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Culture

Letter: A tribute to Natalie Jude’s kindness and capacity for love

Zara Roy | December 4

Monday, Dec. 4 would have been the 21st birthday of former Daily Lobo editor Natalie Jude. The loss of Natalie on March 26, 2023 was a devastating blow to all that knew her kind soul and radiating goodness – leaving an ever-filling well of sadness for the many people whose lives she touched. I am honored to have met her and to have been able to call her a friend for the time I was able to. I first met Natalie when we started at the paper at the same time in the fall semester of 2021. We became good friends that spring and lived together in bleak campus housing for part of that summer. She was a beautiful soul with bright, expressive eyes and a magnetic personality. She was a truly good person, capable of kindness even in circumstances which would challenge the patience and goodness of a saint.

Culture

A walk through the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge

BillyJack Davidson | November 27

Albuquerque is filled with a multitude of different sources of natural beauty. Whether the Sandia Mountains, the Rio Grande, the Bosque or the city’s Botanical Gardens, there are several beautiful sites, including National Wildlife Refuges that take care of hundreds of flora and fauna. The Valle de Oro refuge is located behind the industrialized zone of the South Valley off of Second St., consisting of 570 acres. After opening 11 years ago in 2012, Valle de Oro’s mission is to transform the dirt-based area into a lush open space where people can come to connect with nature amidst the growing industrialization of the area, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services website.

Culture

Free meals on Thanksgiving

Kat Gomez | November 20

Whether in need of a turkey to prepare or a warm meal to eat, there are a variety of events in Albuquerque over break to cater to these needs in several ways. University students are one of the groups in the U.S. that suffer most from food insecurity. According to the Basic Needs Survey run by the University of New Mexico Basic Needs Project, 37% of UNM undergraduate students suffer from food insecurity. Over Thanksgiving Break, La Posada, along with other food options found in the Student Union Building (SUB), will be closed. Only the Market at the Student Resource Center will be open over break with reduced operation hours from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. While many on-campus options will be unavailable, a few on and off-campus partners are holding events for this Thanksgiving season to combat these insecurities.

Culture

The Indigenous Nations Library Program offers education and community

Kelsa Mendoza | November 20

Located on the second floor of Zimmerman Library, the Indigenous Nations Library Program is a service point for the University of New Mexico community that empowers Indigenous students. The space provides a safe learning environment, culturally relevant information services, Indigenous scholarship opportunities and social gatherings, according to the INLP webpage. Janice Kowemy (Laguna) — who manages the space for INLP — offers research assistance and resources on Indigenous topics.

Culture

Public libraries provide community space for NaNoWriMo participants

Arly Garcia | November 20

National Novel Writing Month – shortened to NaNoWriMo – is a global event that takes place every November. It challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a novel before the end of the month, according to the city of Rio Rancho’s website. On Sunday, Nov. 12, the Rio Rancho Public Library hosted a write-in for NaNoWriMo at The HUB. NaNoWriMo offers numerous virtual events to help writers reach their goals, and some local libraries provide a physical space for writers to share in the joys – and frustrations – of writing a novel, Bentley Clark said – local librarian, event host and NaNoWriMo winner aid.

Culture

Cultural Night brings the Muslim community together with pride

Karina Bolaños | November 6

Two organizations on campus partnered together to participate in the second annual Charity Week to aid Islamic Relief of the USA in an effort to bring the Muslim community together in pride and support for those in Gaza. On Oct. 29, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and Dunya Association created a celebration of culture – organizing several fundraising events throughout the week, Sarah Jawadi said – ambassador for Charity Week with the Islamic Relief Fund. All of the proceeds from this year focus on projects including education, relief aid for Syria and aid for children in the Middle East.

Culture

UNM’s Trailblazers provides a spooky tour of Hodgin Hall

Kat Gomez | October 30

Hodgin Hall is the University of New Mexico’s oldest building on campus. On Oct. 25, UNM Trailblazers – UNM’s student alumni ambassador organization – worked together to create Haunted Night. Before entering the haunted house, visitors are greeted by one of the alumni students with a brief history about the house, and hear whispers of speculation that it may be haunted. “Welcome to Hodgin Hall. Be prepared, for our presence has stirred Irma’s relentless spirit. Proceed with caution, for you are about to embark on a spine-tingling journey,” the tour guides said.

Culture

LGBTQ recource center provides resource for those coming out

Kat Gomez | October 16

For most Queer people, coming out can be nerve-wracking. It has always been a universally complicated topic for those in the LGBTQ+ community to open up about. On Oct. 11, 1988, Jean O’Leary and Robert Eichberg created National Coming Out Day as a way to bring visibility to Queer people during the ongoing AIDS crisis that the federal government did little to support, leaving 46,134 dead in 1988, according to the Washington Post. The University’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center was first founded on National Coming Out Day in 2010. Created by students, staff, and faculty, the center has resided on Las Lomas since Oct. 11, 2010 — now six years since its opening.

Culture

Hotdogs, COVID and community

Jaymes Boe | October 16

As COVID-19 impacted the food industry due to restrictions on in-person dining, a total of 5.5 million restaurant jobs were lost by April 2020. Matt Bernabe, who just opened doors at “Urban Hotdog Company” a year ago in Nob HIll, sought to give back to the Albuquerque community and the industry workers who faced unemployment in the form of “Project 86’d.” Leveraging one of his food trucks, Bernabe and his staff set out with the goal of giving away food to industry workers who were left without a job due the pandemic.

Culture

WRC Fundraises for Survivor Funds

Marcela Johnson | October 10

The NAT – Nurture and Thrive – Fund is a newly established scholarship at the Women’s Resource Center in honor of former Daily Lobo culture editor and film student, Natalie Jude. On Friday, Sept. 30, the WRC hosted a Cuban BBQ fundraiser in support of the NAT Fund and the ongoing Sabrina Single Parent Scholarship. “It’s not a formal memorial scholarship fund, but it’s named with a wink in remembrance to Natalie Jude Johnson. Natalie’s friends came up with Nurture and Thrive, NAT,” Áine McCarthy – WRC director – said.

Culture

ABQ Zine Fest — an annual celebration of DIY publications

Detroit Kallunki | October 9

Zines are small, self-published booklets that contain artwork, poetry, news and more. Zines are frequently distributed on a small scale because of the do-it-yourself nature of creation, Marya Errin Jones said – ABQ Zine Fest founder. Mass market publication can be a difficult process, so for many creators, self-publication is the best way to make their voices heard. Albuquerque once had a prominent DIY scene, Jones said. Zine Fest was started as a revival.

Culture

WRC Fundraises for Survivor Funds

Marcela Johnson | October 2

On Friday, Sept. 30, the WRC hosted a Cuban BBQ fundraiser in support of the NAT Fund and the ongoing Sabrina Single Parent Scholarship. “It’s not a formal memorial scholarship fund, but it’s named with a wink in remembrance to Natalie Jude Johnson. Natalie’s friends came up with Nurture and Thrive, NAT,” Áine McCarthy – WRC director – said. The NAT Fund is a survivor safety fund to help empower survivors of abuse through monetary aid, such as emergency housing, moving costs or obtaining a new parking spot, McCarthy said.

Culture

“Bless Me, Ultima” and the strange magic of storytelling

Detroit Kallunki | October 2

51 years ago, Rudolfo Anaya’s most famous book, “Bless Me, Ultima,” was published. For the first time, many people saw themselves represented in a literary form. Anaya celebrates the complexities of Chicanx identity as well as the New Mexican experience in a way that has not been done on a broad scale before. The National Hispanic Cultural Center has partnered with the University of New Mexico’s English department for the past two years in September to screen the 2012 film adaptation for the past two years in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, according to associate UNM English professor, Melina Vizcaíno-Alemán.

Culture

Amanda Curreri feels like the blue swirl emoji

Lily Alexander | September 29

Amanda Curreri – artist and Assistant Professor of Painting & Drawing – and her graduate students have been identifying themselves in their creative processes as emojis. She is the blue spiral, Curreri said, and she goes far out. Curreri’s art is part of the University of New Mexicos Art Museum’s current Hindsight Insight 3.0 exhibition. She initially approached curator Mary Statzer because she wanted her 2019 piece RopeWalk — a giant tapestry of ropes created by over 300 people — to have another life.

Culture

Demystifying HSI

Marcela Johnson | September 24

Although the term Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) is federally defined, to University of New Mexico students and staff, it means much more. The US Department of Education defines a HSI as a higher education institution that has at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate full-time equivalent students enrolled at the end of the application year. “For people who work at HSIs, they play around with the idea that it’s not actually a Hispanic serving institution - (employees) argue that these universities don’t actually serve Hispanic students but rather are Hispanic enrolling institutions,” Natalia Toscano said - a Ph.D. candidate in the Chicano & Chicana Studies department.

Culture

InteliGente: Cars, Culture y Comunidad

Marcela Johnson | September 24

Formed by two University of New Mexico students, the InteliGente car club aims to bring culture and community to campus. “We are a community car club (created) for and by students with the goal of promoting education in New Mexico through car culture,” Dominique Rodríguez said - club co-founder and second year Ph.D. Chicana and Chicano Studies (CCS) student. The club aims to show other students that they do not have to act a certain way in higher education, Diego Rentería said - co-founder and fourth year undergraduate CCS student.

Culture

Chile season brings concerns about scarcity

Amy Dotson | September 24

The bright red chile ristras hanging above the tented chile stand are the first things that catch the eye at the Farmers Chile Market. Closer to the tent, is the unmistakable smell of New Mexican chiles. For many in New Mexico, chile season is the highlight of autumn, and stands, including the Farmers Chile Market, are signs that meals are about to get a little more flavorful. Jhett Kendall Browne and his dad, Jhett Anthony Browne, work the stand from August to October, selling around 8,000 sacks of chiles every year.

Culture

The Half-White Album is coming to UNM

BillyJack Davidson | September 18

The Half-White Album is a book that was released to the public this past April that weaves together poetry, fiction and nonfiction before it is musically performed. Cynthia Sylvester (Diné) is the author of The Half-White Album and the performance’s speaker. Sylvester is a native Albuquerquian and her work has appeared in ABQ In Print, Leon Literary Review, Lunch Ticket, As Us Journal and other magazines. The Half-White album is a compilation of Sylvester’s characters that span over poetry, non-fiction essays and fictional stories all depicting an aspect of the author in one shape or form.

Culture

Hindsight Insight 3.0: excitement in collaboration

Lily Alexander | September 11

Over the summer, Mary Statzer and Angel Jiang – curators at the University of New Mexico’s Art Museum – asked three professors to choose works for an exhibit that would connect with their syllabuses. Ray Hernández-Durán, who teaches Chicano & Latinx art, pulled pieces by Chicano and Latinx artists. Kevin Mulhearn, who teaches the history of photography, pulled abstract and portraiture photography from various time periods, Jiang said. The UNM Art Museum unveiled its latest exhibition, “Hindsight Insight 3.0: Portraits, Landscapes, and Abstraction” on Friday, Sept. 6.

Culture

Land, Body and Archive highlights student work

Addison Key | September 11

There is a deep history of collaboration between students in the Southwest, specifically in the photo medium, Anna Rotty said. The Southwest Photo Collaborative is a group of graduate students from the University of New Mexico, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. Rotty – a third-year graduate student studying photography – worked with a small group of students to create and curate an art show titled, “Land, Body and Archive” in the John Sommers Gallery with an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 10.