If you’ve visited creative spaces around the University of New Mexico campus, then you’ve likely encountered Addison Fulton. Whether through student films, local arts events, satire magazines or newsroom conversations, Fulton has spent much of her college career immersing herself in the communities creating culture around Albuquerque.
On top of being a serial contributor to Conceptions Southwest, the founder of satire magazine Weekly Coyote and a writer, actress and director, Fulton is also the outgoing culture editor at the Daily Lobo.
Graduating with bachelor’s degrees in political science and English alongside minors in philosophy and interdisciplinary honors, Fulton said her three years at the Daily Lobo have been shaped by curiosity, passion and a belief that art matters just as much as hard news.
“I’ve really made a home for myself here,” Fulton said.
Fulton joined the Daily Lobo during her sophomore year where she found an opportunity to combine journalism with her love for storytelling, film and art. After spending time as a freelance reporter, Fulton was promoted to culture editor and remained in the role for two years.
Throughout her tenure, Fulton covered an eclectic mix of stories: from sustainability efforts on campus to local lowrider culture, film festivals, student organizations and space research at UNM.
“What’s beautiful about this desk is everything is the most important thing in the world to someone,” Fulton said. “The beauty of my desk is I get to talk to all of those people.”
Fulton said culture reporting is often misunderstood as less important than traditional news coverage, but she views it as essential to understanding communities and humanity itself.
“Culture is the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves,” Fulton said. “It’s how we understand what our values are, what our flaws are, what our fears are and what our priorities are.”
To Fulton, culture coverage is not simply reviews of movies or concerts. It includes community gatherings, local traditions and the small acts of connection that define daily life. That philosophy shaped how she approached the culture desk. Fulton encouraged reporters to take creative communities seriously and approach artists with empathy rather than cynicism.
Fulton said one of the reasons culture reporting matters is because it balances the heaviness that dominates much of modern news coverage.
“If you just look at the front page, it’s really easy to see the world as a place of panic and anxiety and darkness,” Fulton said. “And I’m not here to pretend that isn’t happening, but I also refuse to let journalists or citizens pretend that’s the only thing happening.”
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For every story about violence or political turmoil, Fulton said there are also people creating art, organizing charity events or building communities.
“For every terrible thing that happens, there is somebody creating something beautiful,” Fulton said. “The despair and fear is not more true than the hope.”
Outside of culture reporting, Fulton also spent time covering local politics and elections. One of her favorite reporting experiences involved coverage of the Albuquerque mayoral election, where she interviewed candidates and explored issues directly affecting residents.
“It was really cool to see people making a grounded, tangible difference with policies that I could recognize,” Fulton said. “They’d talk about fixing potholes, and it would be potholes I’d actually hit.”
Fulton recalled a friend telling her she used the Daily Lobo’s election coverage to help make an informed voting decision. Moments like that reminded Fulton of journalism’s impact.
This fall, Fulton will attend law school. She said her time at the Daily Lobo helped prepare her by teaching her how to ask questions confidently and advocate for communities.
“The Daily Lobo has made me better at asking questions and insisting I get answers,” Fulton said. “It’s given me both the tools to fight the good fight and reason to continue.”
As she leaves the newsroom behind, Fulton said she hopes people remember her as someone who treated culture reporting seriously, even when others dismissed it as frivolous.
“I want people to remember me for the seriousness with which I approach things that other people might consider silly,” Fulton said.
Nate Bernard is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at managing@dailylobo.com or on X @natebernard14
Nate Bernard is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @natebernard14
