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Culture

Francesca Cicconetti knows ball

Thomas Bulger | May 6

Francesca Cicconetti’s life has been dominated by sports. From an early age, she watched games with her family, which led to a high school career in volleyball. At the University of New Mexico, she covered sports for the Daily Lobo and started a temporary job with the New Mexico Ice Wolves. Cicconetti graduates from UNM with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication. Her family moved to Albuquerque when she was young; later, she attended Volcano Vista High School. Cicconetti graduated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and originally wanted to go out of state for college, but stayed close to home and doesn’t regret a thing.

Culture

Estrada’s creativity knows no bounds

Lily Alexander | May 6

“I was like, ‘F*ck, I’m not getting a job,’” Katrina Estrada said about her 2022 interview to be a freelance photographer at the Daily Lobo – during which she burst into laughter when a pigeon attacked then photo editor Mackenzie Schwartz. A week later, she was hired. She soon became the multimedia editor, and later, the photo editor. She graduates from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in film this spring. “I chose film because I’ve always been in love with the art. I think it started with my love for photography that started at a very young age, and then it blossomed into wanting to delve into other visual medias,” Estrada said.

Culture

Mackenzie Schwartz shows artistry and strength

Maria Fernandez | May 6

Writer, photographer and powerlifter Mackenzie Schwartz is graduating from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and three years at the Daily Lobo under her belt. Schwartz has had a passion for photography since high school and served as the Lobo photo editor for three semesters. She received the Mark Holm Photojournalism Award in 2023, which annually recognizes one Lobo photographer. “(My passion) has grown more over the years, working at the Daily Lobo (and) attending sports, protests and campus events,” Schwartz wrote.

Culture

Daily Lobo twins for the win

Arly Garcia | May 6

Paloma and Leila Chapa, Daily Lobo staff members and Women’s Soccer Club founders, are graduating from the University of New Mexico this spring with degrees in environmental planning and design. The twins started at UNM in 2019 and quickly became involved with the campus community. In September 2023, Paloma became multimedia editor for the Lobo and helped build the video desk. Leila joined the Lobo as a videographer in February 2024. The two were excited to create videos together – a longtime passion of theirs – and gain new experiences at the Lobo, they said.

Culture

BillyJack Davidson is a writer

Thomas Bulger | May 6

BillyJack Davidson has worked for the Daily Lobo as the men’s basketball beat reporter this past season, covering community events on the side. He graduates from the University of New Mexico this spring with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. Davidson was born and raised in Albuquerque and said he has no intention of leaving. As a third generation Lobo, he said he is proud to graduate from UNM as it has been his dream from a young age. Davidson chose liberal arts because it allowed him to explore every subject available, he said.

Culture

Outgoing editor-in-chief graduates, beloved by all

Karina Bolaños | May 6

The Daily Lobo’s outgoing editor-in-chief, Maddie Pukite, has spent their time at the University of New Mexico and in student publications making change. Pukite graduates this spring with two bachelor’s degrees – one in political science and one in Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies – and two minors – one in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts and one in Journalism & Mass Communication. Pukite served as a reporter, managing editor and editor-in-chief throughout their four years on Lobo staff. While doing so, they maintained a steady college schedule, taking 18-21 credits per semester.

Culture

Kiva Club holds ‘Honoring Our Mothers’ Powwow during Nizhoni Week

Maria Fernandez | May 3

On Sunday, April 28, the University of New Mexico Kiva Club hosted its annual Nizhoni Days Powwow on Johnson Field. The theme for this year’s powwow was “Honoring Our Mothers,” to honor women of every Indigenous community at the event, according to Kiva Club Communications Chair Lea Aguino. The Powwow marked the end of Nizhoni Days, a week-long celebration held by UNM American Indian Student Services that included board games, culture-focused conferences and craft classes. Nizhoni translates to "beautiful" in Diné, according to Aguino.

News

16 arrested after pro-Palestine protesters occupy the SUB

Ella Daniel and Paloma Chapa | May 1

On Tuesday, April 30 at around 3:30 a.m., 16 pro-Palestine protesters – five of them University of New Mexico students – were arrested by UNM Police Department officers at the Student Union Building after they occupied the space. New Mexico State Police, dressed in riot gear, participated in the response. The protesters filled the second floor of the SUB with tents, food and supplies, writing pro-Palestine messages on the walls with chalk and marker. As of April 30, at least 34,535 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Aljazeera. Two protesters, including UNM alumni Sofia Jenkins-Nieto, were pepper-sprayed by UNMPD officers.

News

Letter: A new generation for the peace movement

Ken Carpenter | May 1

Stupid and ignorant old men start wars; young people and innocent civilians die in them. A new generation of the best and brightest among us has stepped up around the globe once again to oppose the madness of war. They are following in the steps of the Buddha, St. Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, Hannah Arendt, Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King Jr. They are our best hope for our future, and we must support and protect them. The blame for the current wars in the Middle East is on all of us – the murderous terrorists of Hamas and other groups willing to sacrifice their own civilians, the Israeli government and radical settlers who have held Palestinians under a brutal military occupation for more than 75 years and are guilty of the outrageously disproportionate slaughter of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and the United States government, which has flooded the region with deadly weapons and financed Israel’s war machine. If we don’t stop this now, we are facing another world war which may be fought with nuclear bombs.

News

UNM encampment stands in solidarity with Palestine, other universities

Ella Daniel and Paloma Chapa | April 30

This story will be updated as the protest continues. Students, alumni, faculty and community members have been camped out at the Duck Pond since Monday, April 22 in solidarity with Palestine and students at universities nationwide. Encampments in support of Palestine have been set up on dozens of college campuses across the U.S., leading to hundreds of student arrests, according to the New York Times. Police officers have been present at the University of New Mexico encampment for the majority of Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The protesters are calling the University to divest from Israel and call for a ceasefire in Gaza, and for the Board of Regents to employ the divestment resolution written by the UNM Law Students Against Imperialism. UNM has received grants from the U.S.-Israel Binational Foundations, according to The Jewish Virtual Library.

Opinion

Opinion: Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ sings to the soul

Elizabeth Secor | April 29

Taylor Swift’s newest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” offers listeners a unique blend of rich storytelling, lyrically reminiscent of her previous works like “Folklore” and “Evermore,” with a touch of synth-pop akin to “Midnights.” I enjoyed the album, though I wish there had been more variety in the music as many of the songs had similar ambience and instrumentals. The lyrics made each song stand out, but they had to be listened to closely to stand out among the 31 songs released.

Opinion

Opinion: The Coachella story – Sales, Drugs and Rock and Roll

Addison Fulton | April 29

In 1993, the band Pearl Jam was truly in a jam. They wanted to boycott venues controlled by Ticketmaster because of a dispute over unnecessary charges attached to ticket sales, according to the New Yorker. The band needed to find a new place to play, and they landed in a desert valley in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Club. “You gotta run pretty far to get some space for yourself these days,” Eddie Vedder, singer and frontman, said to the crowd, according to the LA Times. The Pearl Jam show was a smash hit and proved the venue could be a great location and a thrilling experience. It inspired Paul Tollett, who also founded the Goldenvoice Music Company, to start an annual alt-rock music festival in 1999. He named the festival after that valley where people had run to find a space for themselves – Coachella.

News

‘4% don’t pay the rent’: United Graduate Workers rally for higher wages

Shin Thant Hlaing | April 29

The United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico rallied at Scholes Hall for higher wages on Tuesday, April 23. While UGW initially asked for a 50% overall salary wage increase and a 58% increase to minimum salaries, the University administration proposed a 4% increase. Three days after the rally, UGW received “more binding language” from UNM administration to include research assistants in proposed wage increases, a group that was previously left out, according to the UGW Instagram. They also received proposed increases to minimum salaries for project assistants and graduate assistants.

Sports

Women's basketball: embracing a new era

Rodney Prunty | April 29

The last time the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team played was March 11 against the San Diego State Aztecs in the Mountain West Tournament. Unfortunately for the Lobos, they lost that game 67-56, ending their season. What has followed with the team can best be described as a mass exodus, with a total of eight players are departing — seven through the transfer portal. The one player who is not leaving via the transfer portal is guard Aniyah Augmon. Augmon is deciding to forgo her senior year to graduate and pursue other passions outside of basketball. The biggest losses to the transfer portal for the Lobos are guard Nyah Wilson and forward Paula Reus, who both were significant parts of the team. Other players who are leaving through the transfer portal include Natalia Chavez, Nahawa Diarra Berthe, Mackenzie Curtis, Hannah Robbins and Jaelyn Bates.

News

Nation’s first mental health responders sign union contract

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | April 29

The Albuquerque Community Safety department secured their first collective bargaining agreement with their union in March. The department cited lack of support for employee well-being, stability and mental health, according to ACS Agency Vice President and bargaining committee member Crystal Little. The Union represents the first government agency in the nation that sends first responders with backgrounds in mental health to non-violent calls, according to Sherii Miera, an ACS behavioral health responder and bargaining committee member. Responders are dispatched through 911 calls, Miera said. “One of our main goals throughout has been to focus on the safety and well-being of the responders and ensuring that our voices are heard,” Little said.

Culture

Cultivating mental wellness at Plant Night

Nate Bernard | April 29

On Friday, April 26, the University of New Mexico Student Union Building hosted Plant Night – an event where students received free plants and decorated their pots. The art supplies to paint the pots were provided by the SUB. Harsh Kumar, an attendee of the event, and his family painted their pot with bright colors and nature. Kumar’s family doesn’t keep ornamental plants – grown for their appearance rather than functionality – too often, he said. Instead, they spend their time taking care of their edible plants.

News

Daily Lobo News Editor files lawsuit against UNM records custodian

Maddie Pukite | April 29

Editor’s note: Lily Alexander is the incoming editor-in-chief at the Daily Lobo. She was not involved in the reporting or editing process of this story. The News Editor of the Daily Lobo, Lily Alexander, has filed a lawsuit against Rob (Robert) Tafoya, the Custodian of Public Records at the University of New Mexico for failure to provide UNM Police Department's weapons inventory on March 5, 2024. The legal complaint asks for the courts to enforce the Inspection of the Public Records Act (IPRA) by requiring UNMPD to provide the weapons inventory.

Sports

Women's basketball: embracing a new era

Rodney Prunty | April 29

The last time the University of New Mexico women’s basketball team played was March 11 against the San Diego State Aztecs in the Mountain West Tournament. Unfortunately for the Lobos, they lost that game 67-56, ending their season. What has followed with the team can only be described as a mass exodus, as a total of eight players are departing — seven of those through the transfer portal. The one player who is not leaving via the transfer portal is guard Aniyah Augmon. Augmon is deciding to forgo her senior year to graduate and pursue other passions outside of basketball.

Sports

The Savannah Bananas peel into Albuquerque

Francesca Cicconetti and Elizabeth Secor | April 26

The social media and baseball stars, the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals, made their Albuquerque debut to a sold-out crowd at Isotopes Stadium, bringing Bananaland to the Land of Enchantment. The teams played on April 20 and 21, selling out the stadium both days. Banana Ball is different from your typical game of baseball. There’s a pitcher and a batter, and the goal is to make it around the bases and back to home plate, but there are many different rules and flares in the game that make it the show it is.

Culture

Cherry Reel showcases and encourages the act of creation

Karina Bolaños | April 24

On Friday, April 19, the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico Southwest Film Center held their ninth annual Cherry Reel Film Festival, showcasing 19 student-made films. This was the first time the event was held in Popejoy Hall. This year's festival showcased films ranging from documentary, to narrative, to experimental, according to Rylee Norman, executive director of the Southwest Film Center. Students, filmmakers and actors filled the seats of the auditorium to witness the screen light up with films made by fellow students and friends. After the screenings, nine films were awarded in eight categories, including Best Animation, Best in Festival and Best Directing.