International District Edition_July 2023_UpLift Chronicles_v.6

FREEDOM’S JOURNEY HOW WILL yOU INVEST IN yOUR OWN LIBERT y ?

Welcome to July, the heart of summer and the 247th birthday of America. This Fourth of July will be sung in the usual red, white, and blue paeans of patriotism and pride. And there will be countless name-checks to the Declaration of Independence and our constitutional rights. Neighborhoods across the city will revel in the celebratory spirit of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

We, the UpLift Chronicles team, want to celebrate, too. And freedom should be euphoric; it should be fireworks and elote, gleaming lowriders and ice-cold swimming pools. We love how we feel when the grill’s going and family and friends are laughing.

But people also celebrate in wartime and that’s what we’re doing. We don’t stop questioning society’s status quo. We keep publishing editions, sharing stories, and posing questions to you, our dear readers, one article at a time. Because patriotism is one thing, but a frightening nationalism is on the rise. The freedoms so many tout, including freedom of speech and assembly, are under attack as books are banned. And our ability to be represented via the power of our vote is being chiseled away. Even if these concerns haven’t landed right on your doorstep in this city and state yet, repressive legislation in states all around us will soon bring these sociopolitical crises closer to home.

So, in this issue, for this Independence Day, we cover matters through the lens of the concept of freedom: voting, guns, education, mental healthcare, and digital inclusion. These are some of the issues and arguments of the day which can’t be ignored. They won’t go away if we pretend they’re not there. And look, we get it. You want to come home, kick off your shoes, care for your kids, and get some downtime over the summer. We’re not saying you need to do the job we signed up for. But we ask you to ask yourself, What can you do? Does civic duty resonate for you? What does freedom really mean?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the issues we face and how our paper can better serve you. Please take our first-ever Readers’ Survey below and let us know what’s up!

“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

by Frederick Douglass

WHAT’S INSIDE

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY 2

WHO’S REPPIN’ YOU? 3

STANDING AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE 4

“We Need to Begin Again”

by Eddie Glaude

Readers’ Survey

SUMMERTIME

“Freedom” by Jon Batiste

“YOU CAN’T SEPARATE PEACE FROM FREEDOM BECAUSE NO ONE CAN BE AT PEACE UNLESS HE HAS HIS FREEDOM.” – MALCOLM X

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

BISCUIT BOy ’S OWNER BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THE CIT y ’S

GREATER GOOD

Deonte “Dee” Halsey is all about community; he’s a “people person.” He’s taught grade school for 23 years and loves his students; he’s gotten mad notoriety for his burgeoning food spot called Biscuit Boy; he’s president of the Rail Yards Board of Directors; and he’s a member of the South Valley Economic Development Center. Things are going this brother’s way.

When we interviewed, Dee had just come from his fifth-grade students’ promotion ceremony at A. Montoya School in the East Mountains. He loves attending because it means so much to the parents and students.

Dee’s kindly demeanor and big, easy grin have served him well. He’s approachable and invested. He’s lived in Albuquerque since 2015 but he’s seen a lot of the States. He was born in Tennessee and raised in Inglewood outside Los Angeles; then he graduated from Tennessee State and assisted in the National Youth Sports Program. Dee got his master’s in physics from Loyola University in Maryland, veered back to teaching, and—after stints in Atlanta, Baltimore, and Houston—arrived in Albuquerque.

Back when, Dee realized he was “a pretty good cook,” and wanted to run a bed and breakfast someday; something like Cecilia’s Café on Sixth. So, he started simple with a mobile food service and soon held Biscuit Boy’s spot down at the Rail Yards. He practiced a lot to get his buttermilk biscuit recipe just right; he dashed in some Southernness, added a bit of science, and was sure to use local flour, flavors, and, of course, green chile.

During the pandemic, Dee switched to a delivery-based model and landed in local coffee shops and high-profile places like Tamaya Resort and Los Poblanos. He has a commercial kitchen in the South Valley but is frank about the food biz’s challenges: the profit margins are slim and the work is very labor-intensive.

The kinds of hurdles Dee faces with his Biscuit Boy crew are the kinds he knows a lot of entrepreneurs face. Which is why he took the Rail Yards Board chair after a second thought. “I was thinking, why [do they want me?] And then I was like, oh, I know exactly why. Because I like the community. I like the Rail Yards. I like Barelas.” The board specifically keeps their entry fees low compared to places like Expo New Mexico or Balloon Fiesta Park and it’s helpful in getting smaller businesses, artisans, growers, and restaurateurs established. Dee believes the Rail Yards will continue to “help our economy grow in lots of different ways.”

Eventually, he sees the community space expanding—not only with the New Mexico Media Academy—but with the Wheels Museum and multi-use, multifamily housing leading to Avenida Cesar Chavez. It’s a plan he hopes benefits everyone in Albuquerque; a site that attracts families and tourists like Union Market in D.C. and Pike Place Market in Seattle. “When we’re doing things for the Rail Yards, we’re doing it more for the people in the city, not just for us.”

PHONE: 505.750.8269

EMAIL: info@biscuitboynm.com

BISCUIT BOY

To get his buttermilk biscuits recipe just right, he dashed in some Southernness, added a bit of science, and was sure to use local flour, flavors, and, of course, green chile.

Rail yards Market Wheels Museum

WHO’S REPPIN’ YOU?

Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Stop Woke Act.” It regulates how race is taught in schools, colleges, and trainings. Rutgers University historian and The 1619 Project contributor Leslie Alexander speaks to such legislation’s impact:

“They are critical of the very concept of being awake…What they would prefer is a generation and a society composed of people who are asleep and ignorant, because people who are asleep, ignorant, and ill-informed are much easier to control than people who are awake, informed, educated, and critically engaged.”

Staying informed often feels overwhelming. But the UpLift Initiative can help make it easier for you to find out who your reps are and see if their solutions align with your values. You can start local and build from there.

SO LET’S DO THAT:

The Albuquerque City Council has nine councilors representing Albuquerque’s various districts.

Recently, the council voted to pilot a free bus fare program, easing a financial burden for many folks who need public transit. The council also considered legislation to address the city’s exploding housing crisis. Councilor Tammy

Fiebelkorn’s bill would have prevented unfair and deceptive rental practices, but four councilors voted in favor and five voted against. These are the types of actions your city councilor can do or fail to do for you. This November, four city council seats will be up for election, so you gotta learn who’s running in your district and scope out their platforms. Then, by the time election day comes around, you’ll be ready to cast your vote!

AND NOW, AT THE STATE LEVEL:

The New Mexico legislative session is held every year beginning in January. New Mexico’s elected state representatives and senators work on legislation for things like housing, gun laws, healthcare, civil rights, and education. For a bill to become law, it has to pass both the House and Senate and be signed by the governor. In the 2023 legislative session, Rep. Pamelya Herndon sponsored HB 9 in response to the tragic killing of young Bennie Hargrove. The bill makes it a crime to negligently allow a minor access to a firearm, and it went into effect in June. Some other bills that passed the session are: free menstrual products in public school bathrooms; automatic voter registration when getting a driver’s license; and protections for reproductive and gender-affirming medical care.

Who we vote for locally can actually affect lives nationally. In late May, the NAACP and other civil rights groups issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that the state’s recent laws are hostile toward people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans because of the spike in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation passed in several states across the country. Our state’s laws can mitigate the effect of federal laws on New Mexican residents. On the flip side, people elected to local and state positions can go on to run for Congress or president of the United States.

So, remember to ask yourself, who’s representing you?

Who’s Running for City Council?

Register to Vote

Find New Mexico Legislation

“Governor signs House Bill 9, the Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act”

“Albuquerque will eliminate bus fares for riders in 2022”

“Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of ‘hostile’

“A third of Albuquerque’s city councilors are on their way out. The race to replace them has begun.”

laws”

BALLOTS OVER BULLETS

yOUTH EVER yWHERE,

INCLUDING ALBUQUERQUE, ARE TAKING ACTION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

America has a gun problem. New Mexico has a gun problem. We all have a gun problem. And unless some mad scientist finds a way to make us all bulletproof like Superman, we’ll have to engage in more realistic means to curb the epidemic of gun violence in our country and culture.

Big news this year is that guns became the number one cause of death for children and teens in America. It’s more than car accident deaths and drug overdoses. And, according to one study, the leading cause of the leading cause is homicide, the numbers for which soared the last few years in comparison to, say, gun suicide.

Does the mere mention of guns—on our streets, in our schools, at public events—make you want to turn your mental channel to something chill like your kid’s fave episode of Peppa Pig? That’s understandable. But while many would like to think our country’s ethical challenges stop at the Land of Enchantment’s borders, it’s simply not the case. In fact, too often the gun plague has infected our families and children right here in Albuquerque.

According to the Journal, this year has seen more guns on APS campuses than ever before. And if anyone has anything to say about it, it’s our very own youth taking the lead. Students and their parents protested at West Mesa High School in late May against gun violence, and Farmington’s mass shooting woke up the sleepy town, where arguments about gun safety and mental health reared as vociferously as on the national stage. Governor Lujan-Grisham said she would pursue an assault weapons ban and age restrictions come the next legislative session; and Mayor Keller’s State of the City touted a “cracking down on guns.”

But while the City and APD are utilizing federal laws to help make Downtown Albuquerque “as safe as it should be,” it’s Generations Z and

Students and parents protest at West Mesa in late May against gun violence

Alpha working with their parents to affect lasting, systemically-minded change. Texas teens, too, have been mobilizing chapters of Students Demand Action since even before the Uvalde school massacre last year. These young people see the need for direct action and policy change. Perhaps they understand that the solutions are cultural, psychological, and structural, not just political. Multiple in-depth articles like Temple University’s speak to Americans reluctantly accepting the possibility or inevitability of being shot, as if it’s par for the course. These youth activists refuse to accept that notion and some adults are catching on, like Here 4 the Kids’ sitin at the Colorado State Capital just last month. That action was modeled after classic Civil Rights Era civil disobedience, from its non-violent stance to the makeup of its protesters.

However, these youthful stalwarts realize it will take more than protests. And they know it’s not just one politician responsible for everything; all have to be held accountable; and

More Guns in APS

better candidates are wanted. These young activists are hopefully typifying a more-informed electorate. And they’re going to be voting soon.

Students Demand Action

Temple University: Solving the Gun

West Mesa Protesters

Colorado Protests

Courtesy Abuquerque Journal, Chancey Bush

INHERENT DIGNITY & INALIENABLE RIGHTS

JULY IS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH!

Though not yet a national holiday, Disability Pride has been celebrated in the United States with festivals, marches, and parades in cities like Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and Los Angeles.

The celebrations around the country honor the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed on July 26, 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, communication, and access to public buildings. If you’ve seen ramps and sidewalks that allow access for wheelchair users and other folks who can’t use stairs or are impeded by curbs, you’ve seen the ADA at work.

According to Human Rights Watch, “July is an occasion to celebrate people with disabilities, honor their inherent dignity and inalienable rights,

promote their visibility, and applaud their achievements.”

Like LGBTQ+ Pride, Disability Pride has its own flag, designed by Ann Magill. She updated it in 2021, muting its colors for folks with visually-triggered disabilities. The colors of the stripes represent different disability experiences and are: physical (red), cognitive/intellectual (yellow), invisible/undiagnosed (white), psychiatric/psychosocial (blue), and sensory (green). The charcoal background commemorates people with disabilities who have died struggling against societal stigma.

While the NMBLC couldn’t find updates on DPM events in Albuquerque by press time, please inform us of any goings-on here or anywhere in the state and we’ll blast out the info via

our social media. You can also contact The Arc New Mexico below for support and resources. We can still celebrate Disability Pride every day by honoring the dignity of folks with disabilities, celebrating their achievements, and urging our elected officials to keep advancing their cause.

Why and How to Celebrate Disability Pride Month

GETTIN LIT WIT IT

Colson Whitehead, bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, is coming to Albuquerque for his Harlem Shuffle book tour. He’ll be in conversation with Albuquerque poet Hakim Bellamy for “A Word With Writers,” a literary series hosted by local, independent bookstore Bookworks. This marks the return of the series since the pandemic. “A Word with Writers” is a fundraiser for Albuquerque Public Libraries. Colson Whitehead’s first Pulitzer was for New York Times bestseller The Underground Railroad, made into a TV series by Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins. Whitehead won his second Pulitzer for The Nickel Boys, inspired by the notorious Florida’s Dozier School for Boys. Bookworks co-owner Shannon Guinn-Collins is excited to help bring the literary scene to Albuquerque. “Having a partnership with the library is crucial to support the city and literacy. It’s one of the ways we’re giving back to the community.”

Now you can see a nationally-recognized Black author, support a local bookstore, and help fund Albuquerque’s libraries all at once!

A WORD WITH WRITERS: COLSON WHITEHEAD

Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm KiMo Theatre, 423 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Tickets

TWO TICKET TYPES:

Individual: General admission for one person, a pre-signed hardcover of Crook Manifesto, and a donation to the Albuquerque Public Library Foundation. Pick up your book at the event. $34.00

Bring a Friend: General admission for two people and a donation to the Albuquerque Public Library Foundation. Purchase of an individual ticket required. $19.50.

Bookworks event page

Colson Whitehead’s website

Hakim Bellamy’s website

Colson Whitehead

Chris Close

SUMMER COMES ALIVE yOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MOVE TO THE MUSIC

There’s a sense of freedom come the summertime because school’s out, vacation is taken, and weekends are enjoyed outside. It’s time to celebrate the long days and the cool relief of the desert nights. Come the Fourth of July, we’re reminded of the rights we’ve won, and to keep fighting for all the things that aren’t right yet.

This summer has plenty of opportunities for Burqueños to get out, see and be seen, and party in the summer sun. The City of Albuquerque is again hosting its Summerfest concert series. No one’s sure when Summerfest began—some say neighborhood parties in the 1980s—but it’s been in its current form since 2011.

Bree Ortiz, City Community Events Division Manager, says Summerfest “is a vibrant tapestry of music,

culture, and community, igniting the spirit of adventure along iconic Route 66. From the rhythm of live music that dances through the air, to the mouthwatering aroma of local cuisine wafting through the streets, the festival captivates souls, painting unforgettable memories against the backdrop of our City.”

There’ll be sun hats and sunscreen on the milelong stretch of Central through Nob Hill, packed with kids’ activities, food trucks, shopping booths, and four stages of live music, including headliners

QUITAPENAS, a band of first-generation sons of Guatemalan and Mexican parents playing tropical rhythms of the Afro-Latin diaspora. Check out the QR codes at left for more Summerfest info as well as BioPark concerts, neighborhood music series, and other events around the City all summer long.

LOVING AND INTENTIONAL CARE

WHy LOCAL GROWERS’ MARKETS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR HEALTH & FREEDOM

It’s July and growers’ markets are in full effect! Markets are a great way to celebrate summer: stroll in the park, shop for handcrafts, listen to music, and take home a bag of fresh groceries. The Downtown Growers’ Market in Robinson Park is Albuquerque’s oldest, now in its 27th year. Shawna Brown, the market manager, had a few words to share with us.

Downtown Growers’

Market Find a Market

Having access to local food systems is a key component to our wellness and freedom. When we face food insecurity, our bodies and minds react with loss of energy/focus, illness, and cognitive decline. Not having access to nutritious food impacts our ability to show up in the world fully.

All of us are feeling the impact of the increased cost of everything, including food. At the Downtown Growers’ Market, guests can use their SNAP benefits to double their spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. Since the food is local, you know it didn’t travel far to your table, and you can meet the person who lovingly and intentionally tended the land that produced your food.

•IN MEMORIAM• PELATIA TRUJILLO

Albuquerque lost a bright light in April, when Pelatia Trujillo was killed in a car accident. Pelatia founded D.O.P. E. (Dedicated Outreach and Prevention Education) Services to fight for harm reduction and healthcare in the face of homelessness and drug addiction. Enrique Cardiel, a community organizer in the International District, shared his thoughts on this loss with us.

“I met Pelatia Trujillo during interviews for Director of the Health Equity Council (HEC). Her energy and passion were apparent right from the beginning. She was a champion harm reductionist through and through. Her work at the Health Council showed that. She trained the detention center, law enforcement, and so many more in the use of Narcan; we have no way of knowing how many

lives Pelatia saved by training people. A coworker and I helped to reverse an overdose just a few weeks after she trained us.

“Pelatia shaped the culture of harm reduction at HEC, and in many ways for Bernalillo County, while also parenting and working full-time. She founded D.O.P.E. Services and always maintained her warm and energetic spirit. She advocated for social justice, and the just treatment of all people, throughout her time with us.

“We can all learn from Pelatia’s tenacity in figuring out how to support a community dealing with substance-use issues, social stigma, and challenging lives. It is an example we will try to live up to at HEC. She was a good friend and an amazing colleague who will be missed by so many people.”

FROM THE FOUNDER/DIRECTOR

A.C.T.I.O.N.S. SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

You’ll often hear me say, “We have to stop talking about it…we gotta be about it.” For this month’s article, I had to create a new acronym for one of our “Be About It” partners. Authentic Commitments/Teamwork Inspire Obtaining Needed Services (A.C.T.I.O.N.S.) applies to Duane Arruti, University of New Mexico Chief Information Officer, and his amazing staff.

People of all ages and individuals who are running small and large businesses now must rely almost totally on

digital savvy to survive and thrive. I’m proud to announce we have just signed a letter of agreement with the UNM CIO to develop a robust training program to benefit individuals and small businesses who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford essential digital services. Digital inclusion (one of our main priorities) encompasses more than just access to the internet; it also includes knowing how best to use this utility for education, health, workforce development, and everyday life. We want to extend our sincere

thanks to Duane and Marth Becktell from the UNM CIO’s office for leveraging their connections with large national corporations like Adobe Systems to benefit the work we are doing for Black communities and the International District. Adobe has donated software and employee expertise to level up our programs and it wouldn’t have happened without A.C.T.I.O.N.S. to include us. For want of a better, more effusive word, I will just say, Asante (“Thank you” in Swahili). Stay tuned, y’all…

Cathryn McGill

Duane Arruti

ROOTS SUMMER

THE UPLIFT INITIATIVE IS ALL ABOUT YOU & YOUR FREEDOM.

Find out more about your right to rent, to be employed, to have access to mental and physical healthcare; your right to vote, to surf the web, to recreate, 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

UPLIFT CONTRIBUTORS

TRUE NEW MEXICO is an annual anti-racism, youth-centered, artsbased project developed as a collaboration between the New Mexico Asian Family Center (NMAFC) and the New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC). Each spring, a cohort of Black/African American and/or AAPINH young artists creates original self-portraits guided by the prompt, “What’s your True New Mexican story?”

True NM 2023

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

EDITOR