Kelsa Mendoza - The Daily Lobo

Culture

REVIEW: The brilliance of the ‘Bless Me, Ultima’ film adaptation

Kelsa Mendoza | September 23

With an overwhelming amount of European witchcraft being depicted in both film and literature, “Bless Me, Ultima” is an arresting representation of curanderismo and Spanish folk magic in our very own New Mexico. Originally a novel published in 1972, Rudolfo Anaya’s “Bless Me, Ultima” is a coming-of-age story about cultural identity, faith and forgiveness. It would later be adapted into a movie in 2012, written and directed by Carl Franklin.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II’ aims to destigmatize schizophrenia through gaming

Kelsa Mendoza | June 12

During a time when action-packed video games rise to the top of the charts, “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II” sets itself apart as an introspective narrative that challenges the player to understand an altered reality. Video game company, Ninja Theory, released “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II” as the sequel to “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice” on May 21. The games follow Senua (portrayed by Melina Juergens), a Celtic warrior with schizophrenia, navigating a world ravaged by violence and influenced by Norse mythology. The game is available on Windows and Xbox X/S for $49.99.

Opinion

Ask the editors: How do you take care of your mental health while working in journalism?

Lily Alexander , Kelsa Mendoza and Paloma Chapa | April 22

For the mental health special issue, three Daily Lobo editors took a moment to reflect on how we take care of our mental health while working in journalism – a fast-paced and often heavy field.

Opinion

Ask the editors: How do you show love to your loved ones?

Katrina Estrada , Lauren Lifke , Karina Bolaños , Lily Alexander , Maddie Pukite and Kelsa Mendoza | February 16

With another Valentine's Day week coming to a close, we find chocolate wrappers tossed in trash cans and roses slowly drying under the sun. Six editors at the Daily Lobo came together to reflect on how we show love to those around us. Time shared over a meal As someone whose primary love language is quality time, I let the people in my life know that I love them by existing around them as much as I can. Having the ability to exist in the same space as another person without feeling anxious, performative or uncomfortable is precious.

Culture

Local authors went interstellar in 2023

Kelsa Mendoza | February 5

2023 was a big year for bookworms everywhere. This year concluded strongly with a plethora of bestsellers worldwide, and with some true gems from local New Mexican authors. Sci-fi lovers were indulged with new unique titles from local authors Sarena Ulibarri and Ness Brown who crafted stories about the extraterrestrial and other space oddities. Both have had success in publication and have plans to expand their authorship in the future, they said. Ulibarri, a University of New Mexico alumna, has been publishing since 2012 and released two books in 2023. She published her novel “Steel Tree” in December – a sci-fi retelling of the Nutcracker.

Opinion

Opinion: Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’ film adaptation incoming amidst criticism

Kelsa Mendoza | January 22

Trigger warning: Sexual assault, abuse A film adaption of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, “It Ends With Us,” is being released in June, 2024. Due to the themes she flimsily depicts in her novels and the glorified ways in which she chooses to portray them, I am dismayed by the choice of bringing it to the big screen. The book made it to #1 on the Publisher’s Weekly adult list in 2022 and sold over 1,000,000 copies. In 2023, it became the second best-selling novel of the year. Hoover is a particularly unique case because she forewent traditional marketing plans and gained her demographic when TikTok users elevated her work several years after it was published.

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.

News

Eight bonds on the ballot for city maintenance

Zaina Naru , BillyJack Davidson , Karina Bolaños , Maddie Pukite , Thomas Bulger and Kelsa Mendoza | October 23

On this year's ballot, there are a total of seven municipal General Obligation Bond questions alongside one college bond question. If any of the G.O. Bonds are passed, money from the city's property tax revenue will be put toward that particular set of capital improvement projects or city maintenance. The approval of bonds will not cause property taxes to increase, however if a bond is not passed, it could cause a small decrease in property taxes with a $3.80 decrease a month for a home valued at $150,000. The team at the Daily Lobo has broken down what these bonds mean to give voters context on the projects at hand as they step into the voting booths this November.

Culture

Books on the Bosque introduces local authors to the community

Kelsa Mendoza | July 16

María Dolores Gonzales said that her book, written in Spanish, English and Spanglish, was put on the shelves independent of publishing firms. The literary community in Albuquerque is very rich, Gonzales said, but the community often lacks diverse representation. Gonzales – a retired UNM professor – attended Books on the Bosque’s local author palooza on July 15. She taught within the Spanish and Portuguese department before authoring “Atop the Windmill I Could See Forever” – a bilingual memoir that details her childhood in the southwest. “I’m trying to see – where is the Hispanic community? Where are the Hispanic writers? Where are the Latino writers? I think that is a big void in the literary world,” Gonzales said.

Culture

Albuquerque woman turns 106

Kelsa Mendoza | June 19

With a 50% chance of living past 106, according to a 2018 study from the journal Science it is an opportunity to meet an individual who has lived over a century. Catherine Kunz – born in 1917 – was able to celebrate her 106th birthday on June 15, 2023. The community at her assisted living facility gathered on her special day to give her birthday wishes and share cake. On it, her age was written in white frosting calligraphy. Sara Mendoza – the daughter of a resident at the living facility – brought the cake for Kunz. “I ordered the cake through Albertson’s and they had to call me to make sure they were really writing 106, and that it wasn’t some sort of typo,” Mendoza said.