Amanda Britt - The Daily Lobo

Culture

Gabriel Gaarden fought for fair tuition and public health

Amanda Britt | May 15

Gabriel Gaarden wore many hats during his time at the University of New Mexico. Graduating this spring with a masters in public health is just one of his many achievements. Gaarden was a notable student for both his work as a research assistant and as the president of the Public Health Student Association (PHSA), where he grew as a leader and acted as a voice for the student population in combating differential tuition.

News

COVID-19 disproportionately impacts marginalized populations

Amanda Britt | April 29

The coronavirus pandemic is not the great equalizer some in the limelight have touted it to be. Melanie Moses, UNM professor of computer science, has been studying the racial disparities of the coronavirus spreading within our state. Moses said there needs to be policies implemented to protect vulnerable groups as individuals plan to open economies, distribute personal protective equipment and develop vaccination plans. “There are shocking disparities among African, Latinx and Native-American populations with mortality rates at rates at least two or three times higher than white populations,” Moses said. At least 31% of New Mexicans who’ve contracted COVID-19 are Native American despite only making up about 11% of the population, according to an article New Mexico In Depth published based on publicly available data.

Culture

Organizations work to address hunger amid pandemic

Amanda Britt | April 22

One in six people struggle with food insecurity in New Mexico, according to Feeding America, the United States' largest domestic hunger-relief organization. That’s roughly 324,000 New Mexicans, including one in four children, struggling with hunger every day. Local food banks, farmers, and growers markets are each doing their part to address hunger in New Mexico. Roadrunner Foodbank has partnered with Feeding America to distribute over 31 million meals to people dealing with hunger in counties all over New Mexico. Roadrunner is currently the only partner of Feeding America in New Mexico

Culture

Three easy meatless meals

Amanda Britt | April 15

As most of us are constantly stuck inside to avoid spreading COVID-19, one way to pass the time is by experimenting with different homemade meals. Whether you want to help the environment or simply cannot find any meat left in the store, these three easy to make, meat-free meals are worth trying.

News

Instructors adjust to teaching online

Amanda Britt | April 7

With classes officially starting online only this week, instructors across the University of New Mexico have felt pressure to make a smooth transition from tracking in-person to teaching remotely. While some professors choose to teach only by posting lecture slides or YouTube videos to Blackboard Learn, others, like Melisa Garcia chose to incorporate Skype, a video web conferencing service, into her teaching.

Culture

Nationwide photoshoot meet takes place online

Amanda Britt | April 4

There are two types of people in life — those that take advantage in times like this, and those that help, according to Hector Puig, a photographer and artist based in Los Angeles. Puig is the visionary behind the world’s largest virtual photography experience, where photographers from across the country can join together to create art. He said that creating this experience is how he could help both the photographers and the rest of the world through expression and art in these dark times. Puig, along with photographer Dovvie Viramontes, reached out to photo-communities in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Seattle and DC through Instagram, and expect over 400 photographers to attend the zoom meeting on April 4, 2020.

News

UNM set to refund housing, meal plan in coming weeks

Amanda Britt | March 28

The University of New Mexico will refund over 1,110 students for their student housing and meal plans, after forcing them to vacate eight weeks early, according to Residence Life and Student Housing. Four days before Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statewide “stay at home” order March 24, students were instructed through email to evacuate from their on-campus housing by that same day. As of March 28, Lujan Grisham said there were at least 208 cases of COVID-19 in New Mexico.

News

MyUNM gets a facelift

Amanda Britt | March 12

Freshmen will be greeted by a new online landscape when they log onto their MyUNM account next fall. The MyUNM Student Experience Suite is projected to replace MyUNM for incoming freshmen students starting in the fall 2020 semester. The project will incorporate help from various student groups and resources on campus, including the Office of the Provost, the Division for Equity and Inclusion and UNM Information Technologies (IT).

News

UNM launches First-Year Promise scholarship

Amanda Britt and Cameron Ward | March 11

Freshmen coming to the University of New Mexico may receive free tuition and have their first-year college fees covered through the "Lobo First-Year Promise" program. The incoming freshman fall class at UNM's main campus must earn a minimum 2.5 GPA for the 2020-21 academic year, enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours for the fall and spring, be a New Mexico resident, be a graduate of a New Mexico high school within the past 16 months, submit a 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a family income of $50,000 a year or less to qualify. Vice President for Enrollment Management Dan García said New Mexico residents with financial needs will have the resources available to cover tuition and fees through the scholarship. He also said the scholarship will give greater assurance to students who may not believe they can afford a four-year university by showing the University wants them here.

Music

CFA thesis shows Guatemalan sociopolitical system through queer lens

Amanda Britt | March 5

DOWNTOWN, ABQ — Martin Wannam's thesis show "La Eterna Resistencia" examines the sociopolitical system in Guatemala through a queer, brown lens with content based off of religious narratives and normative societal ideologies. Wannam's work manifests itself through large-scale prints hung from the walls of the Center for Fine Arts Downtown Studio. The prints showed queer men and women from Guatemala dressed as folklore legends, both from South America and Wannam's own imagination. "I started taking Guatemalan legends and queering them out," Wannam said. "I would change their narrative and change the way they're perceived as queer."