Culture - The Daily Lobo

Culture

Detroit brings passion for storytelling to APS

Maddie Pukite | December 13

With a love for storytelling, Detroit Kallunki is graduating with an English degree this December. Kallunki began reporting for the Lobo about a year ago and along the way found a love for talking to others and helping share stories. “I really like conducting interviews, communicating with people and helping people share experiences that have shaped them, and what's important to them,” Kallunki said. As an English major, their understanding and love for storytelling boils down to the words being written on a page, and the extra time for consideration it allows.

Culture

Baca captures love and loss behind the camera

Karina Bolaños | December 11

The Daily Lobo’s outgoing photo editor, Jessica Baca, has always had a passion for photography. So much so that her family would keep disposable cameras out of her hands because she would use them up in minutes. In awe of everything around her, she would shoot anything and everything she could. Baca is set to graduate from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Studio Art with a concentration in photography. During her college career, she said she was often urged to apply to the Lobo, but it wasn't until Film & Digital Arts Professor Roberto Rosales encouraged her that she stumbled upon the newspaper. She has worked at the Lobo since October 2022 and has served as the photo editor since May 2023. Shortly after, she also began to work for the Albuquerque Journal.

Culture

Sarah Maurice strives to give back using her passion for engineering

Lauren Lifke | December 11

After seven semesters, Computer Engineering student Sarah Maurice graduates this month from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree, an internship at Intel and enough credits to earn her master’s degree by 2024. “Engineering gives me the opportunity to give back to the community and to help in a way that I can make a positive impact,” Maurice said. Maurice’s interest in engineering stems from her goal to use biomedical engineering to increase accessibility to prosthetics after handling the insurance and cost of her own following the loss of her leg in 2010.

Culture

The Graduation Project empowers returning students to continue their education

Detroit Kallunki | December 11

The Graduation Project is a program at the University of New Mexico dedicated to bringing senior students back to complete their degrees. Students who qualify for the Graduate Project are returning to complete their first bachelor’s degree after at least a semester break. Graduation Project Director Corine Gonzales said the project looks to provide support and assistance for students looking to return and complete their program. “Our mission is to help bring back students who are very close to completing their degree … We also follow through and provide onboarding assistance and transition experience to help them come back and complete their degree,” Gonzales said.

Culture

Miyawni Curtis contains multitudes

Lily Alexander | December 11

Miyawni Curtis did not always want to be a journalist. But after her high school teachers encouraged her to continue to invest in her writing, she selected it as her major at the University of New Mexico. Curtis graduates with a degree in Multimedia Journalism after a year and a half spent at the University. During this time, she worked as a reporter and news editor for the Daily Lobo, wrote for Source New Mexico and participated in an internship at KSFR – northern New Mexico’s independent public radio station. While at the Daily Lobo, Curtis wrote news, culture and a few sports stories. Her favorite articles to write are human interest stories involving giving people justice and making sure their stories are heard, she said.

Culture

What to know and where to go for Graduation

Kat Gomez | December 11

The University of New Mexico’s 2023 fall grads are set to graduate on Friday, Dec. 15 at the University Commencement at The Pit starting at 6 p.m. On average, a commencement ceremony lasts for about two to three hours as each student is given their own time to shine at the convocation. While UNM holds an overall commencement ceremony, various departments within campus hold their own ceremonies as well.

Culture

Letter: A tribute to Natalie Jude’s kindness and capacity for love

Zara Roy | December 4

Monday, Dec. 4 would have been the 21st birthday of former Daily Lobo editor Natalie Jude. The loss of Natalie on March 26, 2023 was a devastating blow to all that knew her kind soul and radiating goodness – leaving an ever-filling well of sadness for the many people whose lives she touched. I am honored to have met her and to have been able to call her a friend for the time I was able to. I first met Natalie when we started at the paper at the same time in the fall semester of 2021. We became good friends that spring and lived together in bleak campus housing for part of that summer. She was a beautiful soul with bright, expressive eyes and a magnetic personality. She was a truly good person, capable of kindness even in circumstances which would challenge the patience and goodness of a saint.

Culture

A walk through the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge

BillyJack Davidson | November 27

Albuquerque is filled with a multitude of different sources of natural beauty. Whether the Sandia Mountains, the Rio Grande, the Bosque or the city’s Botanical Gardens, there are several beautiful sites, including National Wildlife Refuges that take care of hundreds of flora and fauna. The Valle de Oro refuge is located behind the industrialized zone of the South Valley off of Second St., consisting of 570 acres. After opening 11 years ago in 2012, Valle de Oro’s mission is to transform the dirt-based area into a lush open space where people can come to connect with nature amidst the growing industrialization of the area, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services website.

Culture

Free meals on Thanksgiving

Kat Gomez | November 20

Whether in need of a turkey to prepare or a warm meal to eat, there are a variety of events in Albuquerque over break to cater to these needs in several ways. University students are one of the groups in the U.S. that suffer most from food insecurity. According to the Basic Needs Survey run by the University of New Mexico Basic Needs Project, 37% of UNM undergraduate students suffer from food insecurity. Over Thanksgiving Break, La Posada, along with other food options found in the Student Union Building (SUB), will be closed. Only the Market at the Student Resource Center will be open over break with reduced operation hours from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. While many on-campus options will be unavailable, a few on and off-campus partners are holding events for this Thanksgiving season to combat these insecurities.

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.

Culture

Public libraries provide community space for NaNoWriMo participants

Arly Garcia | November 20

National Novel Writing Month – shortened to NaNoWriMo – is a global event that takes place every November. It challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a novel before the end of the month, according to the city of Rio Rancho’s website. On Sunday, Nov. 12, the Rio Rancho Public Library hosted a write-in for NaNoWriMo at The HUB. NaNoWriMo offers numerous virtual events to help writers reach their goals, and some local libraries provide a physical space for writers to share in the joys – and frustrations – of writing a novel, Bentley Clark said – local librarian, event host and NaNoWriMo winner aid.

Culture

Cultural Night brings the Muslim community together with pride

Karina Bolaños | November 6

Two organizations on campus partnered together to participate in the second annual Charity Week to aid Islamic Relief of the USA in an effort to bring the Muslim community together in pride and support for those in Gaza. On Oct. 29, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and Dunya Association created a celebration of culture – organizing several fundraising events throughout the week, Sarah Jawadi said – ambassador for Charity Week with the Islamic Relief Fund. All of the proceeds from this year focus on projects including education, relief aid for Syria and aid for children in the Middle East.

Culture

UNM’s Trailblazers provides a spooky tour of Hodgin Hall

Kat Gomez | October 30

Hodgin Hall is the University of New Mexico’s oldest building on campus. On Oct. 25, UNM Trailblazers – UNM’s student alumni ambassador organization – worked together to create Haunted Night. Before entering the haunted house, visitors are greeted by one of the alumni students with a brief history about the house, and hear whispers of speculation that it may be haunted. “Welcome to Hodgin Hall. Be prepared, for our presence has stirred Irma’s relentless spirit. Proceed with caution, for you are about to embark on a spine-tingling journey,” the tour guides said.

Culture

LGBTQ recource center provides resource for those coming out

Kat Gomez | October 16

For most Queer people, coming out can be nerve-wracking. It has always been a universally complicated topic for those in the LGBTQ+ community to open up about. On Oct. 11, 1988, Jean O’Leary and Robert Eichberg created National Coming Out Day as a way to bring visibility to Queer people during the ongoing AIDS crisis that the federal government did little to support, leaving 46,134 dead in 1988, according to the Washington Post. The University’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center was first founded on National Coming Out Day in 2010. Created by students, staff, and faculty, the center has resided on Las Lomas since Oct. 11, 2010 — now six years since its opening.

Culture

Hotdogs, COVID and community

Jaymes Boe | October 16

As COVID-19 impacted the food industry due to restrictions on in-person dining, a total of 5.5 million restaurant jobs were lost by April 2020. Matt Bernabe, who just opened doors at “Urban Hotdog Company” a year ago in Nob HIll, sought to give back to the Albuquerque community and the industry workers who faced unemployment in the form of “Project 86’d.” Leveraging one of his food trucks, Bernabe and his staff set out with the goal of giving away food to industry workers who were left without a job due the pandemic.

Culture

WRC Fundraises for Survivor Funds

Marcela Johnson | October 10

The NAT – Nurture and Thrive – Fund is a newly established scholarship at the Women’s Resource Center in honor of former Daily Lobo culture editor and film student, Natalie Jude. On Friday, Sept. 30, the WRC hosted a Cuban BBQ fundraiser in support of the NAT Fund and the ongoing Sabrina Single Parent Scholarship. “It’s not a formal memorial scholarship fund, but it’s named with a wink in remembrance to Natalie Jude Johnson. Natalie’s friends came up with Nurture and Thrive, NAT,” Áine McCarthy – WRC director – said.

Culture

ABQ Zine Fest — an annual celebration of DIY publications

Detroit Kallunki | October 9

Zines are small, self-published booklets that contain artwork, poetry, news and more. Zines are frequently distributed on a small scale because of the do-it-yourself nature of creation, Marya Errin Jones said – ABQ Zine Fest founder. Mass market publication can be a difficult process, so for many creators, self-publication is the best way to make their voices heard. Albuquerque once had a prominent DIY scene, Jones said. Zine Fest was started as a revival.

Culture

WRC Fundraises for Survivor Funds

Marcela Johnson | October 2

On Friday, Sept. 30, the WRC hosted a Cuban BBQ fundraiser in support of the NAT Fund and the ongoing Sabrina Single Parent Scholarship. “It’s not a formal memorial scholarship fund, but it’s named with a wink in remembrance to Natalie Jude Johnson. Natalie’s friends came up with Nurture and Thrive, NAT,” Áine McCarthy – WRC director – said. The NAT Fund is a survivor safety fund to help empower survivors of abuse through monetary aid, such as emergency housing, moving costs or obtaining a new parking spot, McCarthy said.

Culture

“Bless Me, Ultima” and the strange magic of storytelling

Detroit Kallunki | October 2

51 years ago, Rudolfo Anaya’s most famous book, “Bless Me, Ultima,” was published. For the first time, many people saw themselves represented in a literary form. Anaya celebrates the complexities of Chicanx identity as well as the New Mexican experience in a way that has not been done on a broad scale before. The National Hispanic Cultural Center has partnered with the University of New Mexico’s English department for the past two years in September to screen the 2012 film adaptation for the past two years in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, according to associate UNM English professor, Melina Vizcaíno-Alemán.

Culture

Amanda Curreri feels like the blue swirl emoji

Lily Alexander | September 29

Amanda Curreri – artist and Assistant Professor of Painting & Drawing – and her graduate students have been identifying themselves in their creative processes as emojis. She is the blue spiral, Curreri said, and she goes far out. Curreri’s art is part of the University of New Mexicos Art Museum’s current Hindsight Insight 3.0 exhibition. She initially approached curator Mary Statzer because she wanted her 2019 piece RopeWalk — a giant tapestry of ropes created by over 300 people — to have another life.