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Culture

African American Student Services discusses future steps for BLM activism

Beatrice Nisoli | July 3

What will happen to keep the positive momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement going and ensure social justice efforts continue when the media shifts its focus away from it? “When the Hashtag Stops Trending,” an online Zoom event hosted by African American Student Services (AASS) on June 25, asked precisely that — and the query resulted in a litany of answers on concrete actions Black activists and allies can take going forward. The event was a part of an online video series that discussed contemporary issues faced by the Black community.

Culture

“The Hate U Give” still relevant in a racist justice system

Megan Gleason | June 29

“I can’t breathe. I can’t. Breathe.” Those were the words George Floyd gasped before he was murdered at the hands of a police officer on May 25. Those are also the words from Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” — a book that was released three years before Floyd’s death. Thomas takes the reader to the world of sixteen-year-old Starr Carter, a Black girl living in a poor Black neighborhood while attending a wealthy white school. Only two chapters in, Carter bears witness to her friend Khalil Harris’ murder. The two are in the car together when Harris is pulled over by a white police officer for no obvious reason. After Harris questions why he was pulled over, the cop yanks him out of the car and pats him down three times in an attempt to find something to pin on the teenager, to no avail.

Culture

Brillo the 10-foot-tall snail visits Albuquerque

Megan Gleason | June 28

Brillo, a ten-foot-tall puppet snail, has been making its way around Albuquerque to visit families and children in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic. Creator Ashleigh Abbott is an Albuquerque local that attends the University of New Mexico. People can leave virtual “rainbows” to request a visit from Brillo. Currently, the snail is mainly visiting around the UNM area. Diliana Ovtcharova, Abbott’s sister-in-law, is the author of “Brillo the Snail on the Rainbow Trail,” a short children’s story that explains the concept of the coronavirus in a way that children will understand and what Brillo does in response. Daniela Ovtcharov, Abbott’s mother-in-law, will illustrate the story in the future.

Culture

Readers dive into emotions in Gigi Bella’s ‘Big Feelings’

Liam Debonis | June 28

Fast-paced slam-style poetry along with intimate sonnets immerse Gigi Bella’s audience as she moves through key emotions in her own experiences with loss, pain, healing and love in her newly-released poetry book “Big Feelings.” A born and raised New Mexican, the 26-year-old Bella is an internationally recognized poet with a multitude of writing and slam poetry competition awards. In 2017, she was ranked 10th in the world at the Women of the World Poetry Slam. After a lengthy hiatus from higher education, she’ll also finish her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a focus on American studies at the University of New Mexico in the fall.

Culture

UNM professors analyze Black community in media

Beatrice Nisoli | June 25

With the current Black Lives Matter movement garnering increasing international attention, the portrayal of Black people in the media has become more relevant than ever. Dr. Myra Washington, UNM Communications and Journalism professor, said anti-Blackness in the media is one of the many products of systemic racism, which she described as institutions — such as families or educational establishments — that hold all racial power. Washington said one-dimensional depictions of people of color often originate from lack of resources, which is a byproduct of how anti-Black institutions operate. “If an Indigenous student wants to go into screenwriting, and he doesn’t have any Indigenous classmates or Indigenous professors, then he won’t write about his family because others in his space wouldn’t understand,” Washington said. “So he’ll end up writing about the same things as everyone else and well-rounded representation won’t happen.”

Culture

Simple call for staying United: Noé Barnett’s new mural keeps soccer in view

Cameron Ward | June 24

For some, the season for Albuquerque’s New Mexico United might be over, but artist Neo Barnett hopes to keep the team’s presence alive with his new mural for the club. The New Mexico United mural is displayed on Second Street and Coal Avenue and was made by Barnett in just ten days. Due to the pandemic, the team had a delayed start to the 2020 season and was forced to shut down on March 12, according to Peter Trevisani. United Creative Director Josh Lane said United will start back up again on July 11 for a brand new season.

Culture

Skaters come together in peaceful BLM protest

Megan Gleason | June 23

Go Skateboarding Day took place on June 21, bringing not only joy to skateboarders around the United States but also a peaceful skateboarding protest to Albuquerque. The protest, entitled “Push for Peace,” started with a voter registration drive at the University of New Mexico’s Smith Plaza and ended with a skate down Central Avenue to Civic Plaza. “When you have a skateboard and you’re skating, you’re treated how I think everyone should be treated,” local skateboarder Tyniesha Thompson said. The event was promoted by Grandma Skateboards and organized by Andrae Satcher, Jake Alsept and Noah Cook.

Culture

Easy recipe for New Mexico state cookie

Ellie Aikman | June 23

Are you a true New Mexican? Put yourself to the test by making the New Mexico state cookie, the bizcochito. Bizcochitos are cookies with origins in the Spanish colony of Santa Fe de Nuevo México flavored with anise and cinnamon. Traditionally, the cookies are cut into the shape of crescent moons and stars. They can be seen made for holidays and events such as weddings, and it is often served alongside a cup of hot chocolate. Developed centuries ago, the bizcochito was brought to New Mexico by Spanish colonists and by immigrants from other Hispanic countries. It was also greatly influenced by local and Indigenous customs.

Culture

Black Lives Matter at UNM African American Student Services

Megan Gleason | June 23

"To think about the most ideal world means that we have to unthink our own knowledge we currently have ... to try to unthink all bias, unthink all racism, unthink all 'isms' and think about what is that utopian world that we're looking at," Brandi Stone, the director of African American Student Services (AASS) at the University of New Mexico, said about the Black Lives Matter movement. Protests for the movement began anew after George Floyd's murder at the hands of a police officer on May 25. Stone said that this was a tipping point for the white community but "Black and brown bodies-- we've already experienced the tipping point."

Culture

Digital artists weave technology and fashion to transcend physical limitations

Joseph McKee / @josephdmckee / Daily Lobo | June 19

Fashion has always been a medium that allows both designers and models alike a physical outlet of expression. As we advance further into the 21st century, pairing the need for expression with the limitless bounds of digital software and the internet has become a must. In 2020, we have already entered a new space for fashion through Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). CGI allows the entire fashion industry to be revolutionized, from designers to models to advertisements. By using digital software programs like Adobe, CLO 3D and Daz, 3D artists are now able to explore the medium of fashion outside of physical limits.

Culture

Hooked on Depop: Tips and tricks to create a small business right from your phone

Cameron Ward | June 17

Decluttering during quarantine might not be a bad idea after all if you’re looking for some extra cash. Depop, an online marketplace for buying and selling used and upcycled clothing, has opened the door for local designers and entrepreneurs to start their small business with just a smartphone. Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of changing something you already own into better quality or more valuable to your liking.

Culture

Socially distanced Pride parade celebrates intersectionality and inclusion

Mike Sandoval | June 17

Despite the cancellation of the Albuquerque Pride Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, Central Avenue became home to an “unofficial” celebration of the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Black rights on June 13. In honor of Pride Month, which spans the month of June, the parade route stretched down Central Avenue from Fifth Street to San Pedro. This was no regular parade with people marching up and down the streets: This parade was similar to the modified birthday and baby shower parades that we have become accustomed to during this pandemic.

Culture

Best Buddies Friendship Walk goes virtual

Beatrice Nisoli | June 17

In response to the continuing COVID-19 crisis, Best Buddies recently announced that its annual Walk For Inclusion would be transitioned to a virtual format on June 20. Best Buddies creates opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through a network of volunteers. This goal is accomplished through a plethora of celebratory events — the most notable being the organization's annual Walk for Inclusion — and by assigning registered members a "buddy," or an individual who lives nearby that has an IDD, to develop a friendship with.

Culture

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” creates a connection for everyone

Liam Debonis | June 11

In a media genre as expansive as children’s animation, the series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” still dominates the industry as a paragon of success. Now, after a wait longer than a great number of fans had hoped to endure, all three seasons of the Nickelodeon classic are available to stream on Netflix.

Culture

Albuquerque food pantries adapt to safety regulations

Daniel Ward | June 9

The coronavirus pandemic has starved resources across the state, but many Albuquerque-based food banks and pantries are still doing everything they can to feed the increased demands. Lisa Lindquist, director of the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center at the University of New Mexico, said COVID-19 has made a significant impact on the food resources available to pantries and banks. However, Lindquist said the Lobo Food Pantry continues to operate with just a few changes to adapt to the circumstances.

Culture

UNM students paint BLM portraits

Cameron Ward | June 9

In response to the nationwide protests against police brutality, University of New Mexico students Julia Wagner and Savina Romero have used their artistic talents to paint over 170 portraits of those who have lost their lives at the hands of police. Wagner and Romero titled their art project “See Their Faces, Say Their Names.” Since George Floyd’s murder on May 25, people around the world have taken to the streets to protest police brutality, and Albuquerque has been no exception.

Culture

UNM joins Black cultural centers for protest and race roundtable

Megan Gleason | June 4

“Come celebrate with me that every day something has tried to kill me and has failed,” Chandra Guinn, director of Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture at Duke University, said to open up the first national cultural centers’ meeting for college campuses around the country on June 3. The virtual town hall was convened because of the worldwide protests that have been ongoing as a result of the murder of George Floyd on May 25.

Culture

Mountain Road receives new street banners from local artists

Spencer Butler | June 2

Albuquerque’s oldest road hosted a drive-by art exhibit on June 1 with new banners from local community members. The Mountain Road banners can be seen on the 26 lampposts stretching between Fifth Street and 12th Street. A drive-by grand opening for the project is scheduled for the weekend of June 5. Julianna Kirwin, a local artist and project leader, said the banners would be up for about one year.

Culture

Local church assists hundreds of families in need of food

Daniel Ward | May 28

30,000 pounds of fresh produce and dairy groceries, 13,000 granola bars, 2,400 loaves of bread, 3,600 rolls of toilet paper, 60 gallons of hand sanitizer and 600 reading and coloring books were all collected in just 10 days for the Harvest Fellowship food drive on May 23. The free drive-thru food distribution was set to take place from 9-11 a.m. at the Harvest Fellowship Church parking lot, but cars were lining up as early as 6:15 a.m. to get food. The church partnered with Convoy of Hope to provide two semi-trucks full of supplies for a total of 22 food pallets to give away.

Culture

Marina Bernal found passion for activism, film at UNM

Cameron Ward | May 19

No matter the landscape, Marina Bernal remained a leader and passionate filmmaker. Behind the camera, Bernal gained professional recognition despite being a newcomer to the University. Graduating with a major in Film and Digital Arts, Bernal’s academic pilgrimage took her from Barcelona, Spain to Albuquerque — and a few stops in between — in pursuit of some of her scholarly and life goals.