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the Reporter provides coverage that no one else can. And through that coverage we help readers parse between what’s really going on in the govA Letter from In May, just as schools were ernment, schools and everywrapping up the year, I met William Melhado where the public has a right to with educators all over New know. Mexico, slogging to finish off Under the experienced what many recalled as the leadership of the Reporter’s most unpleasant year “in” news and culture editors, we classrooms. Students everysustain our appetite for acwhere, whether learning in countability off the crumbs person or remotely, struggled that fall from the table of to finish a year of uncertainelected officials and monied ty, anxiety and less-than-ideal influence. We stave off sleep to schooling conditions. report the pieces of information Hearing from students over that almost slipped through the cracks. in rural, northeastern New Mexico, on Working with the Reporter I’ve had the the Navajo Nation and right here in Santa Fe pleasure of tracking University of New clearly illuminated that, while online learnMexico’s graduate students’ effort to unioning is painful enough, not everyone has an ize, investigating small business owners equal access to a quality education they’re whose questionable practices left tens of entitled to. The discrepancies in our state’s contributors and advertisers in the dark and educational landscape were glaring, even a holding City Hall accountable for promises year into the pandemic. made to Santa Fe—and that’s all just in the We brought readers the story of New last month. Mexico’s belabored and insufficient broadOur independence, perhaps the sinband infrastructure, and highlighted the gle-most important characteristic of our work of some in the state to bring all families newsroom, is powered by our readers. We up to speed. But the reality is, threats to New can’t rely on grants from outside organizaMexico students extend beyond internet actions to fuel our work. We need your support. cess (or lack thereof ). Without it, how can we continue holding It’s our mission to listen to the voices of authority to account? How can we continour community and our state’s most vulnerue asking the begging questions that need able populations and to share their message answering? with our incredible readers who have the Like, how has the state addressed educaability to make the necessary changes. tional inequalities documented in the 2018 We funded that project, documenting Yazzie/Martinez case? Or, how did Santa New Mexico’s digital divide, by partnering Fe Public Schools spend the millions of dolwith the national educational media outlet, lars awarded to the districts by the federal The Hechinger Report. But we can’t congovernment? tinue to produce honest, influential, human The thanks and criticism that comes our reporting without the support of our comway makes this work all the more satisfying munity at home. to know that our readers engage with our I came to the Reporter after five years of work and it resonates with them. Please teaching in public and international schools help us continue doing the work we love for in New York City, Tanzania and Nepal. My our community by considering becoming a passion for education led me to New Mexico, Friend of the Reporter. where I’ve had the opportunity to report “We stave off sleep to report the pieces of information that almost slipped through the cracks.”
on schools, students and policy, locally and statewide. In Santa Fe, we’re lucky to have multiple newsrooms covering the state capital, but
William Melhado Staff Writer Santa Fe Reporter
This letter from William Melhado is the final letter in a series published this year about Friends of the Reporter, a new model for supporting our journalism mission. Visit sfreporter.com/friends, to make a one-time or recurring donation or via check at PO Box 4910, Santa Fe, NM 87502. Our website and weekly print edition each Wednesday remain free to all readers.
Support us at sfreporter.com/friends SFREPORTER.COM SFREPORTER.COM • • DECEMBER DECEMBER8-14, 8-14,2021 2021
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