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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.

News

Black Lives Matter holds vigil for Breonna Taylor at UNM

Sharon Chischilly | June 9

As hundreds of candles illuminated the duck pond, people sang happy birthday across the University of New Mexico main campus Friday evening. Black Lives Matter Albuquerque, the local chapter of the global organization of the same name, held a vigil to honor and celebrate Breonna Taylor's 27th birthday — along with other lives lost to police brutality — on June 5 at UNM's duck pond in Albuquerque. Taylor, a 26-year old Black emergency medical technician, was fatally shot at least eight times in her own apartment by police who were searching for someone else on March 13 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Opinion

Comics for June 7, 2020

Rhianna Roberts and Victor Martinez | June 7

Daily Lobo comics for June 7, 2020.

News

'I couldn’t stop looking to the rooftops': Protesters left scared, frustrated as President Stokes doubles down on continuing relationship with local law enforcement

Joe Rull | June 6

A photograph of two New Mexico State Police officers climbing atop the University of New Mexico's George Pearl Hall carrying what appeared to be sniper rifles on Sunday evening has circulated widely on social media, drawing condemnation from the campus community in all directions. All directions, that is, except from UNM President Garnett Stokes. "I really cannot condemn police for actively trying to protect people," Stokes told the Daily Lobo.

News

Amidst week of protests, APD shoots another man in crisis

Bella Davis | June 5

Albuquerque police responded to a call Thursday afternoon from a man who said his son Max Mitnik, who is in his mid-20s and has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, wanted to be taken to the hospital because he was afraid he was going to hurt his parents. He was shot at least once by an Albuquerque Police Department officer and is in critical condition.

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.

News

Fall semester will include masks, physical distancing and a lot of online classes

Beatrice Nisoli | June 4

The University of New Mexico is planning a combination of both remote and in-person classes for fall 2020. “We expect fall will be a hybrid semester – some classes in-person, some a mix of remote and in-person, and some fully remote, and lots of masks,” Provost James Holloway said. On May 22, UNM released a tentative plan for how the University will resume operations. Coined “Bringing Back the Pack,” the plan details rules and restrictions for faculty members returning to work and sheds light on what campus life will look like in the fall 2020 semester.

Opinion

Comics for June 3, 2020

Rhianna Roberts and Victor Martinez | June 3

Daily Lobo comics from June 3, 2020.

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.

News

APD arrests Black Lives Matter organizer accused of violating parole

Bella Davis | June 2

As a fourth night of protesting over the police killing of George Floyd got underway in Albuquerque, Clifton White — a 36-year-old Black man who helped organize Thursday’s protest — was arrested by the Albuquerque Police Department in a shopping plaza across from the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center. White’s wife Selinda Guerrero, a community organizer for Forward Together, and other organizers said that White’s Monday night arrest was retaliation for his organizing work. Guerrero posted a video on Facebook of White’s arrest. As he was taken into custody, White said, “There’s no jurisdiction. I’m being illegally arrested.”

Candlelight vigil for George Floyd on May 31.

News

Peace and Justice Center holds vigil for George Floyd

Spencer Butler | June 1

ALBUQUERQUE PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER — On May 31, a crowd of roughly 800 people gathered for a vigil honoring George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered last Monday by a law enforcement officer and has since become a symbol of the systemic racism and police violence against people of color that pervades the country. Video evidence showed Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis policeman, pressing a knee into Floyd's neck for around nine minutes while Floyd pleaded for him to take his knee off of his neck. Floyd eventually stopped breathing and was pronounced dead later. Chauvin has since been arrested for third-degree murder and manslaughter charges.

News

City of Albuquerque deploys riot police after peaceful Black Lives Matter protest

Bella Davis | June 1

Downtown Albuquerque more closely resembled a theater of operations on Sunday night as riot police released tear gas and shot rubber bullets at protesters and journalists following hours of peaceful protests. The escalation marked the largest law enforcement mobilization and use of force against New Mexico citizens since the police murder of George Floyd last Monday. Albuquerque residents marched earlier in the evening in response to the murder of Floyd, a Black man who asphyxiated after a police officer pinned him to the floor with his knee for just under nine minutes.

News

APD uses tear gas against protesters after George Floyd demonstration

Bella Davis | May 31

"Take it to the streets and fuck the police. No justice, no peace," protesters chanted during an Albuquerque march and car rally on Thursday evening. The several hundred people in the streets demanded justice for the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer on Monday. Late in the evening after the initial demonstration had largely dispersed, a SWAT team dispatched for reports of gunfire in the area arrested four people, leading the remaining protesters nearby to go to the scene. Following this, a riot police team arrived on the scene and allegedly injured at least one protester with tear gas canisters.

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.

News

Undocumented students receive aid from UNM

Liam Debonis | May 22

As federal aid initiatives designed to blunt some of the financial hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic sidestep undocumented students, some colleges and universities — including the University of New Mexico — have decided to fill in the gaps with relief of their own. UNM has pledged aid to undocumented students who have filled out state financial aid forms. While most undocumented students are barred from federal financial aid, the state of New Mexico permits all students to apply for state financial aid regardless of immigration status.

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.

Culture

Casa San Ysidro celebrates New Mexico's heritage online

Loreena Cain | May 17

Casa San Ysidro in Corrales, New Mexico has been hosting Heritage Day annually in May for more than a decade to celebrate the state’s history, art and culture. For the first time, this year’s event took place online. Casa San Ysidro has been closed since March because of COVID-19. Instead, the free event shifted online via the history museum’s website between 1-4 p.m.on May 16.

Culture

Joel Clinger graduates with biology degree, rescue pilot aspirations

Beatrice Nisoli | May 16

Supplementing the rigorous academic lessons Joel Clinger is taking away from his time at the University of New Mexico is the personal growth he’s experienced throughout the past four years. Clinger is no stranger to arduous work. During his time at UNM, he worked toward a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in military studies while carving out time to devote to his student-run extracurriculars, community work and his own faith journey. “There was plenty of community outreach, such as working at the Ronald McDonald House as a guest chef as well as volunteering to help move students in and out of dorms on the Lobo Move-In days,” Clinger said.

Culture

Mitch Marty graduates with MFA, passion for writing

Annya Loya | May 15

After a three-year long journey at the University of New Mexico, Mitch Marty is ready for his next adventure after graduation. Marty started his college years as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a major in English (Rhetoric & Writing). After settling on a field, he chose UNM for his Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing. “I came to the University of New Mexico for my MFA in part because I wanted to experience a different environment/culture that I grew up in the Midwest. UNM has also a great program that’s fully funded, so I was able to teach,” Marty said.

Culture

Loreena Cain discovered passion, friendship at UNM

Justin Garcia | May 15

From the Department of English Language and Literature, to the front page of the Daily Lobo, Loreena Cain covered the University of New Mexico with her stories. Now, Cain is ready to open the next chapter of her story. Cain graduated from UNM this week with a Bachelor's Degree in English and Philosophy. It took her just three years to complete, even as she bounced from music to archeology and eventually to writing.