UpLift Chronicles - IDE May/June Edition, Volume 2, Issue 5

MOVING ON, MOVING UP

IT’S GRADUATION TIME AND A GROUP OF APS EDUCATORS REFLECTS ON CHALLENGES AND VICTORIES THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR

Every spring, graduation time gives parents, teachers, and school administrators a natural opportunity to reflect on how our Albuquerque students fared overall, what programs and strategies worked, and what needs improvement going forward. This year ended on a big note that APS changed its calendar for

■ Highlights included achieving improved literacy scores for grade schoolers; being recognized for strong bilingual and multicultural ed; and helping unhoused students’ families.

■ A big challenge was student attendance, whether truancy or an overall, yearlong dip. One respondent said, “We’re struggling with attendance more than I have ever seen in my career.”

■ There were kudos for creating a closer sense of community between schools and parents/caretakers but also a want to get teachers even more directly engaged with students’ families.

■ The news about APS changing its school year calendar prompted strong, mostly positive reactions. While one answerer flatly stated, “Our students do not enjoy a prolonged day,” most others believe the change will help improve student attendance because of their later start time. Some cited students’ need to get more rest for their growing brains and bodies and one was adamant that this new time change will help offset pandemic learning loss. One respondent seemed to question the question noting, “We need to remember that students are our clients, not adults.”

Differing beliefs are precisely why the UpLift Initiative opens up these dialogues. They help us understand how our students’ families—and their educators—feel about the state of New Mexican education.

Thank you to this article’s contributing academics: Kimberly Finke/ Whittier Elementary School principal, Laura Navarro/Highland High School family community liaison, Ralph Pena/ Emerson Elementary School community school coordinator, Charlton Simmons/ Highland High School community school coordinator, and Katrina Sisneros/Hayes Middle School principal.

2023-2024, so we surveyed a group of teachers and admin about some pros and cons. Here’s what they said.

■ Every educator—teacher or administrator—wanted to broaden the notion of “education.” They highlighted students’ ability at graduation to successfully enter the workforce with both academic and “soft” skills. Soft skills are learned habits like good communication and collaboration aptitude. “Not all students need to be on a college-bound course,” one person noted; “learning trades leading to gainful employment” also makes for a fruitful education. Also, special ed students deserve more prep for post-graduation opportunities.

Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit overview

Highlights included achieving improved literacy scores for grade schoolers; being recognized for strong bilingual and multicultural ed; and helping unhoused students’ families.

YOUR FUTURE HEALTH STARTS TODAY

DR. SHELDON JORDAN SHARES

DATA ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH DISPARITIES FOR NEW MEXICO’S COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

We all know that there are disparities in how certain communities were affected by and treated for COVID-19. At the height of the pandemic, NMDOH Better Together and WEAVE NM started an ambitious healthcare research study called to address the “challenges BIPOC communities [face regarding] vaccination rules and clinical study participation.” WEAVE stands for Wide Engagement for Assessing COVID-19 Vaccination Equity. The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) worked with the NMDOH Better Together and WEAVE NM teams to send out a survey to Albuquerque’s Black communities and collect data on the inequitable cultural representation, healthcare access, and public policy our communities suffer.

Dr. Sheldon Jordan, a biomedical scientist and founder of Peptineo, then teamed up with NMBLC executive director Cathryn McGill to craft a white paper summarizing the findings. A “white paper” is a report that a nonprofit issues to promote a solution to a problem or a service (per Investopedia.com). The solution here was unpacking all the information in the Better Together/WEAVE NM survey from almost 300 Black community members in Albuquerque. Dr. Jordan describes the entire process as “strategic” work not “tactical,” meaning that this effort is meant to be long-term and transformative, not discrete and transactional.

NMBLC’s involvement was motivated by the long-standing exclusion of Blacks from the social, cultural, and political fabric of New Mexico. And according to NMBLC, the groundbreaking study exceeded participation goals from local Black folk, demonstrating that these studies, when approached respectfully and co-created with our community members, could produce meaningful data results about Black well-being and healthcare.

There are still major questions, like how do we better serve vulnerable BIPOC populations during the next, inevitable pandemic; and how do we achieve healthcare and vaccine equity for Black Americans before then?

NMBLC analysis revealed persistent patterns in socioeconomic and racial/ ethnic grouping which affect Black vaccine participation—including public institution confidence, social cohesion and solidarity, and civic engagement—all of which historically have been affected by disenfranchisement.

The survey also listed how Black vaccine inequity still manifests in different ways, including limited access to vaccination sites due to few pharmacies or public transportation; a lack of reliable internet access or digital literacy for appointments; and a lack of inclusion due to scarce healthcare provider outreach. Because Black folks have poorer healthcare access, there’s a lack of treatment; and because our communities weren’t prioritized in vaccine efforts, we had poorer vaccination numbers as a people.

These examples demonstrate the need for targeted strategies to address vaccine equity for Black Americans, including community engagement, distribution prioritization, and culturally-competent communication and education efforts.

In conclusion, Dr. Jordan noted we must keep asking the important questions. “These systems are supposed to help our community, so how do we really address these disparities? How do we make sure our community is actually, truly, and finally connected?”

Be sure to keep an eye out for the full white paper on the Better Together/ WEAVE NM survey responses in a future issue of the UpLift Chronicles and on the UpLift website.

Dr. Sheldon Jordan

NMBLC analysis revealed persistent patterns in socioeconomic and racial/ ethnic grouping which affect Black vaccine participation—including public institution confidence, social cohesion and solidarity, and civic engagement—all of which historically have been affected by disenfranchisement.

BOOK BANS ARE ON THE RISE

BOOK CHALLENGES DOUBLED IN 2022 AND THE USUAL TARGETS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

The American Library Association (ALA) recently published a report stating that attempts to remove books from libraries nearly doubled in 2022 over the previous year. 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship. Of those titles, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. These two already-marginalized groups are directly disadvantaged by being erased from history, memoirs, and fiction.

A report by PEN America, a nonprofit supporting literature and writing, said that 1,648 unique titles were banned in the 2021-2022 school year. Of those titles, 41% centered LGBTQ+ themes, and 40% featured a prominent character of color.

The wave of censorship coincides with legislation around the country limiting or eliminating access to informational and educational texts. Some laws impose restrictions on libraries altogether. Librarians are being punished for doing their job serving their communities; some have quit from harassment and others have been fired for keeping books available.

Banned books are taken out of public libraries so nobody can access them. Since public libraries are a free resource, folks who have limited financial resources are directly impacted.

Disappearing the depth of history, art, and lived experience from libraries featuring LGBTQ+ and BIPOC narratives flies in the face of freedom of speech and expression; narrows American history and literature to only dominant culture and cis-gendered perspectives; is fascist in its roots; and curtails a free resource that libraries everywhere provide. See the QRs for more info on this harrowing real-time anti-intellectual movement.

BURQUE MEETS LIMA

POLLITO CON PAPAS SERVES PERUVIAN FAVES AND SATISFIES NEW MEXICAN TASTES

Rene and Monica Coronado didn’t mean to end up in the restaurant business. But in 2011, after the 2008 financial crisis, it was time to close their furniture store.

Rene, born in Mexico, loves to grill. And Monica’s Peruvian family owns the very popular El Pollo Rico in Arlington, VA. So, together they opened a Peruvian grilled chicken restaurant. At first, their tiny spot on Broadway served only fries, Peruvian chicken thighs (modeled on Monica’s family recipe), and creamy green aji sauce so good the Coronados make it at home to keep the recipe secret.

Peruvian transplants saw the Pollito con Papas sign and were excited to get some home food, but Burqueños expected tortillas and chile with their chicken. Rene stuck by the Peruvian formula though, saying, “I know we’re gonna get our niche, ’cause our food is different and it’s good.”

When Pollito started to gain traction, it moved to a larger space on Gibson to serve the lunch crowd from Kirkland AFB and the VA. Slowly, the menu expanded. To use up leftover chicken—since he won’t serve anything less than fresh—Rene added chimichangas like his mother taught him to make. Monica added yuca fries and stuffed potatoes, a Peruvian street food.

When the restaurant needed a sign, Monica designed a mascot, but Rene found early versions too cute. He wanted something with an attitude and eventually Monica nailed it. “People say, why is your chicken so angry? And I say, it’s not angry— it’s determined.”

Defunding Library Books

PEN America’s Banned Books Update

ALA’S Top 13 Challenged Books of 2022

ALA’s Most Challenged Book List

Timeline of Banned & Burned Books

Whether you’re packing in with the crowds in ALBUQUERQUE CIVIC PLAZA, heading up the mesa to RIO RANCHO, giving thanks at CHURCH, or cutting up with your fam at the BACKYARD COOKOUT, you’ll be commemorating something special on JUNE 19.

Also referred to as “Jubilee Day,” Juneteenth memorializes the month and day when enslaved people in Texas were finally informed that the Civil War had ended the prior April and that they had, in fact, been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation an entire two years earlier. Black folks have been commemorating the postbellum era ever since, even though Juneteenth’s only been considered officially-official since 2021, when congress made it the first federal holiday added to the list since Dr. King’s birthday in 1983.

Like we’ve been saying since the Albuquerque Journal recognized our prominent voices in the Summer of Resistance 2020, Juneteenth is another sign to America that its Black brothers and sisters are deserving of the freedoms afforded everyone else and that our work toward equity and healthfulness in body, mind, and spirit is not about a mere moment, but is part of an enduring movement.

All summer long, we’ll be sure to keep you updated on what get-togethers we know are going down. Click on the QRs at right for our events calendar and check the NMBLC blog, called EQ Online, as well. Also, you can tell us about anything we might be missing. To send us the 411 about an event, please email to uplift@nmblc.org and enter ***JUNETEENTH UPDATE*** in the subject line.

NMBLC Events Calendar

EQ Online Events Blog

Juneteenth history in New Mexico

Frederick Douglass & Juneteenth

Powerful Juneteenth Quotes

Amanda Gorman, poet / activist

But HOLDUP HOLDUP HOLDUP: we don’t expect you to wait for Juneteenth to start your summer partying; there are graduations to celebrate and summer sun to soak in. The Burqueños in City Hall get the ball rolling with the Community Block Party series, which land on a number of Saturdays through the spring and summer. The next two in the series come alive in our neck of the woods, the International District, on May 20 and June 3 at Wilson Park and Oak Street Health, respectively. Check out the flyer to the right and call Nichole Rogers’ office or click on the QR for more info!

“[Juneteenth] is about creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. It’s a message that we’ve been working hard to convey in the past 400 years and how we continue to do our work.”

Cathryn McGill, NMBLC founder

“Our goal is never revenge, just restoration. Not dominace, just dignity. Not fear, just freedom. Just justice.”

from “Fury & Faith” by Amanda Gorman

“Every Black person you meet is a miracle…We are valuable because of our humanity and declared valuable because our ancestors declared our worth when they fought for us to live.” — Brittany Packnett

HOW OUR BLAQ PRIDE SHOWS

WHAT DOES PRIDE MEAN TO QUEER FOLKS OF COLOR? BELOW, SOME PROUD LOCAL CREATIVES SHARE ON WHAT’S COMING UP AND WHAT’S GOING DOWN DURING JUNE PRIDE MONTH…

J GOURDIN, MULTIHYPHENATE CREATIVE & UNM ADVISOR

“Joy is so real and powerful. I want to bring attention to the ways queer community finds motivation to keep sharing our light. In the face of so much vitriol about how people live their lives, queer people find each other and affirm the differences other communities cast shade on.

“I have the pleasure of advising the newly-chartered student organization at UNM, True Colors… bringing together Black queers to create refuge from stigma and judgement. True Colors imparts lessons of communal responsibility and challenges preconceived ideas of a solely cis-heterosexual Blackness. It is pivotal that Black queer and trans students be represented as a student organization of African American Student Services to reflect the ‘invisible’ tether that connects some of UNM’s brightest students.”

DYONNE DAHL, DRAG ARTIST & PERFORMANCE ART CURATOR

“I would like to highlight how our community came together to support and attend the first all-Black cast show, [called] The Chocolate Factory, at the Albuquerque Social Club. The energy and enthusiasm I felt at that show was like no other.

“LGBTQ+ are getting represented and having safe spaces to go. I still think we need to focus on expanding that welcome and not focus solely on the L and G in our community as much. There are a lot of letters under our flag, and all of them need equal representation and to feel welcome. It’s [also] nice to know that we are living in a state that is a safe haven not only for our LGBTQ+ community but also for women’s rights.”

AVERY MARTINI, DRAG ARTIST & BLACK/QUEER BUSINESSOWNER

“[I’m celebrating that] we are no longer waiting for brands or businesses to lead the fight or organize our events for us. There is a fire in ourselves to provide the visibility we deserve.

“Thankfully, because of organizations in New Mexico like Equality New Mexico, Transgender Resource Center, and MPower with Planned Parenthood, we are one of the states that loves, affirms, and protects everyone including our queer and trans siblings! There are bills such as HB 207 being signed into law that will be the most expansive LGBTQIA protections in the nation. To see many of our allies stepping up to support us is extremely beneficial! I encourage everyone to continue to utilize their voices, speak with passion, move with purpose, and VOTE. Every voice matters and [whether] you’re a drag fan, a friend or family member to a queer individual, or a stranger to the cause, please speak up and show out!”

Avery Martini and Dyonne Dahl

J Gourdin

FROM THE FOUNDER/DIRECTOR

We are inviting students and families from all across Central New Mexico to join us for out 11th Annual Roots Summer Leadership Academy (RSLA) this July. This a theme-based project-based learning environment that focuses on using the arts as a tool to teach self-esteem and leadership. Students have the opportunity to build community and make lifelong friendships. The camp is based on Marcus Garvey’s quote, “A people who lack the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” We make every effort to ensure that every child we encounter has a deep appreciation for their individual roots and their place in the larger community. RSLA is an incubator for creativity, growth, and loads of fun. Please register today.

ROOTS SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY REGISTRATION DETAILS

Registration Open Now & FREE Donations of time, talent, treasure accepted.

Dates: July 10–July 28, 2023

First Unitarian Church Campus 3701 Carlisle NE (Corner of Carlisle/Comanche) Transportation will be provided from the International District

Register here

Our theme this year is Tayari, meaning “I’m Prepared. I’m Ready,” in Swahili. The adinkra symbol is Pempamsie, for “Sew in Readiness.”

ROOTS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ZAVIER THOMPSON – Z THE AUTHOR

We met and fell in love with Zavier in 2014. This May, Zavier will graduate from the College of St. Rose in upstate New York with a degree in Music Technology and Business Communications. After graduation, he’s on his way to Los Angeles to intern at a recording studio complex. And further his career as Z the Author. This is what he had to say when asked about his Roots experience:

“It was really a safe space to experiment with myself in a creative way. By creative way, I mean it was a way that I hadn’t expressed myself before. It really opened doors for me to keep creating and lead me down the road to where I am now. Taking music and performance as seriously as I do really all started with what I learned at the camp.”

Schedule: 7:30am–9am: Before Care

9am–4pm: Classes

Dance, Theater in the Making, STEM, Music, Visual Art/Math, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Assembly, Field Trips, Special Performances, Caregiver/Guardian Workshops & Community Building

4pm–5:30pm: After Care

Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks Provided Daily

ROOTS CAMP SONG - “I BELIEVE IN ME”

by

Cathryn McGill

In the summer of 2013, a few minutes before I needed to leave for the very first iteration of the Roots camp, I remembered that we needed a theme song. I sat down at my piano and scribbled out a title, a melody, and these words that, unbeknownst to me, would completely define the essence of the work we do with our youth, and indeed, with the entire community.

I believe in me cause I believe in you cause I believe in we Our whole community And my roots are deep to keep me strong I stand proud and I know I belong Everybody hear me when I say that I am somebody I am somebody I am somebody

Zavier Thompson in the Wiz 2014

Cathryn McGill

2022 academy video recap

AN ARTFUL VISION COMES TO LIFE

SE ABQ REVITALIZATION EFFORT MAKES THE STREETS SAFER FOR PEDESTRIANS

At long last, something beautiful graces the long stretch of wall on Louisiana Boulevard bordering the NM Expo between Lomas and Central. Neighbors got new hope when Artful Life’s International District Youth Team, partnering with ABQ Vision Zero, sent around surveys in 2020. Artful Life is an organization touting community revitalization “through the beauty and power of collaborative art.” Vision Zero is a traffic camera program that went up around the ID last August. This past April, after community-building and outreach, a team of artists—youth and adults from the International District and other parts of Burque—started painting under the partnership.

The intersection of Central and Louisiana is among the most dangerous for traffic in the city, explains lead artist Andrew Fearnside. “The Expo was built as this big square. And straight roads with lots of lanes mean people drive faster.”

“Transit justice is what we’re talking about. The less money you have, the more likely you are to be a pedestrian or use public transit. Because the International District has a history of impoverishment…in terms of streetlights and improvements…we have more pedestrians, and more people getting killed [by street traffic].”

Research shows that art can help. “Public art is like the trees and the streetlights. It makes people feel more connected to their place, and thus to drive with care, and to care about pedestrians.”

Community involvement was important to the team. Project manager Kathryn Fearnside says, “Four people from the community were both artists on the mural and are in it. This is their neighborhood. That level of participation is tremendous. And all the youth artists really made it community-engaged.”

The reaction from the neighborhood during the project was “100% honking and thumbs-up out the window.” An Albuquerque Fire Rescue crew driving by gave their approval, too.

Though the design is joyful, the team also imagined it as a memorial to the many who have died on these busy Southeast corners. The ghosts on the colorful road are a way to represent the afterlife. Kathryn muses, “There are these human pedestrians, and you’re one of them, but there are all these enchantments around you. It re-enchants the world. So, the death of these people is memorialized through this enchantment. We’re talking about the spirit realm.”

You can read more about the mural local youth artists put together in the QRs:

Artful Life/Vision Zero Mural Abq’s Vision Zero

Mural artists (left to right): Leslie Blaustein, Orchid Wilson, Davetta Wilson, Finnegan D. Parker, Jasmine Neely Garcia, Roxy Tocin, Will Geusz, Daniel Wingert, Andrew Fearnside

Davetta Wilson and Orchid Wilson pose for a silhouette

HOUSING THOSE WHO SERVED

VETERANS’ HOUSING COMPLEX WITH TREATMENT AND SERVICES BREAKS GROUND IN ALBUQUERQUE

The Veterans Integration Centers (VIC) recently broke ground on a transitional housing complex for veterans. It’s being built on three acres of vacant land near I-25 and Gibson. The campus will include 42 beds and 33 units of low-income housing. Also planned are a food pantry, gym, and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.

The Albuquerque Journal reported a 2022 count of 86 unhoused veterans in the city. VIC’s transitional housing facility will provide vets a temporary place to live while they reintegrate back into society. Its programs will help with post-traumatic stress disorder and general life skills.

The groundbreaking was met with protests from some people from the surrounding community. The Kirtland Community Association stated opposition in two news sources; the Association claims to support vets, yet doesn’t want the facility “in our neighborhood.”

The facility’s location is a mixed-use zone, a vacant lot between a medical complex and a hotel, not in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Additionally, the complex will be gated, with security cameras, and residents will have curfews.

The assertion that this transitional housing program would increase problems defies logic. Right now, many veterans have no place to go. They’re living, sleeping, and struggling on these streets. The unhoused crisis won’t get better without concrete solutions for affordable housing and a path to get there. This requires investment and buy-in from our communities. The VIC is an important step toward caring for and reintegrating those who sacrificed— mentally and physically—in the armed forces.

DAY-O: THE MELODY LINGERS ON…

Sixteen years ago, Harry Belafonte came to UNM’s Popejoy Hall for a speaking engagement. Not a concert—a talk. I was asked to interview Mr. Belafonte, thanks to event sponsor Dr. Finnie Coleman, who was then-director of UNM’s Africana Studies, and Ronnie Wallace, the publisher of local African American periodical The Perspective. The assignment conversation recap went like this, “You’re asking ME if I want to interview HARRY BELAFONTE?? Have you met me?? I have his Return to Carnegie Hall album on my living room mantel!”

Mr. Belafonte was then 80 years old and still one of the most beautiful men, inside and out, on planet Earth. That afternoon, I learned about his life and his passion to have our community organize around gun violence and high BIPOC youth incarceration rates. In a sold-out Popejoy Hall, Mr. Belafonte explained his humble Jamaican immigrant family origins, his art, his activism, Paul Robeson’s influence, his support of the Civil Rights Movement, and his commitment to continue to use his voice to create change. From the moment he began with just the opening word of his signature tune “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” we sat on the edge of our seats knowing that we were privileged to be in the presence of greatness.

Though he lived to be 96, Mr. Belafonte left us wanting more, which is every artist’s goal. Like the overworked dockworkers he sang about in “Day-O,” daylight has come and he gets to go home. As for me, I will never forget his voice raised in song and advocacy. Au revoir, Mr. Belafonte–you have earned your rest.

Manfred

ASANTE MEANS “THANK YOU”

JOIN NMBLC IN JUNE FOR THE 2023 ASANTE AWARDS CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY ICONS

On SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023, the New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) will host the Eighth Annual Asante Awards which have been a part of the New Mexico Black History Festival since 2015. Asante means “thank you” in Swahili. With this award, NMBLC says thank you to those making great contributions to our communities in New Mexico.

This year, NMBLC is honoring Black photographers, and spotlighting two dedicated photojournalists: Ronnie Wallace and Adolphe Pierre-Louis. With their talent, cameras, and love, they documented the people, places and things that would otherwise be lost to time and indifference. They’ve served as storytellers, also known as griots, and played a critical role in ensuring that the existence and contributions of African Americans / Black people in New Mexico are remembered.

Ronnie Wallace, editor of The Perspective magazine, is called “Mr. Albuquerque” by those who know him. Like photography giant Gordon Parks, Ronnie’s made it his mission to document the lives and culture of Black people. If something’s happening in the Black community, Ronnie’s there, camera in hand. He’s produced and preserved documents and content for over 40 primarily volunteer-led Black organizations in New Mexico. He’s also written for The Statewide Focus on the state of Black New Mexico.

Recently retired Albuquerque Journal photographer Adolphe Pierre-Louis routinely won regional and state journalism contests. One first-place photo captured the aftermath of the shooting during the Oñate statue protest. Another showed the heartbreaking toll of the COVID-19 pandemic through the face of a woman celebrating her 100th birthday behind a window. Adolphe’s commitment to justice is illustrated by his agreement with the state after a frightening incident with a New Mexico State Police officer. As part of his settlement, Adolphe forged a pact to speak to cadets at the police academy on unconscious bias.

The 2023 Asante Awards will kick off with food and drinks. Attendees will have the opportunity to view a stunning photography exhibit featuring the

works of Adolphe Pierre-Louis, Ronnie Wallace, and emerging photographers. There will also be interactive exhibits for all ages. The event will close with an awards ceremony honoring Adolphe and Ronnie’s work in the historic preservation of African American life in New Mexico.

Stay tuned for all the details, including time and location, for the Eighth Annual Asante Awards at the NMBLC events page with this QR:

Adolphe’s work at the Albuquerque Journal

Adolphe Pierre-Louis

Ronnie Wallace

IT’S ALL CONNECTED

GUESS WHAT? THE INTERNET IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT AND HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS…

Access to the internet has become critical to our everyday life. With the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), households struggling to get up to speed can qualify for low-cost or free internet service. And it’s important to understand why, so keep reading...

In a 2021 report, the United Nations (UN) declared that internet access should be considered a basic human right by 2030. A blog by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that internet access is a “super determinant” of health. That means that a person’s health and wellbeing is significantly impacted by their access to the internet.

The internet isn’t just a multiverse of information; we should be able to readily do our schoolwork, access job training, perform employment duties, and receive assistance, benefits, and medical care.

Yet millions of households across the country cannot afford internet service at their homes, which is why the federal government started ACP. If you meet one or more criteria, you might qualify for discounts on your home internet service. And if you match ACP with the Comcast Internet Essentials package, you could get your internet for free.

WHAT ARE THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM DEETS?

ACP is offered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Its purpose is to help families with internet access for work, school, healthcare, and more. Those who qualify for this program can receive the following benefits:

■ up to $30/month discount on internet service

■ up to $75/month discount for households on qualifying tribal lands

■ a one-time discount of up to $100 toward purchasing a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer

■ a low-cost service plan that may be fully covered through ACP

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR ACP’S LOWER INTERNET COSTS?

To qualify for ACP, you must meet one or more criteria. If something from the following list fits, you probably qualify:

■ your income is at or below the poverty level

■ you or your dependent currently get assistance like SNAP, Medicaid, federal public housing assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), WIC, Veterans Pension, or Survivors Benefits

■ you received a Federal Pell Grant this year

■ you are already participating in an existing low-income internet program

■ you live on Tribal lands and receive assistance such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or Tribal Head Start

If you need access to a computer to apply for ACP, visit your nearest library. Please see the below QRs below to get yourself connected!

Qualify for ACP?

HOLDUP HOLDUP HOLDUP! THERE’S MORE…

After this expanded summertime issue for May and June, the Chronicles will move up its printing schedule to the very beginning of each month, to serve our community with news and info you need on a more timely basis. If you’d like to send a submission idea, please be sure to do so at least three weeks prior to the first of the month you’d like us to consider the piece for. In addition to May/June, you can expect to see another special expanded issue published for November/December in the first week of November.

If you’d like to subscribe to the Chronicles, please fill out the form using the QR below. Lastly, please keep an eye out for all the up-to-the-moment work that our EQ Blog and social media team are putting out; give their posts and stories a like or repost to let them know you appreciate their time and effort. The blog QR is below and the Instagram handle is @newmexicoblack. Have a wonderful summer; we’ll see you again in early July.

THE UPLIFT INITIATIVE IS ALL ABOUT YOU.

Find out more about rental as sistance, workforce solutions, mental health, COVID/ endemic concerns and healthcare, voter registration, broadband relief, and more at nmblc.org/uplift or scan the QR code at right.

Holla at us at uplift@nmblc.org or call 505.407.6784

NEW MEXICO PEER-TO-PEER WARMLINE

Call 7:00am – 11:30pm or text 6pm – 11pm every day

1-855-4NM-7100 (466-7100)

711 for relay (hearing & speech impaired)

NEW MEXICO CRISIS AND ACCESS LINE

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

1-855-NMCRISIS (662-7474)

TTY 1-855-227-5485

711 for relay (hearing & speech impaired)

UPLIFT CONTRIBUTORS

For inquiries, comments or ideas: uplift@nmblc.org or 505.407.6784

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Asante, The UpLift Chronicles Team

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