IS YOU REALLY DO JUST GET MORE OF THE SAME.

>> Lou: TEACHERS, LAWMAKERS AND OTHERS ARE PUSHING BACK  AGAINST A PROPOSED CHANGE THAT WOULD ADD MORE SCHOOL  DAYS AROUND THE STATE.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS  NOW.

>> Lou: THANKS FOR JOINING  US THIS WEEK.

I'M SENIOR PRODUCER LOU  DIVIZIO.

THE STATE’S PUBLIC EDUCATION  DEPARTMENT WANTS TO CHANGE SCHOOL CALENDARS.

IF ADOPTED, THE MEASURE WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF  INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS STATEWIDE.

OVER THE NEXT HOUR, I’LL SPEAK WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE  WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROPOSAL.

YOU’LL HEAR FROM A TEACHER’S UNION PRESIDENT WHO SAYS  CONTINUALLY ADDING MORE TIME IN THE CLASSROOM JUST MEANS  STRETCHING ALREADY STRESSED TEACHERS EVEN THINNER, AND A  STATE LEGISLATOR CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMING OF PED'S  PLAN, LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER LAWMAKERS PASSED A SIMILAR  EXTENSION.

PED DECLINED TO MAKE SOMEONE  AVAILABLE FOR TONIGHT’S SHOW, SO YOU WILL'S NOT BE  HEARING THE DEPARTMENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THIS  PROPOSAL.

IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE  SHOW, OUR LAND’S LAURA PASKUS SPEAKS WITH NEW  MEXICO POET LAUREATE LAUREN CAMP.

FOR CAMP, POETRY IS A WAY TO BUILD EMPATHY.

SHE TALKS WITH LAURA ABOUT HER NEW BOOK AND A PROJECT  THAT BRINGS WHAT SHE CALLS EPIC POETRY TO COMMUNITIES  ACROSS THE STATE.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD TO  ALBUQUERQUE'S BALLOON FIESTA PARK WHERE THE CITY'S USL  SOCCER CLUB HAS THE GREEN LIGHT TO BUILD A NEW  STADIUM.

PETER TREVISANI, CEO AND  PRESIDENT OF NEW MEXICO UNITED, STOPPED BY OUR  STUDIO FOR A ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLY 'THE  PAPER’ EDITOR ANDY LYMAN CHATS WITH TREVISANI ABOUT  PLANS FOR THE NEW FIELD.

HE ALSO ASKS ABOUT THE CITY  COUNCIL'S DECISION THIS MONTH TO APPROVE A LEASE FOR  THE STADIUM, WHICH COMES AFTER VOTERS DENIED THE  INITIAL IDEA IN 2021.

>> Andy: PETER TREVISANI,  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND TALKING TO ME ABOUT  THE STADIUM TODAY.

>> Peter: HEY, IT'S GREAT  TO BE HERE.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME IN,  ANDY.

>> Andy: IN TERMS OF FULL  DISCLOSURE, I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION I'VE GOT A  TEN-YEAR-OLD SUPER FAN OF ALL THINGS SOCCER AT HOME.

SO I AM A SEASON TICKET HOLDER THIS PAST SEASON,  SEASON TICKET HOLDER GOING FORWARD.

WE WENT TO ALMOST EVERY HOME GAME LAST SEASON, AND HOPE  TO DO THE SAME.

SO JUST TO SORT OF GET THAT  OUT THERE BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THE CONVERSATION.

>> Peter: I'M A SEASON TICKET HOLDER, AS WELL, SO  WE SHARE THAT IN COMMON.

>> Andy: GOOD, GOOD.

WELL, I HOPE THEY DON'T CHARGE YOU.

>> Peter: I DO PAY FOR MY SEASON TICKETS, BUT THAT'S A  WHOLE OTHER STORY.

>> Andy: WELL, WE CAN GET  RIGHT INTO IT HERE.

NEW MEXICO UNITED HAD A WIN  OFF THE FIELD, SO TO SPEAK, WHEN THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY  COUNCIL APPROVED A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOUR  ORGANIZATION, NEW MEXICO UNITED, AND THE CITY OF  ALBUQUERQUE TO USE SOME SPACE AT THE BALLOON FIESTA  PARK FOR THIS NEW STADIUM.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH SORT  OF WHAT THE FAN EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE AT THIS NEW  STADIUM COMPARED TO WHERE YOU PLAY NOW AT THE ISOTOPES  PARK.

>> Peter: ABSOLUTELY.

FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT THE CITY  COUNCIL APPROVED IT, THE LEASE OF SEVEN ACRES OF LAND  TO THE TEAM SO WE CAN BUILD A PROPERLY FUNDED STADIUM AT  A 7-2 VOTE, AND THEN ALSO EPC VOTING 8-1 TO ADAPT THE  MASTER PLAN.

SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY  VALIDATING, JUST THEM SAYING, HEY, WE'RE IN A  GROWING CITY AND THESE ARE THE KIND OF PROJECTS AND  ASSETS, COMMUNITY ASSETS, WE NEED TO BE THE NEXT BEST  VERSION OF OURSELVES.

IN TERMS OF THE EXPERIENCE  WITHIN THE NEW FACILITY, WE'RE STARTING TO JUST GET  TO THE FUN PART AFTER YEARS OF GETTING HERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM ISOTOPES.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE,  BECAUSE IT'S ALL NOT SET IN STONE, BUT WHAT'S REALLY  IMPORTANT IS IT HAS TO FEEL AUTHENTIC FOR NEW MEXICANS.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S A PLACE THAT WHEN YOU GO  THERE, YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A NEW  MEXICO STADIUM.

I FEEL LIKE, HOW DO WE  INTEGRATE THINGS LIKE THE SUN, AND HOW DO WE INTEGRATE  THE WIND AND OUR NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE MOUNTAINS INTO  THE FACILITY.

AND THEN I ALSO THINK  SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS ON IS, HOW DO  WE PROMOTE OUR BEST ASSETS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHY CAN'T 100%  OF THE FOOD IN THE FACILITY BE FROM NEW MEXICO, OR IF  SOMEONE IS MAKING GRAPEFRUIT, AT LEAST IT'S  COMING THROUGH SOME KIND OF NEW MEXICO VENDOR.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO BRING IN FROZEN CHEESEBURGERS FROM  CINCINNATI.

SO I REALLY FEEL LIKE IF WE  CAN START TO SHOW OFF OUR GREATEST ASSETS, AND WE HAVE  SOME OF BEST FARMS AND RANCHES IN THE WORLD, THEN  THAT'S PART OF OUR MISSION AND THAT'S HOW WE MAKE THE  NEXT BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES.

>> Andy: AND WHEN SHOULD FANS EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO,  YOU KNOW, STEP THROUGH THESE GATES TO SEE A GAME FOR THE  FIRST TIME?

>> Peter: RIGHT NOW, RATHER  THAN FOCUSING ON GROUNDBREAKING, WHAT WE'RE  FOCUSING ON IS STAYING IN DIALOGUE WITH ALL THE  CONSTITUENTS.

SO CLEARLY THE CITY, BUT  ALSO BALLOON FIESTA AND THE NEIGHBORS, AND MAKING SURE  THAT WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER IS SOMETHING THAT'S RESPECTFUL  OF OUR SURROUNDINGS AND PUTS US ALL IN THE BEST LIGHT,  BECAUSE IT REALLY IS, WHILE PRIVATELY FUNDED, A  COMMUNITY ASSET.

WE'RE TARGETING 2026.

I THINK THAT IS A DATE WORTH GOING FOR AND SHOOTING FOR,  BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT AND WE DON'T  TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS.

>> Andy: AND I THINK  CURRENTLY, ISOTOPES IS UP 2027.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> Peter: WE WERE ABLE TO  EXTEND WITH THE ISOTOPES TO 2027, WHICH WAS GREAT,  BECAUSE WE DO NEED A PLACE TO PLAY.

SO IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER, NOT A LOT.

SO WE'RE REALLY AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO MOVE  FORWARD.

IT'S A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS  FROM HERE NO MATTER WHAT.

AND SO WHETHER IT'S 2026,  2027, WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD FROM HERE.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO PUSH OUTSIDE OF THAT  ENVELOPE.

>> Andy: I'D LIKE TO GET  INTO SOME SPECIFICS OF THE LEASE.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO LINE-BY-LINE THROUGH THE  LEASE AGREEMENT, BUT TECHNICALLY, THERE'S SOME  PUBLIC MONEY INVOLVED, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S MONEY  COMING FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH SORT OF WHO'S PAYING FOR WHAT AND  HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN?

>> Peter: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN ON THAT.

I'D EXPLAIN IT LIKE THIS.

WE HAVE, FOR THE LAST FEW  YEARS, BEEN FOCUSED ON BUILDING A PRIVATELY FUNDED  STADIUM.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT WAS  PRETTY CLEAR TO US WE WERE GOING TO NEED SOME KIND OF  COLLABORATION WITH THE PUBLIC, JUST TO BE ABLE TO  BUILD A FACILITY.

SO WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF  SIGHTS, AND WHEN WE CAME TO BALLOON FIESTA, WHAT REALLY  WAS EXCITING ABOUT THAT LOCATION FOR US IS THAT,  ONE, THERE'S 13,000 PARKING SPOTS THERE ALREADY.

THEY ARE USED FOR TWO WEEKS OUT OF THE YEAR FOR ONE OF  THE GREATEST FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD.

THE GREATEST BALLOON FESTIVAL, AND ONE OF THE  GREATEST FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD.

AND FOR THOSE COUPLE WEEKS, WE WON'T BE ACTIVATE, OR  ACTIVATED, SO THAT'S GREAT.

THE INGRESS AND EGRESS CAN  HANDLE 100,000 PEOPLE, WE'RE CLOSER TO 10,000.

SO WE HAD THIS SITE THAT WAS REALLY USED TO THAT.

AT THAT POINT, THEN, IT BECOMES, WELL, HOW DO YOU  BUILD SOMETHING PRIVATELY ON PUBLIC LAND, AND WE HAVE  ANTI-DONATION CLAUSES.

SO WHERE WE CAME OUT IS,  YES, WE'LL LEASE SEVEN ACRES, WHICH WOULD BE THE  FOOTPRINT OF THE STADIUM, AND BUILD PRIVATELY.

SO 100% OF THE STADIUM ON THAT SEVEN ACRES IS PRIVATE.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THAT  NEED TO GO INTO PLACE, MANY OF WHICH NEEDED TO GO INTO  PLACE ANYWAY FOR THIS 400-ACRE PARK.

MAYBE THAT MEANS IMPROVING POWER, WATER.

THERE HAS TO BE WORK TO BE DONE TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY  WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE.

BUT THANKFULLY, THE STATE  LEGISLATURE HAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED ABOUT $13,000  OF PUBLIC MONEY AS WELL AS, I THINK, ANOTHER $5 MILLION  FOR BALLOON FIESTA, SO I THINK THERE'S ABOUT  $18 MILLION OF PUBLIC MONEY THAT CAN ONLY GO INTO THE  INFRASTRUCTURE.

BUILDING BATHROOMS, MAKING  SURE VENDOR ROW IS BETTER, LIGHTING, MAYBE REPAVING,  WHICH IS A COMMON EXPENSE FOR A PUBLIC PARK.

SO THAT'S WHERE IT SITS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE OBLIGATED IN THE LEASE TO PUT IN AT LEAST  $30 MILLION OF PRIVATE MONEY, AND WE'RE PREPARED TO  DO THAT, AND I THINK BETWEEN THAT AND THE STATE MONEY  THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FACILITY  THAT WE'RE ALL REALLY PROUD OF.

>> Andy: SO THAT'S $13 MILLION FROM CAPITAL  OUTLAY MONEY THAT LOCAL LEGISLATORS SORT OF  EARMARKED FOR THAT, RIGHT?

>> Peter: THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SOME OF THAT MONEY WAS SPENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE  CITY DID A FEASIBILITY STUDY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

THEY USED SOME OF THAT MONEY TO DO SOME PRELIMINARY WORK.

SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN PUT IN PLACE.

BUT THAT WAS EARMARKED TO BUILD THE FACILITY, AND 100%  IS COMING FROM CAPITAL OUTLAY.

>> Andy: GOTCHA.

LET'S GO BACK IN TIME A  LITTLE BIT HERE.

IN 2021, 65% OF THE VOTERS  ESSENTIALLY SAID, NO WAY, WE DON'T WANT TO FUND A STADIUM  WITH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH SORT OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE  ARE TODAY AND WHAT SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE,  WHO YOU HAD TO TALK TO, HOW YOU CAME TO THAT DECISION  AS -- I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY OWNER, BUT HOW THE TEAM  CAME TOGETHER AND MADE THE DECISION, HEY, LET'S THROW  SOME MONEY IN FOR THIS?

>> Peter: YEAH, I THINK TO  REALLY DO THAT, WE HAVE TO LIKE TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE  STEPS BACKWARD AND KIND OF GO TO THE WHOLE ORIGIN OF  THE TEAM.

WHEN THE OWNERSHIP GROUP  CAME TOGETHER FOR NEW MEXICO UNITED -- AS YOU MENTIONED,  I'M ONE OF THE OWNERS, I'M THE MAJORITY OWNER, BUT WE  HAVE OTHER OWNERS.

AND WE'RE ALL EITHER FROM  NEW MEXICO OR RAISED OUR FAMILIES IN NEW MEXICO.

AND SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS, YES, WE WANTED TO BRING  A SOCCER TEAM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANTED TO  FIGURE OUT, HOW CAN WE BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER,  ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHERE IT FELT VERY DIVIDED.

HOW CAN WE BRING A COMMUNITY TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN SHOW  EVERYBODY THAT WHEN WE ALL RALLY TOGETHER, WE'RE THE  STRONGEST BEST VERSION OF OURSELVES.

AND SOCCER, BEING A SPORT THAT'S PLAYED ALL OVER THE  WORLD -- IT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY SPORT THAT'S PLAYED IN  EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD -- IS THE PERFECT  VEHICLE TO INCLUDE ALL.

SO WHEN WE BROUGHT THE TEAM IN, WE KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE A  PLACE, A SOCCER VENUE.

THAT WAS REALLY CLEAR.

WE LOOKED AROUND.

THERE WAS NOTHING.

SO THE IDEA WAS, WELL, COULD WE CONVERT ISOTOPES PARK,  WHICH IS A CITY-OWNED PARK THAT THE ISOTOPES LEASE AND  HAVE BEEN LEASING FOR 20 YEARS, AND DOING AN AMAZING  JOB WITH, COULD WE CONVERT THAT INTO A SOCCER FIELD.

AND THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SOME OTHER CITIES.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO WE CONVERTED THE CURRENT  FIELD FROM A BASEBALL STADIUM INTO A SOCCER  STADIUM.

SO WE HAVE TO GET AROUND THE  MOUND, FILL IN THE INFIELD.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK, A LOT  OF MONEY, AND THAT'S ALL GREAT.

WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO THAT.

WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH AT THAT POINT IS,  IS THIS A TEAM THAT THE STATE'S INTERESTED IN, THAT  THE CITY IS INTERESTED IN.

ARE PEOPLE GOING TO SHOW UP?

AND IF THEY DO, THEN WE'LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT  KIND OF FACILITY WE NEED.

ARE WE GETTING THREE OR FOUR  THOUSAND PEOPLE, OR 13 OR 14 THOUSAND PEOPLE?

AND LUCKILY, IT WAS THE LATTER.

WE HAD OVER 10,000 PEOPLE A GAME THE FIRST SEASON.

AND THEN WE HAD COVID.

SO WE CLEARLY HAD THIS TEAM  THAT WAS ACTIVATED.

SO THEN IT BECAME A MATTER  OF, WHAT IS NEXT?

AND I THINK THE CITY FELT  THAT, HEY, 20 YEARS EARLIER, WE USED A SIMILAR MECHANISM  TO BUILD A STADIUM FOR ISOTOPES THAT WAS PAID FOR  USING CITY TAX DOLLARS, BUT THEN WOULD BE LEASED OUT TO  A TEAM.

SO WE GOT BEHIND THAT IDEA,  AND YOU'RE RIGHT, PEOPLE VOTED, AND IT WAS HEARD 65%  OF PEOPLE SAID, NO, WE DO NOT WANT TO USE CITY DOLLARS  TO BUILD A PUBLIC STADIUM, WE WANT TO USE CITY DOLLARS  FOR OTHER THINGS.

SO AT THAT POINT, WE JUST  TOOK A STEP BACK.

I ACTUALLY SAY, AND IT'S  100% TRUE, THAT THE BEST NIGHT OF SLEEP I GOT IN THAT  YEAR WAS THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION, BECAUSE I SAID,  OKAY, THAT'S BEHIND US, WE KNOW IT'S A NO, NOW LET'S GO  FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A YES.

SO THAT'S THE PROCESS.

AND FROM THERE, WE JUST  FOCUSED ON FUNDING IT PRIVATELY, AND THAT'S WHAT  WE'RE GOING TO DO.

>> Andy: THE VOTERS  OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T GET A SAY THIS TIME AROUND.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION,  OBVIOUSLY.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE  CHARACTERIZATION THAT THIS IS SORT OF AN END-AROUND,  THAT VOTERS DIDN'T GET A SAY THIS TIME AROUND, THAT IT  WAS JUST LEFT TO THE CITY COUNCIL?

>> Peter: I NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT LINE OF  THINKING A LITTLE STRONGER.

YOU KNOW, IT IS A PRIVATELY  FUNDED STADIUM.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE VOTE ON  PRIVATELY FUNDED PROJECTS.

YOU KNOW, APARTMENT  BUILDINGS, HOUSING, WAREHOUSES.

SO I'M NOT SO SURE WHY PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO VOTE ON  A PRIVATELY FUNDED FACILITY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT  DOESN'T -- SO I'D HAVE TO REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTAND  THAT LINE OF THINKING.

THERE'S NO END-AROUND,  BECAUSE THE CITY ISN'T SPENDING A DIME.

ALL WE DID WAS, WE HAD A PROBLEM AND WE SAW FOR IT.

WE LISTENED, WE ADAPTED, WE SAW FOR IT, AND WE STILL  HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO, IT'S NOT DONE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO STILL HAPPEN.

BUT IN TERMS OF THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, ON PEOPLE  SAYING, WELL, I DIDN'T WANT A STADIUM -- BY THE WAY, I  NEVER TOOK THE 65% TO SAY, I DIDN'T WANT A STADIUM, I  TOOK IT AND WE TOOK IT, AND I THINK RIGHTLY SO, THAT IT  SAID THAT WE DON'T WANT TO USE CITY TAX DOLLARS TO  BUILD A PUBLICLY OWNED STADIUM.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT VOTED NO LOVE THE TEAM AND WERE  REALLY EXCITED FOR THE TEAM TO HAVE A STADIUM, BUT THEY  JUST DIDN'T WANT THE CITY TO PAY IT.

AND THIS PROPOSAL DOES JUST THAT.

>> Andy: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SORT OF HANGING  OVER THIS WAS THE UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE, WHICH NEW  MEXICO UNITED IS A PART OF THAT LEAGUE, THEY SAID,  PRETTY PUBLICLY, THAT THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN HOLDING  FRANCHISE RIGHTS FOR TEAMS THAT DIDN'T HAVE A HOME,  RIGHT.

I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING  THIS COME OUT IN COUNCIL MEETINGS OR EVEN FROM THE  ORGANIZATION SAYING, IF WE DON'T DO THIS -- OR, WE'VE  GOT TO DO THIS OR ELSE DOT DOT DOT.

OF COURSE, USL DID SAY THAT.

HOW DID THAT, SORT OF THE  LOOMING CONSEQUENCE, SHAPE CONVERSATIONS YOU HAD WITH  SOME OF THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

YOU KNOW, WAS THAT A SENSE OF URGENCY WHEN YOU WENT TO  THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR COUNCIL TO SAY, HEY, WE'VE  GOT TO DO THIS?

>> Peter: YOU KNOW,  PERSONALLY, I'M NOT SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO USE AN 'OR  ELSE' LINE OF THINKING TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY CONSTRUCTIVE AND  PRODUCTIVE.

I THINK TOO MANY TIMES HERE,  WE GET TO A PLACE OF A YES BECAUSE OF A THREAT.

AND AT NEW MEXICO UNITED, I THINK WE REALLY FEEL  STRONGLY THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVITY OF  THE PROJECT AND WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE REASONS TO SAY  YES, AND WE'RE NOT HERE TO SAY, IF YOU DON'T DO THIS,  WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR TOYS AND LEAVE THE SANDBOX.

I THINK THAT THAT DOESN'T SERVE US VERY WELL.

WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, NEW  MEXICANS CAN BUILD REALLY NICE THINGS FOR NEW  MEXICANS.

WE HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES WE  NEED RIGHT HERE IN OUR STATE, WE DON'T NEED  HANDOUTS FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE, WE DON'T NEED OTHER  PEOPLE TO COME IN.

WE CAN DO IT WITH PEOPLE WHO  ARE WORN AND RAISED HERE, HAVE DECIDED TO LIVE HERE,  AND REALLY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

SO YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HEAR US THREATEN TO LEAVE.

THIS IS NEW MEXICO'S TEAM.

THAT'S WHY WE BUILT IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR 100 YEARS.

AND WHATEVER THE HURDLES ARE, WE'LL JUST FIGURE OUT  HOW TO CLIMB AND GET OVER THE HURDLES.

WHAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IS THREATEN TO TAKE THE  HURDLES AWAY.

>> Andy: THAT'S GREAT TO GO  INTO THIS NEXT QUESTION OF THE OWNERSHIP.

YOU GO TO A HOME GAME IN THE ROWDY SECTION, SO TO SPEAK,  AND THERE'S THIS REAL SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND PRIDE THAT  COMES WITH IT.

I ALSO THINK ANOTHER  HALLMARK OF NEW MEXICO IS SORT OF SOMETIMES PEOPLE  CALL IT CYNICISM, OR BEING CRITICAL, SAYING THIS ISN'T  GOING TO WORK OUT.

FOR FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING  AT THIS AND SAYING, THIS GUY, PETER TREVISANI, JUST  MADE THIS DEAL TO BUILD A STADIUM, HIS TEAM IS GOING  TO BE WORTH A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY, HOW LONG ARE YOU --  WHAT'S YOUR FUTURE LOOK LIKE WITH THIS TEAM, AND HOW LONG  ARE YOU GOING TO STAY AT THIS WHOLE OWNERSHIP DEAL?

>> Peter: OUR VISION IS 100-YEAR VISION.

WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME AT UNITED.

IN THAT MISSION, IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT MISSION,  PLAYERS ARE GOING TO COME AND GO.

COACHES ARE GOING TO COME AND GO.

OWNERS, INCLUDING PETER TREVISANI, ARE GOING TO COME  AND GO.

FANS THAT ARE GOING TO GO TO  EVERY GAME FOR 50 YEARS WILL ALSO HAVE A TIME WHEN  THEY'RE NO LONGER AT THE GAMES.

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO  UNDERSTANDS THAT WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE, WE JUST  WANT TO LEAVE AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE NEXT  GENERATION AND NEXT PERSON.

SO OUR OWNERSHIP GROUP IS  OBVIOUSLY VERY COMMITTED.

WE'VE PUT A LOT OF MONEY  INTO THE TEAM.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE  MONEY IN FOR THE STADIUM.

THIS IS NOT -- I COME FROM  FINANCE.

THIS IS NOT AN ROI, A RETURN  ON INVESTMENT PROJECT.

THIS IS AN ROC, A RETURN ON  COMMUNITY INVESTMENT.

THE DIVIDEND THAT WE GET  FROM NEW MEXICO UNITED IS THE JOY, ARE THE SMILES IN  THE STANDS.

THE JOY OF PEOPLE WHEN WE  HEAR STORIES OF, I WAS GOING THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT  TIME IN MY LIFE, AND I WAS AT MY LOWEST POINT, AND I  GOT THROUGH IT BECAUSE OF MY NEW MEXICO UNITED FAMILY,  BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I GO TO THE GAMES WITH.

WE NEED MORE OF THOSE STORIES.

I HEAR SO MANY STORIES OF PEOPLE SAYING, I GOT TO A  LOW POINT IN MY LIFE AND I ENDED UP ON THE STREETS, OR  I ENDED UP ON DRUGS, AND IN MANY CASES LEADING TO TRAGIC  CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO  CHANGE SOME OF THE NARRATIVES, SOME OF THE  THINGS THAT WANT TO CHANGE HERE.

CRIME, HOMELESSNESS, FENTANYL.

ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT IS TO HAVE  AN ASSET LIKE NEW MEXICO UNITED THAT BRINGS PEOPLE  TOGETHER, NO MATTER THEIR SITUATION.

SO THAT'S THE DIVIDEND.

AND WE GET PAID IN SMILES  EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THAT'S THE GREATEST REWARD ANYONE  COULD EVER HAVE.

>> Andy: GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME AGAIN.

THANK YOU, PETER.

>> Lauren: WELL, FOR ME,  POETRY MATTERS.

AS A WRITER, AS A POET, IT  GIVES ME A WAY TO NOTICE SOMETHING PARTICULAR INSTEAD  OF THE VAST SCOPE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.

BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE IT IN.

I'M A PRETTY SENSITIVE  PERSON, I CARE ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, FROM THE  INDIVIDUAL TO THE LAND.

AND SO FOR ME, IT'S A WAY TO  NARROW IN, FOCUS IN ON SOMETHING.

BUT THEN POETRY AS A WHOLE, AS A READER, OR FOR READERS,  IS A WAY TO BUILD EMPATHY AND A WAY TO BUILD THE  HUMAN.

>> Lou: THAT DISCUSSION  BETWEEN LAURA AND POET LAUREN CAMP IS COMING UP IN  A LITTLE OVER 20 MINUTES.

NOW TO THAT PROPOSED  CALENDAR CHANGE FROM THE STATE PUBLIC EDUCATION  DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD INCREASE DAYS IN THE  CLASSROOM.

THE PROPOSAL COMES MONTHS  AFTER THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED HOUSE BILL 130, WHICH  INCREASED EDUCATION FUNDING IN LARGE PART TO ACCOMMODATE  AN INCREASE IN REQUIRED INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS, BUMPING  THOSE UP TO 1,140.

THOSE HOURS INCLUDED  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TIME FOR TEACHERS.

THE NEW RULES UNDER CONSIDERATION WOULD CHANGE  THE MEASURING STICK TO DAYS, INCREASING THE MANDATE FROM  176 TO 180.

THAT’S ON TOP OF REQUIRING  EVERY ONE OF THOSE 1,140 HOURS TO BE SPENT IN THE  CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS.

NOW, THIS NEW RULE ISN’T SET  IN STONE YET.

THE PUBLIC HAS UNTIL  DECEMBER 18TH TO WEIGH IN.

AND IF PED ADOPTS THE  CHANGE, IT WON’T KICK IN UNTIL THE 2024-25 SCHOOL  YEAR.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, I SPOKE  WITH A CURRENT TEACHER AT WOOD GORMLEY ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL IN SANTA FE TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CHANGE  WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM.

KEVIN DARROW HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THESE POLICY  CHANGES AND PROPOSALS CLOSELY SINCE BEFORE THE  PASSAGE OF HOUSE BILL 130.

HE TELLS ME THAT SIMPLY  ADDING MORE TIME IN THE CLASSROOM IS AN EASY IDEA TO  THROW AT OUR STATE’S EDUCATION PROBLEMS, BUT THAT  IT’S NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT ONE.

>> Lou: KEVIN DARROW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME  TODAY.

>> Kevin: IT'S REALLY MY  PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME  HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR COVERING THIS VERY IMPORTANT  TOPIC.

>> Lou: HAPPY TO.

NOW, EARLIER THIS MONTH, YOU JOINED DOZENS OF TEACHERS  WITH SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPEAKING BEFORE THE  LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE AGAINST A SET OF  RULES PROPOSED BY THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT THAT  WOULD REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF  INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FROM 176 TO 180.

CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE  PROPOSED RULE CHANGE, WHAT ELSE IT WOULD DO, AND WHAT  IT WOULD CHANGE FOR STUDENTS?

>> Kevin: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RULE CHANGE IS IT  WOULD COUNTER-EFFECT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT HAPPENED  LAST YEAR WITH HB-130, WHICH WAS A LARGE INITIATIVE  PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.

IT INCREASED HOURS RATHER THAN DAYS.

NEW MEXICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE 990  HOURS.

THIS IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,  WHERE I TEACH.

990 HOURS OF INSTRUCTIONAL  TIME BEFORE HB-130 WAS PASSED.

HB-130 INCREASED THAT TIME TO 1140 INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS,  WHICH BY THE WAY IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA OF ALL THE  STATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, THAT'S ONE OF THE  HIGHEST NUMBERS, 1140 HOURS.

HB-130 ALSO CALLED FOR MORE  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, AND THAT TIME WAS  BUILT INTO THE INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PED IS TRYING TO KIND OF  RECONFIGURE THE RESULT OF HB-130 AND MAKE THE SCHOOL  YEAR A LITTLE BIT LONGER, NOT BY HOURS, BUT BY DAYS.

THEY WANT TO COUNT BY DAYS RATHER THAN THE HOURS.

THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS AROUND NEW MEXICO WERE IN FAVOR OF  HB-130 LARGELY BECAUSE IT OFFERED FLEXIBILITY, AND IT  DIDN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAD TO CHANGE THEIR CALENDARS  TREMENDOUSLY.

THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT SOME  HOURS HERE, PUT SOME HOURS THERE, AND KIND OF KEEP  THINGS -- YOU KNOW, STUDENTS GOT MORE TIME IN THE  CLASSROOM, BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY ROCK ANYBODY'S WORLD  IN TERMS OF CALENDAR CHANGE.

NOW, WHAT PED IS PROPOSING  IS TO ELIMINATE THE COUNTING OF HOURS AND DO THE COUNTING  OF DAYS, BASICALLY, AND THAT WILL EXTEND THE CALENDAR FOR  STUDENTS FOR A HANDFUL OF DAYS.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE.

AND IT WILL ALSO REMOVE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  TIME FROM THOSE DAYS AND MAKE THEM ON TOP OF THE 180  INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ADDING  QUITE A BIT OF TIME FOR TEACHERS AND FOR SCHOOL  STAFF.

>> Lou: I WANT TO GO BACK  TO THAT HB-130 THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED BEFORE.

THAT WAS WHAT EXTENDED LEARNING TIME, THE MANDATE,  TO 1140 HOURS, LIKE YOU SAID.

NOW, WAS THERE SUPPORT AMONG  YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR THAT CHANGE WHEN THAT FIRST  HAPPENED?

>> Kevin: THIS IS AN EASY  QUESTION.

NO, THERE WAS NOT SUPPORT  FOR THAT CHANGE.

HB-130 WAS A VERY LARGE  INITIATIVE.

I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING  LIKE $300 MILLION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO USE TO COVER  THE MANY ASPECTS OF HB-130, WHICH COVERS MORE THAN JUST  ADDING TIME, I KNOW.

BUT IT'S A VERY LARGE  PAYCHECK THAT A LOT OF EDUCATORS DID NOT SUPPORT.

WHEN WE SAW THIS COMING THROUGH THE PIKE, A LOT OF  US, YOU KNOW, WERE VERY MOTIVATED TO SPEAK, AND MANY  OF US DID.

WE TRIED TO SHOW STUDIES  THAT SHOWED THAT IT'S NOT ADDING TIME THAT HELPS  STUDENTS, IT'S ADDING MORE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF THAT  HELPS STUDENTS.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ADD  MORE TIME AND DON'T CHANGE THE FUNCTIONING REALITY OF  WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS IS YOU REALLY JUST DO GET  MORE OF THE SAME.

NOTHING FUNCTIONALLY  CHANGES.

WHAT WE WERE HOPING IS THAT  WE COULD EFFECT A CHANGE OF GETTING MORE PROFESSIONALS,  MORE TRAINED EDUCATORS HIRED TO HELP STUDENTS.

SO FOR INSTANCE, IN A 3rd GRADE CLASS, LET'S SAY IT'S  TIME FOR READING.

MAYBE THERE'S A READING  CHUNK FOR LIKE AN HOUR.

AND THERE'S 24 STUDENTS IN  THAT CLASS.

ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE  AT VERY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO  STILL NEED HELP, BUT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HELP.

WHAT WE WERE HOPING IS THAT MAYBE WE COULD HIRE A BUNCH  OF PEOPLE WHO COULD COME IN DURING THIS READING PERIOD,  AND MAYBE TWO PEOPLE HELP WITH THAT GROUP AND THEN THE  MAIN TEACHER HELPS WITH THIS GROUP.

OR MAYBE LIKE THERE'S JUST THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS  HAPPENING AT ONCE AND EVERYBODY GETS VERY  INDIVIDUALIZED HELP DELIVERED ON TARGET.

THEY'RE FOCUSING ON THE STUDENTS THAT REALLY NEED  IT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO SPEND MONEY ON,  HELPING STUDENTS WHO REALLY NEED IT RATHER THAN JUST  EXTENDING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL THE STUDENTS, WHO  CLEARLY SOME STUDENTS DON'T NEED EXTRA HELP.

BUT THAT'S ROLLED INTO JUST EXTENDING THE SCHOOL YEAR,  ALL STUDENTS GET IT.

>> Lou: OKAY, SO YOU GUYS  WERE NOT ON BOARD WITH LENGTHENING THE NUMBER OF  MANDATED HOURS.

THAT HAPPENED, AND THEN PED  COMES IN AND SAYS, NOW THEY WANT TO SHIFT THE MANDATE TO  DAYS.

>> Kevin: YES.

>> Lou: WHAT WAS THE REACTION LIKE TO THAT?

WAS IT SIMILAR?

IS IT JUST CONFUSION AT THIS  POINT?

>> Kevin: I   WOULD SAY IT'S MORE.

WE ARE MORE SHOCKED THAT THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE ARE TRYING  TO DO MORE OF THE SAME CHANGE.

YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT LEGISLATORS, POLICYMAKERS,  THAT PED NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP EDUCATION,  AND I KNOW THEY MUST BE FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE.

AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT SEEMS AS IF WHAT THEY ALWAYS  TALK ABOUT IS ADDING TIME.

AND IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE  THAT'S THE EASIEST THING TO DO.

I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THAT'S THE THING THAT  ALWAYS BUBBLES UP FIRST.

THAT'S WHY WHEN THIS CAME UP  AGAIN, WHEN WE ALREADY ADDED TIME LAST YEAR AND NOW THEY  WANT TO ADD MORE TIME -- IT'S A DIFFERENT BODY THAT'S  TRYING TO ADD MORE TIME.

BUT STILL, THE PEOPLE WHO  ARE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS WITH THE STUDENTS, WE CAN'T  BELIEVE THE ONSLAUGHT OF MORE TIME AGAIN AND NOT  ADDRESSING WHAT WE FEEL ARE THE REAL PROBLEMS, AND WHAT  STUDIES SHOW WILL HELP.

SMALL CLASS SIZES -- THERE'S  A LOT OF STUDIES, MANY, MANY STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT SMALL  CLASS SIZES, SMALL COHORTS, HIGHLY TARGETED  INTERVENTIONS WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE LAGGING HELPS.

AND IT DOESN'T JUST HELP ONE SCHOOL YEAR, THESE STUDIES  SHOW THAT IF THESE STUDENTS RECEIVE THIS INTERVENTION  THROUGHOUT THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS, THEN  THROUGHOUT THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THROUGHOUT THEIR  HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, THEY HAVE INCREASED PERFORMANCE  THROUGHOUT.

IT DOESN'T JUST LAST FOR A  YEAR OR TWO.

AND THEY HAVE HIGHER  GRADUATION RATES, AND THEY SCORE HIGHER ON THE  STANDARDIZED TESTS LIKE ACT AND SAT.

HAVING THESE EARLY INTERVENTIONS, SO MANY  STUDIES SHOW THAT IT HELPS.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE  FRUSTRATED THAT RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THESE STUDIES,  THEY JUST START ADDING MORE TIME AGAIN.

AND YOU HEAR IT FROM -- YOU HEAR IT A LOT.

I HEARD IT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

THEY SAID SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T ARGUE  WITH MORE TIME WITH TEACHERS, THAT MAKES MORE  SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT, OF COURSE.

AND EVEN ON THIS PROGRAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,  DR. ROMERO SAID, MORE TIME WITH TEACHERS IS OBVIOUSLY A  GOOD THING, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

AND YOU HEAR THAT A LOT.

HOW CAN YOU ARGUE MORE TIME  WITH TEACHERS?

SURE, OKAY.

BUT WHAT KIND OF TIME WITH TEACHERS?

TIME IN A CLASSROOM WITH 26 STUDENTS WHERE SOME  STUDENTS, IT'S JUST REALLY HARD TO REACH THEM IN THE  AMOUNT OF TIME YOU HAVE.

WE ARE HOPING THAT RATHER  THAN SPEND EVEN MORE MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT  PROVEN TO WORK, THAT WE CAN SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING  THAT IS PROVEN TO WORK.

>> Lou: YOU CAN WATCH MY  ENTIRE 20-MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH DARROW ONLINE RIGHT NOW  ON NMPBS.org OR ON THE NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS YOUTUBE  PAGE.

NOW I'M JOINED AT THE TABLE  BY ELLEN BERNSTEIN, PRESIDENT OF THE ALBUQUERQUE  TEACHERS FEDERATION.

AND JOY GARRATT, STATE  REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTING BERNALILLO COUNTY AND ALSO A  FORMER EDUCATOR.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING  HERE.

>> Rep. Garratt: THANK YOU.

>> Bernstein: THANKS FOR HAVING.

>> Lou: REP. GARRATT, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

YOU CO-SPONSORED HOUSE BILL 130 IN JANUARY ALONG WITH  REP. ANDRES ROMERO.

NOW, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH  THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN, HE CALLED PED'S PROPOSAL "AN  AFFRONT TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH."

HOW WOULD PED'S NEW IDEA CHANGE THE BILL THAT YOU  HELPED PASS?

>> Rep. Garratt: LOU, THAT  IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

HOUSE BILL 130 ESTABLISHED  1140 HOURS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH 60 HOURS EMBEDDED  FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR K-8, AND THEN 30 HOURS  FOR SECONDARY.

AND THIS BILL WAS REACHED  THROUGH EXTENSIVE COLLABORATION, DISCUSSION,  TALKS AROUND THE STATE, MEETINGS WITH TEACHERS,  UNIONS, DISTRICT PEOPLE, PARENTS, AS A WAY TO EXTEND  THE LEARNING HOURS, BUT REASONABLY ENSURE THAT WE  HAD TIME FOR TEACHERS TO PREPARE.

THE PROPOSAL BY PED TAKES AWAY LOCAL CONTROL, BECAUSE  NOW THEY'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T DO THE HOURS THE WAY YOU  WANT TO.

IF YOUR DISTRICT  SUCCESSFULLY HAS FOUR-DAY WEEKS, YOU CAN'T DO THAT  ANYMORE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE 180 DAYS OF  INSTRUCTION.

SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT  CHANGE.

AND IT DOESN'T HONOR THE  FACT THAT TEACHERS HELP THEIR STUDENTS THE MOST WHEN  THEY OBSERVE GOOD LIVE TEACHING IN A CLASSROOM WITH  A SUCCESSFUL LESSON DELIVERED BY A SUCCESSFUL  TEACHER.

SO IT REALLY COMPLETELY  VIOLATES THE INTENT OF HOUSE BILL 130, WHAT IT WAS TRYING  TO ACHIEVE, AND THE HOURS AND DAYS OF WORK AND  CONSULTATION THAT WENT INTO BRINGING IT TO THE HOUSE AND  THE SENATE, AND IT UNANIMOUSLY   PASSED.

>> Lou: DO YOU SHARE REP.  ROMERO'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF POWERS AND HOW  THIS WAS PUSHED THROUGH?

>> Rep. Garrett: ABSOLUTELY  IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS.

AND IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS,  OF THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE.

ALL OF THEIR INTERIM MEETINGS ADDRESSED THIS  ISSUE.

THEY HAD EXTENSIVE DIALOGUES  PUBLICLY ON WEBCASTS.

IT REALLY VIOLATES THAT  SEPARATION OF POWERS.

>> Lou: NOW, ELLEN, I WANT  TO GET TO YOU ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON HOUSE BILL  130.

WE HEARD FROM A TEACHER IN SANTA FE ON THIS, BUT WHAT  ARE YOU HEARING FROM MEMBERS IN THE STATE'S LARGEST  SCHOOL DISTRICT AS FAR AS THE EFFECT OF HOUSE BILL  130?

>> Bernstein: WELL, A  COUPLE OF THINGS.

I WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT  JUST ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL, BUT I THINK THE RULE  ACTUALLY CHANGES THE LAW, AND IN MY OPINION, I DON'T  THINK RULE IS ALLOWED TO CHANGE LAW.

I THINK THE LAW WAS VERY CLEAR.

AND DURING THE DISCUSSION AND THE DEBATE, WHEN WE WERE  ALL TALKING ABOUT IS EXTENDING THE SCHOOL YEAR,  INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MINIMUM HOURS, THE RIGHT  THING TO DO IN OUR STATE, PART OF THAT CONVERSATION  WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF ADULT LEARNING AND HOW IT IMPACTS  STUDENT LEARNING.

AND WHAT WE APPRECIATED,  WHILE IT WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL TO JUST ADD  HOURS, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS THAT WE, AS  EDUCATORS, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATE RESPOND TO OUR  NEEDS, BUT WHEN THEY DECIDED TO INCREASE THE HOURS IN  ADDITION TO SUPPORTING ADULT LEARNING, NOT ONLY OUR  PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT THE RESEARCH ACTUALLY SUPPORTS  THE IDEA THAT STUDENTS DO BETTER WHEN ADULTS ARE  LEARNING.

IF OUR PRACTICE NEVER  EVOLVES, AND YET WE'RE EXPECTED TO DO DIFFERENT,  BETTER, DEEPER LEARNING WITH OUR STUDENTS, THEN IT'S A  DISCONNECT, AND WHAT 130 DID WAS MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

WHAT WE THINK NOW AS TEACHERS IS, COULD YOU STOP  MESSING WITH US.

COULD YOU JUST DO MORE  SUPPORTIVE WORK THAT WILL HELP US DO OUR JOBS, INSTEAD  OF CONSTANTLY REARRANGING THINGS AND THEN EXPECTING  DIFFERENT RESULTS.

WHAT WE NEED IS STILL TO  NORM OUT AFTER THE PANDEMIC.

WE NEED TO ENGAGE KIDS IN  DEEPER LEARNING.

WE NEED TO GET KIDS TO COME  TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE THE OTHER PART OF THE CONVERSATION  GOING ON IN THE LESC IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF  TRUANCY PROBLEMS.

WE WANT TO GET OUR KIDS IN  SCHOOL.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE  FOCUSING ON WHAT THEY NEED INTELLECTUALLY, EMOTIONALLY,  SOCIALLY.

AND WE JUST WANT THE PED TO  UNDERSTAND THAT MESSING WITH LAW RIGHT NOW IS THE  OPPOSITE OF SUPPORT.

>> Lou: NOW, EARLIER THIS  MONTH A NUMBER OF TEACHERS FROM SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS  SPOKE BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE  AGAINST THE INCREASE OF INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS,  SPECIFICALLY, THIS PED PROPOSAL.

REP. GARRATT, AS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE, WHAT WAS THE  OVERALL SENTIMENT AMONGST THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND  WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT STOOD OUT FOR YOU FROM WHAT  TEACHERS HAD TO SAY?

>> Rep. Garratt: YES, AND I  WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE HOUSE EDUCATION IS A  COMMITTED BIPARTISAN GROUP.

AS REP. BRIAN BACA SAYS, WHO  IS AN ADMINISTRATOR, HE SAYS, WE'RE NOT DEMOCRATS  AND REPUBLICANS, WE'RE EDUCATORS.

WE LISTENED TO THOSE TEACHERS.

IT WAS A HARD LIFT FOR MANY OF THEM TO EXTEND TO 1140  HOURS, BUT THEY DID IT AS THEY SAW US INCORPORATE  THESE THINGS, LIKE THE 60 HOURS OF EMBEDDED  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NOT ADDED ON.

SO ALTHOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE MORE  COUNSELORS, MORE SOCIAL WORKERS, THEY ACCEPTED IT.

THE DISTRICTS, OUR 89 DISTRICTS, AND OUR 100  CHARTER SCHOOLS BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO INCORPORATE  HOUSE BILL 130 INTO THEIR PLANNING FOR THIS YEAR.

TO SUDDENLY BE ASKED TO CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR NEXT  YEAR IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO  MENTION, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS  SUPERINTENDENTS BY PHONE CALL AND BY LETTER, IS THAT  USING THE FOUR-DAY WEEK IN MANY OF OUR RURAL AREAS  ALLOWED THEM TO FINALLY FULLY STAFF THEMSELVES.

THEIR ABSENTEEISM WASN'T SUCH A BIG PROBLEM, THEIR  ATTENDANCE BECAME BETTER.

I THINK IT WAS 26% AS  OPPOSED TO 40% CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTHY THINGS THAT HAPPENED BY  ALLOWING DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS TO ADAPT THAT 1140  HOURS TO FIT THEIR LOCAL SITUATION, THEIR RURAL  SITUATION, THEIR URBAN SITUATION, THEIR FOCUS,  EVERYTHING.

>> Lou: NOW, ELLEN, WHAT  EXISTING PROBLEMS, AND YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THIS  EARLIER, BUT WHAT EXISTING PROBLEMS MIGHT BE NEGLECTED  IF THIS PED CHANGE GOES THROUGH?

>> Bernstein: WELL, IF THE PED CHANGE GOES THROUGH, I  THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS SOME REALLY  EXPERIENCED, WONDERFUL TEACHERS JUST SAYING, THAT'S  IT, I'M DONE.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING  WE COULD FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW AS A STATE ARE RETENTION  TECHNIQUES.

WE HAVE AN OLDER WORKFORCE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS STATEWIDE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE  TO RETIRE, THEY'RE DOING AMAZING WORK WITH KIDS IN  OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO EXACERBATE THE  SHORTAGE PROBLEM BY HAVING A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, YOU'VE  CHANGED MY WORKING CONDITIONS AGAIN, YOU'VE  ADDED MORE TO MY PLATE AGAIN, AND I THINK I'M NOT  DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH KIDS BECAUSE OF THESE  EVER-SHIFTING MANDATES, AND I'M DONE.

AND WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT.

IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT  EXPERIENCED TEACHERS MATTER IN THE LEARNING OF KIDS, AND  ONE OF THE REASONS -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING  THAT OUR TEST SCORES AREN'T GOING UP FAST ENOUGH, BUT  ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH BIG  VACANCY RATES.

IF WE ALIENATE A BUNCH OF  EXPERIENCED TEACHERS, OR NEW TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING TO  JUST QUIT AND GO FIND A NEW JOB, THEN WE'RE NOT DOING  WHAT'S BEST FOR KIDS.

SO WE HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING  AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

>> Lou: NOW, THERE'S A  GROWING LIST OF PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THIS PED CHANGE  PROPOSAL.

TEACHERS, PARENTS, STATE  LEGISLATORS, ADMINISTRATORS.

WHY IS THERE SUCH A  DISCONNECT BETWEEN THESE GROUPS AND THE PUBLIC  EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, IN YOUR VIEW, REPRESENTATIVE?

>> Rep. Garrett: MY VIEW IS THAT HOUSE BILL 130 WAS  VETTED BY ALL OF THOSE GROUPS OVER A YEAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, PED JUST PRODUCED THIS.

I FOUND OUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE PRESENTATION AT LESC  WHAT WAS COMING DOWN, AND I'M A SPONSOR OF THE BILL.

I MET WITH THE GOVERNOR PRIVATELY AND I TOLD HER IN  OUR ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE TO ALLOW TIME  FOR LAWS TO TAKE EFFECT.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE A LAW FOUR  MONTHS AFTER IT'S GONE INTO PRACTICE.

SO I THINK IT'S A HUGE DISCONNECT IN COMMUNICATION.

PED HAS NOT VETTED THIS AT ALL.

THE DAY THAT THEY SET FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY IS THE  FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS BREAK, MONDAY,  DECEMBER 18th.

I FIND THAT INCREDIBLY  DISRESPECTFUL.

>> Bernstein: BUT I ALSO  WANT TO POINT OUT, APS EDUCATORS ARE STILL WORKING  ON THE 18th.

SO I WILL BE ASKING FOR ALL  OF THEIR INPUT SO WHEN I GO UP TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY  DURING THE HEARING FOR THE RULE CHANGE, I'LL HAVE THE  THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS BEHIND ME AND THEIR VOICES COMING  IN LOUD AND CLEAR, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE AT WORK THAT  DAY.

>> Lou: ONE THING I WANTED  TO ASK ABOUT MAYBE BEING BLINDSIDED BY THIS A LITTLE  BIT, IN YOUR VIEW, WERE THEY INVOLVED IN THE CRAFTING OF  HOUSE BILL 130?

WAS THIS PROPOSAL ABOUT SHIFTING THAT METRIC FROM  HOURS TO DAYS ON THE TABLE AT ANY POINT BEFORE THIS  PROPOSAL CAME OUT?

>> Rep. Garrett: IT WAS  WELL DISCUSSED.

PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT  OPINIONS.

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT WE  NEED TO ADD TWO WEEKS FOR TEACHERS TO STUDY AND DO  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPINIONS.

AND SO THE 1140 HOURS  REPRESENTED A COMPROMISE BETWEEN ADDING ADDITIONAL  INSTRUCTION HOURS AND NOT ADDING SO MANY THAT THE  SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BE RIDICULOUSLY EXPANDED.

NOW, THE LAW ALLOWS FOR DISTRICTS AND CHARTER  SCHOOLS TO ADD ADDITIONAL DAYS, AND THEY GET  ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT.

AGAIN, THAT'S A LOCAL  DECISION THAT'S WORKED OUT AMONG ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS  IN A GIVEN DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL.

>> Lou: NOW, A LOT OF THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN FRAMED  AS, YOU KNOW, CAN ANYONE THINK OF MORE TIME WITH  TEACHERS AS A BAD THING.

IS THAT HOW YOU SEE THIS  EQUATION?

IS ANYONE ARGUING THAT?

IS THAT A LEGITIMATE ARGUMENT, I GUESS IS WHAT  I'M ASKING.

>> Bernstein: IT'S NOT A  BAD THING, IT'S JUST NOT THE ONLY THING.

WE'RE CREATING, AS A STATE, A HUGE INVESTMENT IN  ADDITIONAL TIME WITHOUT LOOKING AT WHERE WE NEED TO  ALSO INVEST.

AND I THINK THE  REPRESENTATIVE WAS RIGHT, IF YOU ASK ANY TEACHER IN THE  STATE, IF YOU HAVE MORE NURSES, MORE COUNCILORS,  MORE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH FAMILIES  AND KIDS, AND HELP REGULATE WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE  WHEN THEY'RE IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE DOING WELL, THEY'RE  ABLE TO FOCUS, THEY FEEL SAFE, THEY FEEL FED, IF  THAT'S OUR JOB, WE NEED TO INVEST IN THAT, ALSO.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY HONOR THE FACT THAT  THE PANDEMIC, THE EFFECTS OF THAT AND THE WAY IT  DISREGULATED FAMILIES AND KIDS, AND WE'RE STILL TRYING  TO GET BACK ON OUR FEET AND MAKE SCHOOLING THE NORM, AND  MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THOSE EMOTIONAL NEEDS  OF KIDS -- I MEAN, IT'S STILL GOING ON.

I KNOW I HAD A COLLEAGUE WHO USED TO SAY, I'M FULL OF  HOLES FROM SILVER BULLETS, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS FEELS  LIKE.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE SILVER  BULLET THAT CHANGES THE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR ALL  KIDS, IT'S REALLY INTRICATELY WOVEN FABRIC OF  INTENTIONAL DESIGN, AND WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER  ON THAT.

>> Lou: NOW, I WANT TO ASK  EACH OF YOU THIS, BUT AFTER ALL THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS,  THE DECEMBER 18th ACTUALLY IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT  SESSION AND THE ONLINE HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A LONG TIME,  IT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY WELL SKEWED AS OPPOSED.

DO YOU THINK THAT THIS WILL PASS DESPITE ALL THAT?

>> Rep. Garrett: WELL, IT'S NOT A BILL THAT THAT PASSES.

IT'S A RULE CHANGE BY PED MAKING A MANDATE.

HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC OUTCRY, I  DON'T KNOW.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE.

BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS, PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THIS  CHANGE, ACROSS THE BOARD.

WHETHER THEY'RE FAMILIES,  EDUCATORS, IT DOESN'T MATTER, THEY'RE VERY  DISPLEASED ABOUT IT.

>> Bernstein: AND I DON'T  THINK WE CAN AFFORD, IN THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY,  ANOTHER BREAK IN TRUST.

AND I THINK IF THE  EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY IS SAYING, AND PROBABLY A FAIR  NUMBER OF THE PARENT COMMUNITY IS SAYING, DON'T  MESS WITH THIS, WE JUST STARTED THIS, LET US GET OUR  HEADS AND OUR PRACTICES AROUND THE CHANGE, LET'S SEE  WHAT HAPPENS OVER SOME TIME.

AND IF THEY DON'T LISTEN TO  THAT AND THEY IMPOSE THE RULE ANYWAY, THAT'S GOING TO  BE A HUGE BREAK IN TRUST.

IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF  TURMOIL, AND THAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT SCHOOLS  WOULD BENEFIT FROM.

>> Lou: UNDERSTOOD.

ELLEN BERNSTEIN, REP. JOY GARRATT, THANK YOU SO MUCH  FOR TALKING TO ME ABOUT  THIS.

>> Bernstein: OUR PLEASURE.

>> Rep. Garrett: THANK YOU.

>> Lou: THE PUBLIC  EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS STILL ACCEPTING INPUT FROM  THE COMMUNITY ON THE PROPOSED CHANGE.

YOU CAN COMMENT THROUGH MONDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, WITH  A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR THAT AFTERNOON IN SANTA  FE.

WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION  UNDER THIS STORY ON OUR WEBSITE.

MOVING ON, NEW MEXICO POET LAUREATE LAUREN CAMP WAS IN  THE STUDIO THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT HER NEW BOOK AND A  PROJECT OF HERS THAT BUILDS POETRY ACROSS NEW MEXICO’S  COMMUNITIES.

IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR  LAND’S LAURA PASKUS, CAMP ALSO TALKS ABOUT POETRY FOR  A WORLD IN CRISIS, AND HOW POETRY CAN TEACH US TO BE  PATIENT AND TO SLOW DOWN IN A WORLD THAT’S MOVING FASTER  ALL THE TIME.

>> Laura: LAUREN CAMP, NEW  MEXICO POET LAUREATE, WELCOME.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE  WITH YOU.

>> Laura: THANK YOU.

IT IS ALWAYS SO SWEET TO HAVE A POET IN THE STUDIO.

SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

SO, YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK OUT,  'WORN SMOOTH BETWEEN DEVOURINGS.'

WHAT CHARACTERIZES THIS COLLECTION FROM MAYBE YOUR  PAST BOOKS?

>> Lauren: I THINK OF THIS  BOOK AS VERY MUCH A LOVE LETTER TO NEW MEXICO, WHICH  ISN'T REALLY DIFFERENT FROM MY OTHER BOOKS, BECAUSE I'M  VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH NEW MEXICO.

BUT THIS HAS POEMS BOTH ABOUT, LIKE, THE WONDER, THE  AWE OF NEW MEXICO, AND WITNESSING.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ATTENTION  HERE, A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE BIOSPHERE, TO THE FIRES,  TO THE INTENSE HEAT, INTENSIFYING HEAT, AND THE  DROUGHT.

SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF  THINGS.

>> Laura: SO ONE OF YOUR  POEMS IS CALLED, 'I'M ALWAYS NOW STUDYING THE URGENCY.'

AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT POEM  SPECIFICALLY, AND WHAT YOU'RE WITNESSING AND  EXPRESSING THROUGH THE WORDS OF THAT POEM.

>> Lauren: SO IT'S THE LONG POEM THAT BASICALLY ANCHORS  THE COLLECTION.

IT COMES ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF  THE WAY THROUGH.

AND IT WAS MY WAY OF, I  GUESS, OF HAVING SOME KIND OF AGENCY OR SOME KIND OF  ACTION AS I WAS WATCHING ALL THE FIRES THAT WERE  CONSISTENTLY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, GROWING AND COMING  ACROSS NEW MEXICO.

AND SO SHAPING THAT POEM,  WRITING THE POEM, WITH ITS REPETITIONS AND ITS  INCREASING SONNETS AND EVERYTHING GAVE ME A CHANCE  BOTH TO SHAPE IT, TO PLAY IN THE LANGUAGE OF IT, AND TO  ACKNOWLEDGE THE GRIEF OF IT.

>> Laura: LIKE YOU  MENTIONED, IT IS A LONG POEM, BUT I WAS HOPING YOU  WOULD READ A BIT ON PAGE 49.

>> Lauren: SURE.

>> Laura: STARTING WITH: "WE MOVED HERE TO A LAND  WROUGHT TO HURTS."

STARTING THERE AND READING  THAT STANZA.

>> Lauren: ABSOLUTELY.

"WE MOVED HERE TO A LAND WROUGHT TO HURTS.

INSIDE THE WARPED FOREST, I TOOK ONE PICTURE OF WORSHIP,  ONE PICTURE OF THE BRINK, ONE PICTURE TO PICTURE IT  UNTUCKED IN LONG SPASM, SHINY VEHEMENTS.

THIS WASN'T A PILGRIMAGE, BUT A WAY TO REMEMBER  CONDUCTIVE PULSES, READ SCARS, AND RECURRENCE."

>> Laura: THANK YOU.

I THINK ANYONE IN NEW MEXICO  CAN JUST REALLY RESONATE WITH THOSE WORDS, THE SCARS,  THE RECURRENCE, THE FIRES OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

SO THANK YOU FOR READING THAT BIT.

I ALSO WANTED TO JUST TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS NEW  PUBLICATION OUT.

CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT  THIS, WHERE IT COMES OUT OF, WHAT IT'S A PART OF, WHERE  PEOPLE CAN GET IT?

>> Lauren: SURE.

IT'S A COLORING BOOK AND ACTIVITY KIT.

IT'S COMING OUT OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE LIBRARY AND NEW  MEXICO ARTS, WHICH ARE THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT  HANDLE THE NEW MEXICO POET LAUREATE POSITION.

I WORKED OVER THE PAST 14 OR 15 MONTHS WITH DEPARTMENT OF  CULTURAL AFFAIRS EDUCATORS FROM AROUND THE STATE TO  BUILD THIS BOOK.

THEY ASKED FOR A HANDFUL OF  POEMS FROM ME.

SO THERE ARE FIVE POEM IN  THE BOOK, AND THEY BUILT -- THE BOOK IS CALLED 'IMAGINE  NATURE,' AND THEY BUILT IT AROUND THOSE POEMS.

I WROTE PROMPTS, AS WELL.

AND IT IS INTENDED FOR THE  YOUTH OF NEW MEXICO AROUND THE STATE.

IT'S TO INCREASE LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT, CREATIVITY.

IT'S FOR THE KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS.

AND IT SHOULD BE -- I'VE BEEN TOLD I WILL FIND IT  EVERYWHERE AROUND THE STATE, SO I WOULD GUESS YOU WOULD,  TOO.

>> Laura: SO YOU ARE NEW  MEXICO'S POET LAUREATE AND ALSO AN ACADEMY OF AMERICAN  POETS LAUREATES FELLOW.

SO CONGRATULATIONS.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU.

>> Laura: AS PART OF THAT,  YOU WERE AWARDED $50,000.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE  PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE SET UP AND ARE WORKING ON?

>> Lauren: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THE FELLOWSHIP FROM THE ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS IS  FOR A PROJECT I PROPOSED, WHICH IS FOR ME TO TRAVEL  AROUND THE STATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEW MEXICO  ARTS HOSTING AND HOLDING EPIC POEM WORKSHOPS, AMONG  OTHER THINGS.

SO LIKELY DOING A READING  AND A CONVERSATION AROUND POETRY, BUT THEN SORT OF  GRADUALLY MOVING PEOPLE TOWARD BEING ABLE TO  CONTRIBUTE TO A POEM.

NOT WRITE A POEM,  NECESSARILY, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE AUDIENCE I'M  EITHER DEALING WITH, OR WANT TO BE DEALING WITH, ARE  PEOPLE WHO DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT POEM IS, OR KNOW  THAT A POEM COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD  WRITE OR THAT THEY COULD ENGAGE WITH.

SO I WANT TO SORT OF COMFORTABLY AND GRADUALLY  BRING THEM INTO THE WORLD OF POETRY IN A VERY SAFE WAY.

BUT THE EPIC POEM WORKSHOPS ARE FABULOUS.

THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN.

I'VE DONE PROBABLY SIX OR  SO, SIX OR EIGHT SO FAR, IN VARIOUS RURAL AND  UNDERSERVED PLACES AROUND THE STATE SO FAR, AND THEY  ARE DESIGNED TO GET COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO  CONTRIBUTE COMMUNALLY TO A POEM ABOUT THEIR AREA.

AND SO THEN THE WORDS OF THE POEM WILL BE FROM THEM, I  WILL BUILD THEM INTO A POEM, AND THE HISTORIC PALACE  PRESS WILL MAKE THEM INTO GORGEOUS LETTER-PRESSED  BROADSIDES THAT WILL THEN BE GIFTED BACK.

ONE WILL BE GIFTED BACK TO EACH COMMUNITY, AND PROBABLY  WE'LL BUILD A EXHIBIT OR TWO THAT CAN TRAVEL AROUND THE  STATE.

SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AND  EXCITING PROJECT THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF  COLLABORATION FROM A LOT OF PLACES.

>> Laura: AND HOW LONG IS THAT -- LIKE, WHEN DOES THAT  GO THROUGH?

>> Lauren: IT'S A YEAR.

THE ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP IS A YEAR.

THE PROJECT, ITSELF, WILL PROBABLY TAKE LONGER.

BUT I WILL GET THROUGH AT LEAST A THIRD OF THE  WORKSHOPS IN THAT YEAR.

>> Laura: I LOVE IT.

SO THE WORLD IS AN OVERWHELMING PLACE, WHETHER  YOU'RE WATCHING FIRES, WHETHER YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT  BEING BOMBED, FINDING YOUR NEXT MEAL, WORRIED ABOUT  CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISING SEA LEVELS.

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY,  THE WORLD STILL FEELS REALLY OVERWHELMING.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, LIKE,  WHY AND HOW POETRY MATTERS IN THIS WORLD THAT FEELS  CONSTANTLY IN CRISIS.

>> Lauren: YEAH, IT'S A  WONDERFUL QUESTION.

FOR ME, POETRY MATTERS.

AS A WRITER, AS A POET, IT GIVES ME A WAY TO NOTICE  SOMETHING PARTICULAR INSTEAD OF THE VAST SCOPE OF  EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING.

BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE IT IN.

I'M A PRETTY SENSITIVE PERSON.

I CARE ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, FROM THE INDIVIDUAL  TO THE LAND.

AND SO FOR ME, IT'S A WAY TO  NARROW IN, FOCUS IN ON SOMETHING.

BUT THEN POETRY AS A WHOLE, AS A READER, OR FOR READERS,  IS A WAY TO BUILD EMPATHY AND A WAY TO BUILD THE  HUMAN.

AND SO I THINK I GO LOOKING  FOR POEMS THAT HOLD SOME OF THE EMOTION I'M FEELING.

OR PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO BE FEELING, EVEN.

YOU KNOW, IF I'M FEELING AN OVERWHELM FROM THE GRIEF OF  THE WORLD, OR THE DANGERS OF THE WORLD, I MIGHT GO TOWARD  POEMS THAT ARE ABOUT GRATITUDE, OR ABOUT, I DON'T  KNOW, ABOUT JOY, EVEN.

SO I THINK EITHER WAY, FROM  THE WRITING PERSPECTIVE OR THE READER PERSPECTIVE, IT'S  A CHANCE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE PERSONAL, THE  INDIVIDUAL, AND SOME KIND OF INTIMATE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE  KINDNESS ALMOST.

>> Laura: YEAH,   I LIKE THAT.

WE ALL HAVE OUR POETS THAT WE ADMIRE AND POETS THAT WE  LIKE TO READ OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT FOR ANYONE,  WHETHER THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES A POET OR NOT,  HOW DOES THE ACT OF CREATING A POEM OR SHARING A POEM YOU  LOVE CHANGE SOMEONE'S PERSPECTIVE OR CHANGE THE  WORLD?

>> Lauren: FOR ME, ONE OF  THE THINGS THAT POETRY TAUGHT ME, AND I'M NOT SURE  THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S SO  RELEVANT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT POETRY TAUGHT ME WAS  PATIENCE AND A SORT OF GENEROSITY TO MYSELF, I  THINK.

NOT THAT I WAS NOT, NOT THAT  I WAS PARTICULARLY HARD ON MYSELF.

I MEAN, I BEGAN CREATING THINGS, LITTLE ART PROJECTS  AND WRITING THINGS, WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND NOBODY  PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THEM.

SO I WASN'T PARTICULARLY  CHALLENGED ON WHETHER WHAT I DID WAS GOOD ENOUGH.

BUT POETRY, I THINK POETRY MORE THAN ALMOST ANYTHING  ELSE I'VE DONE TAKES A KIND OF TIME, A KIND OF  MARINATING TIME, OF SLOWING DOWN TIME.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS WAITING.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS LOOKING.

SOME OF THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT IS DOING  NOTHING, NOTHING RELATED TO IT.

SO FOR ME, THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT OF IT.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CULTURE THAT IS SLOW,  EVER, ANYMORE, AND I KEEP HOLDING THIS SPACE OPEN FOR  POETRY, FOR MYSELF AND TRYING TO DO IT FOR ANYONE  ELSE.

I THINK POEMS TAKE TWO  READINGS AT A MINIMUM, SO THAT YOU MAYBE READ THROUGH  IT AND YOU GET ONE THING ON FIRST COMING UP TO IT, AND  THEN ON SECOND READING YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE, YOU GET  SOMETHING MORE.

IF YOU READ IT FIVE MONTHS  FROM NOW, YOU GET SOMETHING PERHAPS TOTALLY DIFFERENT  THAT YOU NEED.

>> Laura: WELL, LAUREN  CAMP, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR HOLDING  SPACE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> Lauren: THANK YOU FOR  HAVING ME.

>> Lou: THANK YOU TO LAURA  AND LAUREN FOR THAT CONVERSATION.

FINALLY TONIGHT, NEW MEXICO’S RECENTLY REDRAWN  CONGRESSIONAL MAP WILL STAND.

THAT’S AFTER THE STATE SUPREME COURT UPHELD A LOWER  COURT’S RULING APPROVING THE DEMOCRATIC-DRAWN DISTRICT  LINES.

REPUBLICANS SUED OVER THE  REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

SPECIFICALLY, HOW IT CHANGED  CD-2, A CONSERVATIVE OIL-PRODUCING AREA AND A  SWING DISTRICT ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER.

THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING ECHOES THE DECISION FROM  DISTRICT COURT JUDGE FRED VAN SOELEN.

HE FOUND THAT THERE WASN’T 'EGREGIOUS GERRYMANDERING.'

REPUBLICANS ARGUED THAT THE NEW MAP WILL SOLIDIFY  DEMOCRATIC POWER IN THE DISTRICT FOR YEARS TO COME.

BUT THE JUSTICES SAY THAT IT’S STILL COMPETITIVE,  CITING DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER GABE VASQUEZ’S NARROW WIN  OVER REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT YVETTE HERRELL IN 2022.

THE STATE'S REPUBLICANS ARE CONTEMPLATING THEIR NEXT  STEPS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING.

DEMOCRATS HOLD ALL STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICES IN NEW  MEXICO, AND THEY’LL HOPE TO KEEP THAT CLEAN SWEEP GOING  NEXT NOVEMBER WHEN VASQUEZ AND HERRELL WILL LIKELY FACE  OFF AGAIN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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