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HIGHER GROUND

Responses and Reflections — Post-Election 2016

Ecopreneurs and the New Economy

Elvis Romero: Luminarias or Farolitos? December 2016

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Vol. 8, No. 12 •December 2016 Issue No. 92 PUBLISHER

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News & Views

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Higher Ground — Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016 . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 7

COPY EDITORS

. OP-EDs: Seeking Higher Ground — Sedena C. Cappannelli. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 9

Green Fire Production Department Stephen Klinger, Denise Tessier WEBMASTER

.Post-Election 2016 — Dr. Erica Elliott. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 10

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joan Borysenko, George Cappannelli, Sedena C. Cappannelli, Erica Elliott, Heidi Sparkes Guber, Susan Guyette, Japa K. Khalsa, Alejandro López, Andrew Lovato, Jennifer Nevarez, Vicki Pozzebon, Seth Roffman, Patricia Marina Trujillo, Alan Webber

.It’s Not the End of the World — Joan Borysenko. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 11

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.The Power of One… How to Preserve Our Democracy in Troubled Times — George Cappannelli . . .. . .. . .. . .. 12 .A Positive Path between Anger and Disbelief — Alan Webber . . .. . .. . ..15 .Reflections on 11/9/2016 — Heidi Sparkes Guber . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 17 Everyday Green: Ecopreneurs and the New Economy — Susan Guyette . . .. . .. . .. . 19 Local Purchasing Powerhouses = Localism 2.0 — Vicki Pozzebon and Alan Webber . . .21

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Hey New Mexico, It’s Time to Try an “Hour of Code” — Jennifer Nevárez. . .. . .. . .23

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In Praise of the Cultivation of Maiz: A New Mural in Española — Alejandro López. . .28

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The Moon Rises Over Hernandez Again and Again — Patricia Marina Trujillo . . .. . .30 Luminarias or Farolitos? A Vignette from Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette — Andrew Lovato . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 32 Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 21, 37 What’s Going On. . .. . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 38

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Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

HIGHER GROUND

A catalytic gathering of some of Santa Fe’s well-known authors, community leaders and musicians

n Sunday afternoon, Nov. 14, five days after an election that had over 60 million around the country shaking their heads in disbelief, an audience of 250 gathered at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe to participate in Higher Ground. The hastily organized event brought together some of Santa Fe’s well-known authors, musicians and community leaders who volunteered their insights, perspectives and suggestions to a live audience and thousands more around the world via video streaming. “Inspiring…Positive…Very much needed…and Healing” were some of the comments participants used to describe the event. Speakers included: Gregg Braden, 2016 Templeton Award nominee and best-selling author who bridges science and spirituality; Joan Borysenko, distinguished pioneer in integrative medicine and expert in mind-body-spirit connection; Wayne Muller, executive leadership mentor, therapist and best-selling author, and Alan Webber, former candidate for governor, co-founder of One New Mexico and a leading champion of constructive change in New Mexico. Consuelo Luz and Martha Reich provided inspiring, original music, and there was also a live-stream appearance by Mingtong Gu, the Santa Fe-based Chi Gung master who was in Israel to lead a healing retreat.

Participants identified ways they can turn their confusion, disappointment and frustration into positive actions. Other speakers who shared the stage were AgeNation cofounders and co-authors George and Sedena Cappannelli, Gordon Dveirin; nationally recognized author and organizational development specialist; Nathan Crane, author and executive producer of Unify Fest; Heidi Sparkes Guber, a nationally recognized innovator in in emergent learning; and Dr. Erica Elliott, known as the “health detective” for successfully treating problems that do not respond to pharmaceutical drugs and other conventional treatments. Participants also spent time in small groups sharing their concerns and identifying ways they can turn their confusion, disappointment and frustration into positive actions. One of the highlights of the afternoon was a collaborative reading by all of the speakers of the Constitution of The United States. Co-producers George and Sedena Cappannelli and John Meade are planning other events designed to encourage constructive and innovative civic engagement. A video of Higher Ground will be posted on YouTube. For more information, email agenation@gmail.com or john@johnmeade.net ■

Discussion groups

CONSTRUCTIVE THINGS TO DO

Ways To Create A More Positive Future; Suggestions from individuals who participated in Higher Ground Face the shadow aspects from unhealed wounds of our country. Stand up for what we believe. Teach our children to be lovers, not haters. Think globally, act locally. Get more directly involved in New Mexico politics. Embrace people whose ideas you don’t understand and agree with. Volunteer for good causes more often. Learn what your rights are and show more support for what you believe in. Focus more on what you want to happen. Find the issues—your issues—and plug in. Work constructively to break Big Money’s hold on Democracy. Do what is possible to get rid of the Electoral Collage. Stand with people in the Dream Program. Communicate with the new president and tell him what we want to make the USA better. Learn more about the conditions that cause the pain for Trump voters. Work locally to find positive candidates for city and county positions. Focus more on what we have in common. Do more to empower women and eliminate misogyny. Transform disappointment into constructive revolution.

Build the kind of community here that can be a model for people elsewhere. Speak your truth and listen with your heart to others. Be willing to be uncomfortable with what you don’t know. Speak up, step forward, share and contribute. L-R: Nathan Crane, Erica Elliott, Gregg Braden, Gordon Dveirin, Joan Borysenko, Heidi Sparkes Guber, Wayne Muller

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Listen deeply and speak authentically with patience. Get out there, take action and make what you want real.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: SEEKING HIGHER GROUND

Sedena C. Cappannelli

When my husband, George came up with the idea to create this community gathering we began first thing the next morning making calls. Everyone pulled out the stops and made sure they would be there to help make it happen. With the help of John Meade, Tess Yong, Zack Hudson and others, the event magically came together three days later at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe.

We were all weary from months of negativity and the hypnotic focus on confusion, divisiveness and fear. This was an essential gathering since we were all weary from months of negativity and the hypnotic focus on confusion, divisiveness and fear. Some of those feelings have escalated with increasingly sullen media updates since that gathering. I know I’ve been reactionary over these past months, triggered by distrust that common decency was not being regarded, and in fear of the possibility that our basic human rights and privileges as citizens are potentially in danger of being taken away. The day after the election I experienced so much untapped emotion it seemed that lifetimes of negativity was washing over my disbelief and shock.This and a deep sadness and grief, more than I could imagine. Knowing all too well that I was not alone, I knew we had to do something. I kept thinking of what Einstein said about not being able to change things on the same level they were created, and needing

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to solve our problems on a different level, and from a higher perspective. The words “Higher Ground” kept coming to me, to raise my consciousness into the light, to breathe clean air again and come to a higher perspective for myself and others. Time to “stay high,” as Michelle Obama said. So the words, Higher Ground stuck and were adopted for our gathering. For the closing of the Higher Ground event our speakers sat in a half circle, and each read lines from the Declaration of Independence while Gregg Braden played a native flute in the background, which added to the illumined emotions throughout the packed theatre as we all heard those profound words declared out loud. One of the stanzas I read was, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” One of the other presenters read, “… that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.” The entire place was in silent gasp at these last lines, and collectively we could feel the power through which we had come together, and we all knew we must continue our solidarity and the potency of our unity. For me, this means standing tall, dropping doubts and insufficiencies, and the toxic negativity we’ve been exposed to, and coming to higher ground, remaining in our hearts and remembering our dignity as we discover together the next right actions that need to be taken to honor our truths and privileges as citizens and to demand the protection of our rights and freedoms of our civil servants, of all politicians, including the president-elect, who swears to protect our Constitution. No person should be given the power to take away those American-born freedoms. The low ground has been about racism, sexism, disenfranchised Americans, hatred, a threated environment, persecution and much more. It’s time now to come into a clear focus about what we can do, individually and collectively, to peacefully and with the power we retain as Americans, take our responsibility, show up for our values and not give into reactionary negativity.

n search of post-election balance and grounding, AgeNation and Empower New Mexico hosted a catalytic gathering we called Higher Ground with a number of well-known authors and musicians who live here: Gregg Braden, Joan Borysenko, Wayne Muller, Heidi Sparkes Guber, Gordon Dveirin, Dr. Erica Elliott, Nathan Crane, Martha Reich, Consuelo Luz and others, including Mingtong Gu, a Chi Gung master. We all shared some wisdom, inspiration, and most importantly, support for the 250 Santa Feans who participated, along with a livestreamed audience of 150,000.

Sedena Cappannelli participated in the discussions. It dawned on me that we are experiencing the manifestation of what we’ve focused on to the exclusion of anything else, and we all know that what we focus on is what we get. It is imperative now that we focus on what we want and who we truly are. It’s time to have an open-eyed, openhearted awareness and know we are in this together. We always have a choice. As Mark Nepo says, beneath all the distrust is the stream of ongoing oneness. Some of us are in the midst of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, sadness and then finally, sweet acceptance. Acceptance comes in time when we are ready. Acceptance is one of the three A’s of Transformation.True transformation comes from the actualization of all three: Awareness, Acceptance and then Action. Nothing can change without the awareness that it exists. Awareness is the catalyst for change, the genesis for action. Acceptance is the next stage and is necessary in order to move into responsible action. It is a release from denial, so we can embrace and forgive the less-than-perfect aspects of who we are and bless and encourage ourselves and each other with life-affirming thoughts and words, and then with that understanding, move into action with a heart-centered resolve. As the beloved Leonard Cohen said, “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” There are no accidents, and I believe there is a purpose for everything. Maybe this is occurring to wake us all up, to bring us into our hearts and into greater connection with our values; to finally address

and heal the long-oppressed prejudice and crimes against humanity that we’ve all been witness to in our country. Time to honor and accept our rightful place as citizens in an incredible democracy that we can stand tall for, to shine our light and our gifts and unfold our purpose to the world as we lift each other up. Sometimes it’s at the point of greatest questioning when we need to move forward with hope and strength. Eleanor Roosevelt said,”Don’t curse the darkness; light a candle.” Let’s carry our spirits like candles now in the darkness. We need each other’s light. This gathering proved that we are not alone; we can enliven our Oneness…our togetherness in this human experience! We came together to replace fear and disillusionment with healing and community support and connection and to further our next steps towards community engagement. Teilhard de Chardin said, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” We can take this unsettling human experience and remember who we are. We can focus on our truth. It’s our choice. Please join us for the next Higher Ground event. We’ll keep you posted. ■ Sedena C. Cappannelli, with her husband George, cofounded AgeNation, a digitalmedia company, and they have co-authored many books. The Cappannellis have also led seminars, workshops and retreats. http://agenation.com/home/

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: POST-ELECTION 2016

Erica Elliott

I remember feeling a similar sense of shock and despair in the 10th grade when I heard the announcement over the loudspeaker in math class that JFK had been assassinated. I wondered how our country would manage without him. JFK inspired us to be our best selves. Now we have each other—our friends and our community—to inspire us to be our best selves, with fierce courage and renewed commitment to counter these dark times. We are already seeing many uplifting examples of peaceful resistance to t h e w o rd s o f h a t re d , r a c i s m a n d environmental destruction espoused by the president-elect.

The election has revealed the full extent of the hatred and racism that had always been there but has now come out into the open.

As of this writing, Santa Fe’s mayor, Javier Gonzales, joined several mayors t h r o u g h o u t t h e U. S. — f r o m N e w York to Chicago to Los Angeles and Seattle—pledging that their cities will remain sanctuaries for people without documentation, in spite of the threat of being deprived of federal funding. In Januar y, Santa Fe will be welcoming several Syrian refugee families. Donations earmarked for these families have filled the dropoff place to capacity. My co-housing community, The Commons, has begun a discussion about possibly “adopting” one of the families. And then there is the inspiring

example of nonviolent resistance by indigenous people and their allies against environmental destruction by the Dakota Access Pipeline in the ancestral land of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Many of us have been ignited by their brave stand for environmental justice and want to offer as much support as we can. Each day, in service to my patients, I find meaning from being able to offer kindness, empathy and compassion to those that are suffering. In fact, I compare the fate of many of the patients I see with the fate of our nation during these times. Patients from near and far come to me when their lives have fallen apart due to a serious health condition or a lifethreatening accident—after it appears who no one can help them. They come stripped of all that they hold dear— their health, their body image, their possessions—even their homes—and all too often, their friends. It is precisely at this time of loss and suffering—with their lives in shambles— that they have the opportunity to leave old, unhealthy emotional and behavioral patterns behind and create new lives in alignment with their own truths and values a new life that can lead to peace and indestructible happiness. It’s like a fire has swept through us. It is time to pick up and start again from scratch. The outcome of the Trump election has revealed the full extent of the hatred and racism that had always been there but has now come out into the open so that we can see this side of America more clearly and know what we’re dealing with. It ’s time to take a stand and leave complacency behind. As with some of my patients who limped through life, just getting by—without motivation to make major changes to their lifestyle—it often takes a catastrophe to motivate people to make the changes necessary to radically improve themselves and their country. There is room for optimism. A strong and honest progressive movement is starting to get off the ground. And if

Green Fire Times • December 2016

pon hearing the news of Trump’s election, the shock drove me inward to a place without words. I have been walking in the mountains and along the river behind my house to find solace and a bigger perspective.

the Democratic National Committee can be rebuilt from the ground up, then we have a chance to change the current trajectory. Now more than ever is a call to stand up and tell your truth and act on what you know is right…care of our environment, kindness and compassion, inclusivity, transparency and justice for all. A friend recently reminded me of something Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Do not curse the darkness. Instead, light a candle.” I’m deeply grateful for my friends and community in Santa Fe. Together we can make a difference. ■

Dr. Erica Elliott is board certified in Family Practice and Environmental Medicine. Dr. Elliott has often been nicknamed “the medical detective.” She has given weeklong workshops, has been a public speaker and is co-author of Prescriptions for a Healthy House. She blogs regularly at www. musingsmemoirandmedicine.com Her website is www.ericaelliottmd.com

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Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: IT’S NOT the END of the WORLD

Resilience in Changing Times Joan Borysenko

I understand discrimination, fear, hate and demagoguery. I also get that when people face economic uncertainty and loss of identity, fear and anger begin to cloud better judgment. Hopelessness makes inroads into the heart, and scapegoating has the opportunity to raise its ugly head. Someone must be to blame for the erosion of Middle America.

When people face economic uncertainty and loss of identity, fear and anger begin to cloud better judgment.

Yes, I understand the anger, and like most voters on either side I agree that we need real change in this country to make it work for us all. But in the meantime, whether you are Native American, Hispanic, an undocumented Mexican, a Jew, a Muslim, or a so-called “white liberal elitist” you might suddenly find yourself in the crosshairs of a stunningly unexpected turn of political power in the United States. Many of us are still numb—mind-boggled at the outcome of this presidential election. Others are awash in the anger, fear, hopelessness and confusion that have settled like an emotional miasma over the land. But some people—perhaps you as a reader of the Green Fire Times—feel a bit more clear, mindful and ready to act to help bring about a more noble future. In this article, I want to address two things: the need for calm in the chaos so that we can act with wisdom, rather than react out

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of reflex, and how we can cultivate resilience. Breakdown and Breakthrough The late Ilya Prigogine, a mathematician and physicist at the University of Texas in Austin, won a Nobel Prize in 1976 for his Theory of Dissipative Structures. Whether we are talking about an atom or a solar system, disruption leads to recreation. The energy released when an old system crumbles, frees the energy to reconfigure at a potentially higher level of function. The old political system has indeed broken down, and a new system has yet to emerge. Whether the energy freed up from breakdown reconstitutes at a higher level or goes retrograde is up to all of us, regardless of politics, race, ethnic origin, or religion. The journey from breakdown to breakthrough is a rite of passage comprising three parts: 1. Separation: the ground beneath us gives way and uncertainty prevails. 2. Liminality: the time between no longer and not yet. The old system is defunct but a new one has not yet emerged. This passage is rife with both danger and opportunity. It is a time for grief, reflection, soulsearching, finding allies and mentors, and working together. 3. Return: when the crisis passes, there is a return to a new level of equilibrium. If we are to be part of the solution, it’s important to understand how to navigate liminal time with resilience and grace. The Art of Resilience Resilience is a courageous affirmation of life in the face of serious, life-disrupting stressors. It is more than bouncing back to how and what we were; it is a deep transformation into an evolutionary iteration of who we are becoming. In the wake of the global financial meltdown in 2008, I wrote a book about resilience entitled It’s not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change. What I learned both from the research and from years of working with people in crisis is that resilience is a group activity. We all need others to hold the light for us when our own grows dim. We also need to marinate in different ideas and perspectives, held in a container of

ike the majority of Americans, with the exception of our Native peoples, I am a descendant of immigrants. My grandparents came to America in the late 1890s to escape pogroms in Eastern Europe. I was born in 1945, at the end of WW2. I recall Uncle George—a naval officer in his dress whites—telling war stories. Uncle Patsy, not so fortunate, died from the lingering effects of mustard gas. Worse still, one of his uncles (my great uncle) and his extended family of 12 never made it out of Poland to begin with. They all died in Auschwitz.

cooperation and good intention. That said; resilient people have common characteristics. Here are three salient ones: 1 A resolute acceptance of reality Resilient people face difficult situations head on. It may be tempting to stick one’s head in the sand, but that doesn’t help. Rationalization (lots of people are in the same boat), denial (things aren’t so bad) and wishful thinking (I’ll just visualize a positive future), are called regressive coping strategies. They keep us stuck. Resilience requires a clear, realistic picture of what may actually happen, and a tenable plan to navigate that scenario. Facing reality can be emotionally trying in the short run, but lifesaving later on. As diverse communities within the larger community of Santa Fe, we all need to meet and plan for the future.

2 A deep belief that life is meaningful Two weeks after 9/11 I facilitated a retreat just outside New York City. It was an intensely emotional time for the whole country, but especially for two young Manhattan roommates who were attending the retreat together. Their balcony faced the World Trade Center, and they witnessed the twin towers falling firsthand. They turned to the work of Viktor Frankl, a resilient Austrian psychiatrist who survived four Nazi death camps and then wrote the classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning. In spite of the unthinkable trauma and hardship he suffered during the Holocaust, Frankl became a happy man and an inspiration to millions of people worldwide. The key to resilience, he believed, was to find lifeaffirming meaning in traumatic experience. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: THE POWER of ONE…

How To Preserve Our Democracy In Troubled Times George Cappannelli

It is also clear that, as a result of these signs, genuine progress in implementing real solutions to our serious challenges and the basic rights in our Democracy may be at risk. So while Donald Trump may be softening the offensive positions he advanced during the campaign in interviews, the individuals he is nominating for key positions demonstrate his true intentions. This validates another caution shared by English philosopher and statesman Frances Bacon, who said, “nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass as wise.”

The Checks and Balances so essential to preserving our Democracy for over 240 years will not be in place.

Since I do not claim to be prescient, however, the best I believe any of us can do is to hold the hope that these reactionaries will be guided in the execution of their responsibilities by their better angels. And, of course, also pay close attention to the common sense offered in this aphorism: “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then there is a very high probability that it is a duck.” So be vigilant, and instead of letting frustration, anger or hopelessness make us question if we will be able to live with even a semblance of honor, dignity and safety in a nation that suddenly no longer feels like

home, let’s remember there is a solution. The fact that we cast our vote for another candidate and another way of life does not mean we have to spend the next four years holding our breath or our noses while someone who mistakenly believes he has been anointed King abuses us and the tenets of our Constitution. Instead, let’s practice “The Power of One.” Good news? There is some. The unhealed wounds of bigotry, prejudice, misogyny and a number of other illegitimate offspring of Fear and Hate are now standing naked for all to see. And this nakedness gives us opportunity to bring understanding, healing and resolution to them. Any more good news? Yes, there’s a truth many of us forget every day: “No one is going to save us.” So, if any of us are hoping that a political candidate will ride into town and expose the charade that has been perpetrated on us, we should let this illusion go and instead turn toward the indisputable truth poet June Ford articulated: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” And this is the best news of all—it puts us directly on the path to regain our sovereignty, dignity and sanity, stops us from waiting for others to implement solutions for us, and inoculates us against the mumblings of the Demigod. And none of this requires an act of Congress, an executive order signed by the president or even a note from our mother. It’s called, “The Power of One.” Here are five ways to do this: Vote With Our Money: Money isn’t the root of all evil. Evil arises from what human beings sometimes do in accumulating and spending it. As Confuscius said, “The superior man seeks what is right, the inferior man what is profitable.” So let’s vote with our money as well as our ballots and, wherever possible, cut off the flow of money to those who would do us harm. Yes, let’s take our money back—from the “too big to fail” banks, from those investment houses whose practices are out of alignment with the greater good, and from governments, like the one just elected, that do not support the needs of all of our citizens. Vote With Our Time and Attention: If we are tired of the sorry state of the media and

Green Fire Times • December 2016

he further away from Election Day we get the more things are coming into focus. We are entering uncharted waters. In January we will enter a time in which the system of Checks and Balances, so essential to preserving our Democracy for over 240 years, will not be in place. Instead, a single political party will control the Executive Branch, both houses of Congress and the Judiciary. By the standards of the framers of our Constitution, this courts disaster, for as Thomas Jefferson said, “Once the people become inattentive to public affairs, you and I and Congress and assemblies, judges and governors shall all become wolves.”

the undigested opinions and outright lies propagated by those who call themselves journalists and news commentators, let’s turn off our radios, televisions and computers when the news comes on. Stop buying newspapers, reading blogs and the false news websites that distort the truth. Let’s take a media holiday and these pander of illusion will, like beached whales, start gasping for financial breath. Deny them our attention and we’ll deny them advertising revenues.

A yes and we buy from or use companies that are committed to the well-being and true health of our world!

Vote With Conscious Consumerism: Let’s start asking questions and demanding answers from the companies that make and provide the products and services we buy and use every day. Good values…treat their employees fairly…provide healthcare… stand behind the quality of their products and services…protect the environment and pay their fair share of federal and state taxes?

Yes, each of us has the right and the responsibility to say no in a constructive way to anything that violates our Constitutional rights—at work, in our communities, churches, schools, homes and clubs. Our Constitution tells us we do. So let’s exercise our right to strike in a non-violent way. And if enough of us make this decision, even if only a few hours

Vote W ith General Strikes: T h e “Corporatocracy” and others who want to elevate the few over the many have done a deadly job of disparaging the rights of individuals to protest—especially the right of union workers to strike. But those of us who value Democracy can’t let them perpetrate this fraud. Protest is one of our basic rights.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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It’s Not the End of the World continued from page

Determined to make positive use of the lessons he was learning, Frankl set his sight on giving seminars on resilience to people after the war. How would your life be different if this was the attitude with which you approached even the worst imaginable circumstances?

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3 Radical Creativity Resilient people are masters of innovation. Their fertile imaginations are expansive, and they attend to details that others might miss or consider irrelevant, using everything at their disposal to create the best outcome possible. To improvise is to create something new that arises organically out of available resources. This requires mindfulness, an open-minded perspective that gets narrowed when we’re in the throes of fear and anger. The simplest way to encourage creativity, while bringing the nervous system to calm instead of chaos, is to practice mindfulness—being present to what is emerging without becoming reactive. This is wise mind. There are plenty of resources both online and right here in Santa Fe that teach mindfulness skills.

In conclusion, here we are together in liminal time.When we are centered in mind, heart and community, our brains literally become more agile and adaptive. Rather than triggering the fight, flight or freeze response in the brain’s amygdala (emotional survival center), staying present brings an evolutionarily more recent part of the brain online, the prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain witnesses without becoming attached and reactive. It is goaldirected, clear and capable of mediating the constant internal conversation that goes on inside between emotions, experiences, beliefs, desires and needs for survival. How to fire up your wise prefrontal cortex? • physical exercise • meditation: yoga, qi gong, prayer • mindfulness: both in daily life and as a practice • slogans: affirmations and short reminders of what is important • and the power of being together, working with others patiently, consciously, spaciously and relentlessly toward the common good. ■ Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. is a Harvard trained cell biologist, licensed psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author of 16 books. She lives in Santa Fe. www.JoanBorysenko.com

The Power of One continued from page

or a day or two at a time, we will signal the kind of standstill that will get the attention of those who focus on the bottom line. For, as David O’Connell said, “Nothing is politically right that is morally wrong.” Vote With Our Tax Dollars: One of the best tools at our disposal is our tax Scott Sweeney dollars, for a contract—both explicit and implicit—exists between us and our duly elected representatives, especially our presidents, who swear, “to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. So help me God.”

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

So, if our government representatives— and I stress the term “representatives” —fail to abide by their oath of office, we should withhold our taxes until such time as they fulfill their dutie, for they work for us! Our taxes pay their salaries, provide them with lifetime retirement benefits, cover their singlepayer healthcare costs and give them the means to pay for the legislation

they advance. If they insist on pushing their private agendas and imposing their personal religious beliefs on us, let’s deny them the funds they need to operate our government. it’s what Eric Hoffer meant when he said, “No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life and breeds ill will and suspicion, it is an evil government.” “The Power of One” Is quite remarkable, isn’t it? It also happens to be our best and most direct way to take our individual power back and protect the well-being of our Democracy for ourselves and for future generations. ■ George Cappannelli, co-author of Do Not Go Quietly, A Guide To Living Consciously and Aging Wisely For People Who Weren’t Born Yesterday is co-founder of the digital media and events company AgeNation. He is an expert on societal, organizational and individual change. www.AgeNation.com and www.GeorgeCappannelli.com

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Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: A POSITIVE PATH BETWEEN ANGER and DISBELIEF

A lan Webber

The two “opposed ideas” that many of us in New Mexico are holding—anger and disbelief at what a Trump presidency will bring to the nation; optimism and a renewed sense of hope for what it will mean for New Mexico to have the Democrats back in charge of our House of Representatives and the state Senate. The next day I began to move from emotion to planning, from ideas to action. What do we do to combat a Trump presidency? We’re already seeing the kind of people he’s bringing into the White House and appointing to key offices: racists, bigots, men who want to take back women’s rights, men who want to arrest minorities and kick them out of America, men who want to attack minorities and keep them out of America.

This election calls on all of us and each of us to be a leader.

Here’s my proposal. Ever since the days of FDR, a president’s first 100 days have been the measure of his achievements. Trump has already put out his agenda for his first 100 days. You can find NPR’s review of it here: http://www. npr.org/2016/11/10/501597652/factcheck-donald-trumps-first-100-daysaction-plan What we need is a First 100 Days Resistance Agenda: a list of the ways in which we can come together to demonstrate against, disrupt, dispute and de-rail Trump’s first 100 days. It means calling on our Democratic Congressional delegation to stand up and stand tall—to pledge

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to oppose Trump’s agenda. Drawn-out hearings, question his nominees, subject all of his plans and proposals to withering criticism and review. Take a stand. It means marching and demonstrating, organizing and speaking out. It means boycotting Trump products. Let’s grab him by the wallet. It means backing organizations like the ACLU that will sue Trump and his henchmen the moment they step across the boundaries of our Constitutional rights. It means writing letters to the editor, sending in op-eds, asking your friends and neighbors, family and colleagues to add their voice. Silence is not an option. It means using social media. Send tweets, make YouTube videos, use social media to connect and object. It means turning to investigative reporters to dig into the people Trump is appointing—who are these people and what do they actually stand for? And it means revealing the conflicts of interest at the heart of a Trump presidency. It means coordinated fundraising. Let’s put money into the hands of the organizations that will actively take on Trump and protect our civil liberties, our environment, our rights and our freedom. It means using symbolic opposition. Wearing a safety pin tells others you’re a safe person to be with. A bumper sticker or wristband says you’re not afraid to speak out. It means holding Trump accountable. That’s what democracy is all about. But what about the good news? How can we make the most of the opportunity and optimism of a Democratic Legislature? Here we can also speak up and add our voices. Governor Martínez has pledged no new taxes—despite the fact that our state budget is in crisis and we need to build, grow and invest in New Mexico, rather than cut. But let’s use her pledge

he night of the election, after all the results were in, I found myself thinking of a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald: “The sign of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”

against her: How can we make New Mexico better without raising taxes? One New Mexico is collecting ideas for a full slate of proposals that can make New Mexico Better Without Raising Taxes. We already have 31 pages of ideas from people all over the state— Now’s the time to add your idea, your suggestion, your proposal! Just go to www.onenewmexico.com and either send an email to Alan@ onenewmexico.com or click on the Idea Bank button and add your idea. We’ll put the best ideas into a consolidated agenda and carry it to the Roundhouse for our legislators to consider. We missed our chance to elect our first

woman president. But in her time Abigail Adams was a powerful voice in the White House and in the nation. Here’s what she wrote in 1780: “These are the times in which a genius would wish to live. It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed.” We may not be geniuses—but this election calls on all of us and each of us to be a leader. It’s up to us to decide what we stand for and whom we stand with—and then to go to work. Alan Webber is founder of One New Mexico and a 2014 candidate for governor of New Mexico.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

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Responses and Reflections Post-Election 2016

OP-ED: REFLECTIONS ON 11/9/2016

Heidi Sparkes Guber

My friend said they found almost everything virtually vaporized: whatever was paper was ash, if that. Except for precious metals, which could now be seen in the shapes of pools of molten gold. And most striking, the only objects that had held their form were the precious gems, particularly diamonds, which looked as if they had just been powerwashed. This was a striking discovery: that there were certain elements that heat and disaster cannot alter among the rubble of more ordinary materials.

The complexity of our times means that what appears to be so is volatile and can flip in a moment.

When he gave me this relic, it was with an open question: What are the “precious gems” for us? The indestructible elements that survive anything? What is the “gold”? What is the “paper”? When I woke up on 9 November 2016, like many, I felt shocked, profoundly saddened, disoriented and afraid. It took me a moment to remember why, but there it was. I felt as if my “safe deposit boxes”—my assumptions and certain realities I had taken for granted, all that I trusted to be protected and existing irrevocably—had been blown to smithereens. The truth is that the devastation had begun with growing dread as the campaign unfolded and we watched all the civility and truth get trampled in ways we had never seen. In any

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case, there was no longer any uncertainty that what I had just the day before held as selfevident and inviolable was no longer. As a child of the 1960s, I had witnessed several other large national and global crises—the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Algerian Crisis in Paris, the assassinations of John and then Robert Kennedy, MLK, Vietnam and the late ‘60s and ‘70s, AIDS in NYC, the tsunami and Fukishima while working with Japanese companies in Tokyo—and so many more personal ones. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that this sense of devastation and fear, though clearly present, does not come from my core being… and it is not a place to act from. So, I looked deeper into those feelings on the morning of 11/9 and what I saw was this; 1. That this was the terror, grief and marginalization that many in our country have been experiencing for lifetimes and that, for one particular faction, this was their way of dealing with it in this election. That at least, in a way, now made us one. 2. That the “paper” that was now ash was those assumptions and mental models that I hold dear and in fact take for granted, that I was trusting others to protect and that now need to be suspended, not sacrificed, in order to see what is really right before me. The truth is, I have no idea what will happen in this next four years, or the next year or the next 100 days. The complexity of our times means that what appears to be so is volatile and can flip in a moment. So what is called for instead is real stillness and observation, humility, genuine curiosity and aspiration for a world that works for everyone. 3. And that the “precious metals” and “gems” for me were what experience has taught me is indestructible and unchanging at all times and beyond all circumstances. These are: • The deep experience that behind and within all that we see and think is real is a far greater reality—a substratum that is constant through all the ways that it appears to be moving and shaping—and that an awareness of this is the doorway to a real understanding of who I am,

have a relic from the morning after 9/11: the door of a safe deposit box, one of many found blown apart by the force and heat of the attack on the Twin Towers just across the street. It was given to me by a dear friend and colleague who at the time was head of Diversity at Chase in NYC. Along with a few executives, he was brought to the location of their vaults. They were there to examine the aftermath of what had happened to the storehouse of most precious belongings: family wills, money, important legal documents, photographs, secret letters, heirloom jewelry—all placed there because it was thought to be the safest place on Earth.

in this world and beyond it. • That the substance of this reality is “love”—that at the heart of everything we are is love, however pure or convoluted. Humberto Maturana, the great Chilean biologist, defines love as “the domain in which another arises as a legitimate other in coexistence with oneself.” He says that it is the only condition in which intelligence grows. He also says that we are at a major inflection point in our evolution: We spent most of our time in the 20th century proving that we can create anything we want; Now that we know that we can, we need to decide what we will create. • And that it’s time to “go local.” When I looked at the luminous network of “gems” in my life, they were from all over the world—they

are the people, the best of who we are, and whom I can count on absolutely. The one thing they all have in common is that we have addressed problems and crises together, small and large, and that what was left in the transformation was the inviolable bond of love. So it’s time to “get local”—to share what is on our hearts and to agree on what we need to conserve most now and in this place, this city and this state. And to make this a place that is worthy of our highest aspirations for ourselves, our fellow citizens and our country. Clearly, we have already set sail in uncharted waters. And I wish us all well in embarking on this journey together. ■ Heidi Sparkes Guber is a nationally recognized innovator and consultant to Ford and NASA, and an expert in emergent learning.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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EVERYDAY GREEN

ECOPRENEURS and the NEW ECONOMY

Susan Guyette

s we contemplate the next few years, getting mired in discouragement or despair will not bring about positive change. Getting specific about what we want and taking personal action will. Where to put our energies? First, recognizing the basics of what is not working, and then taking personal responsibility for our role in the change process is central to a shift. Local-level activism through the choices of each individual holds great promise. New Mexico might be considered the “State Different,” and, with our cultural strengths, we have the potential to lead.

New Mexico is a leader in the preservation and continuation of time-honored, sustainable traditions.

Several underlying faulty principles have led to the destruction of family, community and the health of Mother Earth. One is hierarchical thinking. Capitalism is based on hierarchical concepts, with individuals striving to “get ahead” of others—rather than thinking of the good of the whole. The shift from community to the individual over the past few decades is the root malaise of greed and the grasping at never-ending growth. Inequality in the use of natural resources is another example of hierarchical worldview—considering some more privileged than others. Shifting to egalitarian and communal principles, still ver y much alive in Indigenous communities, is the only route to economic justice. We have only to look at the daily implementation of these principles within neighboring cultures to see how this works. The second underlying faulty basic premise is that growth is positive. This direction has led to the overconsumption of resources, Mother Earth’s gifts, resulting now in the suffering of many, and economic injustice globally. Measuring economic health with growth indicators, such as the stock market, only encourages continued imbalance. Ending the growth-oriented era will depend upon the individual. With a wake-up call on the horizon, we can choose to engage, to exercise personal power and be guides of change.

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The Ecopreneur Premise Ecopreneurs are small business owners and producers of goods who use guiding principles congruent with sustainable practices. The shift to small-scale economy, talked about for decades—particularly since Small is Beautiful by E. F. Schumacher— has yet to be substantially implemented. Answers are not likely to be federal; locallevel initiatives tend to be stronger and continued over time. This is where we all can play a role. Have hope. New Mexico is a leader in the preservation and continuation of time-honored, sustainable traditions. Big business will not expand, even with tax cuts, if the following become daily personal principles: • Not buying the products of big corporations; • Not consuming or accumulating more than you really need; • Voicing what you expect in products to ecopreneurs, for them to understand their market; • Buying locally raised food to create a stable and safe food supply; • Making much of our own—a return to a few decades ago, which fosters a low-consumptive lifestyle; and • Not investing in the stocks of large and/ or eco-unfriendly corporations, which supports their growth and power over the political system (Hint: look closely at your retirement plan). As long as there is demand for the products of large corporations, they will flourish and grow. Our cumulative choices will make the difference. Just don’t buy it. Values and Economy Values determining beliefs underlie our culturally based daily practices—the most often neglected sustainability factor. Why? Values are the motivating factors to actions; beliefs guide all actions, including economic and environmental. The following shifts will be essential: • Creating kinship, fostering family and community rather than individual gain; • Putting cooperation above competition into our daily actions; • Fostering equality in worldview, extending to all species; • Respecting our limited resources in daily decisions; • Breaking the habit of accumulation; • Sharing abundance, creating true e c on om i c s t re n g t h t h ro u g h a n

exchange economy; and • Focusing on economic justice when making daily choices. Only with a motivating value shift can a true economy be created. Economies consist of systems for production, distribution and consumption. By looking at an economy this way, we can begin to verbalize what is so very unjust in our political system. And creative solutions then begin to emerge. Production—Shift to local entrepreneurs and energize equitable choices; Distribution—Strengthen local networks with ready access to locally made goods; Consumption—Consume less, of higher quality, locally made. These three elements of an economic system need to be in place and working in tandem to give local ecopreneurs a viable chance in business. Looking at the successes of other states in linking resources for entrepreneurs can be of use. For example, Washington state government supports a series of Made in Washington stores, where products of local entrepreneurs are sold and distributed effectively on behalf of the entrepreneurs (www.madeinwashington. com). Local residents proudly support these stores. Another example is the Made in Vermont tradeshow (www. madeinvermontmarketplace.com). Makers are able to sell their products on the tradeshow floor, take orders and have

a direct link from the show’s website to business websites for future sales. The publication Ecopreneurist (http:// ecopreneurist.com) features free helpful articles ranging from “Writing a Green Business Plan” to “How to Start a Green Business without Raising Money.” Be part of the new economy; create it. Be energized by involvement. Be encouraged and recognize the real wealth inherent in our local cultures. New Mexico has many successes to share. Now is the time to free ourselves from the growth bubble. Now is the time to look deeply at the power of personal accountability. Now, more than ever, the cumulative actions of individuals will determine direction. Speak, write, act and be specific about the changes you want to see in the world. Ultimately, we have only each other—the basis of community values—and our home, Earth. This is why compassion, for ourselves and Mother Earth, matters. ■ Susan Guyette, Ph.D., is of Métis heritage (Micmac Indian/Acadian French) and a community planner specializing in tourism, cultural centers, museums and native foods. She is the author of Sustainable Cultural Tourism: Small-Scale Solutions; Planning for Balanced Development; and co-author of Zen Birding: Connect in Nature. sguyette@nets.com

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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LOCAL PURCHASING POWERHOUSES = LOCALISM 2.0

Vicki Pozzebon and A lan Webber

here’s a new conversation, a new set of practices and a new vocabulary in the evolving effort to support local economies: Anchor institutions. Local procurement. Procurement policies. Impact investing. What do these terms mean? And how do they represent the next stage of economic development that’s focused on producing better outcomes for local businesses and communities? Anchor institutions are corporations, hospitals, universities and government agencies that are the largest job providers, biggest purchasers of goods and services in a community. These are the institutions that buy everything from food for their own cafeterias to cleaning services to uniforms to large-scale construction projects. They buy office supplies and contract with tech companies for IT support. They employ thousands of people in our cities and towns.

Impact investing will create jobs and put money into local tax coffers.

Their procurement policies are the guidelines they use to make decisions about purchasing. For instance, a city governmental department might have a policy to request a minimum of three bids for a project or a policy to source a certain percentage of its goods from local businesses within a specified geographic area. Local procurement is the policy choice to make purchases from local businesses, manufacturers, contractors, and vendors within a specified geographic area. It is the conscious decision to buy as much as possible from local businesses. An anchor institution that sources its food locally and spends just 10 percent of its budget on local products can put millions of dollars directly back into the community because those dollars are multiplied up to four times. Impact investing is a term now being used by foundations, government agencies and banks that refers to how they take their own investment portfolios and invest in stocks, funds, or lending to businesses or social enterprises that are aligned with their own mission or serve a social mission to do good for the community.

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All of these terms tied together can be a force for good in a city; they can have an enormous impact in a community for economic development—creating even more jobs by helping start or grow other businesses, circulating more funds, growing local tax bases, and simply growing local economies. Think of it this way: “Buy Local” campaigns and educating consumers about the power of shopping local was Localism 1.0. Leveraging anchor institutions as local purchasing powerhouses is Localism 2.0. These anchor institutions are massive markets. But they need to make significant changes in order to harness their own purchasing power. They have built-in purchasing, accounting and legal departments. Often these departments don’t talk to each other. Purchasing decides to change policies but doesn’t inform Accounting, and therefore invoices aren’t paid because a vendor “isn’t in the system.” If you’ve ever been a vendor to a large institution you probably know how this story goes. Here are some things anchor institutions are doing—and could do even better—to make lasting impact now. These improvements can tie their purchasing power to impact investing to become a real force for economic good: • Look at local food as a way to help grow the local food system. This seems like an absolute no-brainer to most of us working in this system. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Current suppliers who roll up to the deliver dock don’t know which local food companies have the capacity to grow more produce or create more items. Purchasing staff often ask the sales reps from these big companies for lists of local products. But what they’re usually given is a list of stock items made by a large manufacturer from two states away. There is a better way. But it requires engaging in conversations at every level of the supply side of the chain. Which leads to the next point. • Making policy changes is a great start, but they can’t just make a policy change to source local food. That will never take hold. Employees need training to understand the impact of local sourcing. Provide training and resources for staff to implement the sourcing of local products: directories, guides, trade shows. Let them find the products. They need to know the how, where, and why to source local goods

and services in order to buy into the idea and commit to making it happen. • Assess the local market. If the purchasing department can’t find an item, find out why. What could be done to make this product available? Which leads to the next point about impact investing. • Does your company/institution have the resources to invest in a new business or manufacturer that will make the soughtafter product? Once the gap in the supply chain has been identified, now what? Talk to local economic development staff or incubators or entrepreneurial networks or investing people who might have knowledge about those who could do this work or start up a business if investment money were on the table. This is impact investing—putting money into a fund or directly into a new business that can serve the whole system or fill a gap in the system. Those impact dollars will create jobs and put money into local tax coffers. • Forming a large buyers’ group together, anchor institutions can leverage their buying power to activate the supply side of the local system. In the food sector, we’ve seen examples of this in San Diego, Calf., where nearly a dozen hospitals pooled their investment resources to purchase from local farmers and food processing companies. Then they went beyond that: They invested in the growth of those companies in order to be able to source from them directly, providing

loans for greenhouses so more acreage of local food could be grown for the hospital market. • Identify the areas that anchors could purchase—office supplies, janitorial supplies; IT services; printing; food— not just fresh fruits and vegetables. There are dozens of categories of purchasing where local products or vendors could be substituted. With budgets in the millions, large corporations and anchor institutions are the best way forward for immediate investments into local economies. Shifting just a portion of those purchasing dollars to local businesses, vendors and products will amount to millions of dollars injected into local economies and hundreds of new jobs. ■ Vicki Pozzebon is the o w n e r o f P r o s p e ra Partners, a consulting firm that designs local economy networks, systems and developmental plans for businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies that put communities first. She is a skilled facilitator, public speaker and blogger about all things local. www.vickipozzebon.com Entrepreneur and author Alan Webber, founder of One New Mexico, ran as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor of New Mexico in 2014. www.onenewmexico.com

YELLCAST and SANTA FE HISPANIC CHAMBER’S ‘LIVE LOCAL and PROSPER’ PLEDGE YellCast (yellCast.com) is a new online open marketplace that aims to democratize commerce by bringing business back to local economies. Through Internet and mobile devices, YellCast’s platform smoothly connects buyers and sellers by delivering local search results that allow users to connect and communicate. The conversational commerce engine allows users to control their personal data without being constantly tracked, subjected to a constant stream of ads or receive results dominated by big companies. YellCast and the Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, along with the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Fe Green Chamber, Santa Fe Area Homebuilders, Hutton Broadcasting, MIX Santa Fe, Youthworks, Green Fire Times and others, have teamed up to promote a “Live Local and Prosper” pledge to foster a vibrant local economy, ensure a strong tax base and grow a prosperous future. The pledge (https://yellcast.com/pledge.php) asks people—especially during the holiday season—to buy goods and services locally, whenever possible, for both personal and business matters; celebrate local businesses, make an extra effort to support members of the community, and encourage others to do the same. The service is free to end-users. Businesses and services pay a small fee to respond to customer requests. YellCast’s head of community development is Kate Noble, who spent a decade doing economic development work for the City of Santa Fe.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

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HEY NEW MEXICO: IT’S TIME to TRY an “HOUR OF CODE™”

Jennifer Nevarez

oday, computing is reported as the number-one source of wages in the U.S. While there are more than 500,000 computing jobs available nationwide, only 42,969 computer science students graduated into the workforce this year. Furthermore, although computer science is fundamental to every industry in today’s economy, 75 percent of schools still don’t teach it. This month New Mexico joins the “Largest Learning Event in History.” Local businesses, organizations and professionals are joining forces with New Mexico TechWorks and hundreds of students and teachers to participate in a regional “Hour of Code”™ (HoC) during National Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 5–11. The HoC is a nationwide initiative launched by code. org. It is designed to introduce millions of students to the wonders of computer science and programming. More than 100 million students worldwide have already tried HoC. This year, New Mexico TechWorks is promoting the event regionally to ensure that students in New Mexico “are on the forefront of creating technology of the future—not just consuming it—and are learning critical skills for 21st-century success.” Details can be found online at www.nmtechworks.com/ hour-of-code Even the mayor is learning to code. Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales tried HoC last month in his City Hall office. He coded with the students and staff of Piñon Elementary School, plus representatives from New Mexico TechWorks and the Computer Science Teachers Association of New Mexico.

Santa Fe Try-Athon is a free, public event on Dec. 8 from 3:30 to 6:30 pm at the Violet Crown Cinema in the Railyard. Community

Charles Ashley III, co-founder and president of Cultivating Coders, was a TEDxABQ presenter in Sept. 2016

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developer, visit www.nmtechworks.com/ cultivating-coders New Mexico TechWorks Community Coalition New Mexico TechWorks is a crosssector, community coalition coordinated by StartUp Santa Fe and Community Learning Network that is mobilizing to strengthen the region’s technology economy and train a more tech-savvy workforce. First graduating class of junior software developers from Cultivating Coders’ Coding Bootcamp at Shiprock High School, summer 2016 members of all ages are invited to try HoC on their personal smartphone, tablet, or laptop with help from professional software developer volunteers. In addition, participants can enjoy free popcorn while computer science students showcase highlights from technology programs in local schools. Everybody can code! GEAR UP New Mexico and the New Mexico Higher Education Department are promoting HoC events and competitions in more than 11 school districts. Teach for America New Mexico is promoting the event through all of its educators and school sites. Los Alamos National Laboratory is supporting learning activities and providing professional volunteer support for HoC events, especially in Española, Los Alamos and northern New Mexico. Business leaders have also committed to trying an HoC. Cultivating Coders’ Boot Camps Cultivating Coders is a New Mexico-based nonprofit that has been bringing technical training in coding to rural and underserved areas such as the Navajo Reservation. The organization provides intensive training through 8-week coding boot camps.

to local businesses. Students take on a community-coding project as part of their training. They graduate with a portfolio of real-life projects and keep the laptop they used in class, which is loaded with the software they need to continue learning. Through partnerships with businesses like DSI, a nationally renowned web development and Internet service company, graduates have access to internships and immediate employment that pays well and are even encouraged to start digital enterprises of their own. This past summer Cultivating Coders completed its first coding boot camp program with high school students in Shiprock. Next year, Cultivating Coders and New Mexico TechWorks are collaborating to organize coding boot camps for adults and high school students in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. If someone you know is interested in learning to code or becoming a software

The coalition began by building a regional task force and starting an online tech directory. An online video bank of New Mexico tech career profiles and a tech business-needs survey are about to be launched. New Mexico TechWorks also promotes special events, provides resources for educators, students, and businesses.To learn more or get involved, visit www.nmtechworks.com Other supporters of this initiative include the Computer Science Teachers Association of New Mexico, the City of Santa Fe, Descartes Labs, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the LANL Foundation and software developers across the region. ■ Jennif e r Ne var e z is director of the Community Learning Network, a local nonprofit dedicated to “ building stronger communities through real-life learning.” The organization is home to New Mexico TechWorks, as well as Southwest Experiential Education and “Love Where We Live” Youth Ambassadors. www.communitylearningnetwork.org

Cultivating Coders’ idea was simple: take laptops and instructors out to individuals and communities who could benefit greatly from a career path in web development. By providing training in web development languages such as HTML, PHP and JavaScript, Cultivating Coders provides students with valuable tech skills. The program also supports communities by offering free web application services

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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on’t f orget o ver the holidays that it’s always a good time in the winter to work on preserving and serving your own health. It’s easy to go into overindulgence mode with all the sweets and treats everywhere. Ask yourself, “How do I want to feel this holiday season, and what can I do for myself to feel nurtured and healthy from the inside out?” One winter wonderful way to strengthen your health is to make a cozy warm drink at night that is slightly sweet and gives you something to look forward to every day. This drink will have special spices (nutmeg, turmeric) in it that help you sleep better and bring down inflammation (nutmeg, turmeric), and other ingredients like hemp seeds and sesame oil that support the nerves and brain with their healing fat content. You can look forward to the maple syrup that sweetens it and perhaps avoid overindulging at holiday parties because you know you’ve got yourself covered. This health-restoring drink is also known to support the nerves and the adrenals.

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

1-cup milk of choice (Hemp, cow, rice, coconut, etc.) If you are using whole or cow’s milk, scald the milk for a few seconds (at a full boil) and then as it cools, remove the skin. Scalding the milk helps to break up the proteins and make it more digestible (according to Ayurvedic medicine). 1 tablespoon chopped dates 5 cardamom pods 1 tablespoon chopped coconut Pinch of saffron Pinch of turmeric Combine the ingredients with the scalded cow milk and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain out the above ingredients and and mix in: 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon of ghee or sesame oil Sprinkle nutmeg on top Go ahead and make your own version of this drink. Even if you don’t have “all” the ingredients, it will still be great for you to drink before bedtime. Let these spices give you a little burst of antioxidants. Happy Holidays and all blessings and happiness, love and laughter to you and yours. ■ Japa K. Khalsa, (DOM), is co-author of Enlightened Bodies: Exploring Physical and Subtle Human Anatomy (enlightenedbodies.com). She teaches a weekly yoga class for people with chronic pain at Sacred Kundalini in Santa Fe. She combines traditional acupuncture with herbal and nutritional medicine, injection therapy and energy healing. Her work emphasizes optimal health and personal transformation through self-care and awareness of the interconnectedness of all life. www.drjapa.com

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TIASO ARTIST COOPERATIVE MIXES ART and COMMUNITY

The cooperative has attracted artists from all over the spectrum—from performing artists to poets, painters, sculptors and even textile artists. A couple of Tiaso’s artists you might know are Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque’s first poet laureate, and Valerie Martínez, Pulitzer Prizenominated poet and collaborative artist.

The goal is to have a city filled with safe— and beautiful —gathering spaces.

T h e c o - o p p ro v i d e s s u p p o r t a n d professional services the artists need. “Tiaso does not believe in the starving artist,” says program coordinator Shelle VanEtten Sánchez. “All professionals need support services and access to resources to make their work stronger and expand what they are able to accomplish. Artists are no exception, especially when they are working on large-scale community projects that need the support of other artists, event coordinators, bookkeepers, contract managers, marketers, etc.” The cooperative makes those things more available and affordable. Tiaso helps support the sustainability of artists’ businesses and links members to a multidisciplinary network. “Community work is the backbone of Tiaso,” Sanchez explained. “Many artists are able to bring personal expression, hands-on making, creative connections and collaboration to their work; things that help build, shape and strengthen communities.” Tiaso’s founding members are currently

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participating in Community Table, a collaborative project that is redesigning and reinvigorating public spaces in the South Valley. This includes building tables that organizations can use as part of a community space—to eat, cook, share stories and meet around. The goal is to have a city filled with safe—and beautiful—gathering spaces. Tiaso’s group of artists acts as supporters, entrepreneurs, networkers and directors of their own projects. In November, Carlos Contreras hosted Just Speak, Just Listen, Just Move, a 3-part show focused on local art, poetry and music. Another member organization, Kei and Molly Textiles, works with refugee resettlement programs to generate jobs with health and education benefits for immigrants in the International District who create signature hand-printed fabrics. ALMA, led by Cassandra Reid, recently dedicated another section of the monumental mosaic mural on the outside of the Albuquerque Convention Center. The multi-year project provides paid apprenticeships to Albuquerque youth through a partnership with the Mayor’s Summer Art Institute. Hakim Bellamy recently wrote poetry for an Emmy Award winning documentary on teen pregnancy for KNME’s New Mexico in Focus.

Shelle VanEtten Sánchez and Molly Luethi celebrate at Tiaso’s website launch party

Kei and Molly Textiles

“Tiaso’s founding artists decided that a cooperative structure both reflected the way they want to work with each other and with the community,” saidSanchez. “We wanted to move away from the nonprofit structure, which requires an executive director and board of trustees, toward something that could be co-owned and co-directed by the artists.”

any have argued that art has the power to change the world, and the Albuquerquebased Tiaso Artist Cooperative believes that their members do just that. Founded in the spring of this year, the cooperative is a member-owned, member-run organization that supports ar tists working to create positive community change.

In August, Tiaso hosted Jane Chu, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, to share stories of art and community in the South Valley, eat paletas and discuss Tiaso. The event was a great honor for a cooperative in its first year. To learn more about Tiaso or become a member, visit http://www.tiaso.coop ■

NEA Chair Jane Chu (third from the right, center row) meets with Tiaso members at Valle Encantado

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Happenings at the Saturdays 8 - 3 pm, Sundays 9 - 4 pm

EVENTS IN DECEMBER

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Intl. Shakespeare Center Presents: Youth Shakespeare Festival Doors: 11:30 • Showtime: 1pm Tickets: $5 at the door OR online: YSFsfe.BrownPaperTickets.com

Saturday, December 3

Friday Nov 23, 8am - 4pm Friday Dec 23, 8am - 4pm, Saturday Dec 24, 8am - 3pm

Sunday, December 11 Santa Fe Film Festival More info: santafefilmfestival.com Tuesday, December 13 Santa Fe High School Holiday Concert: Believe in Christmas Doors 6pm • Showtime – 6:30 Saturday, December 17 A Celtic & Cowboy Christmas Celtic Showtime: 2pm Cowboy Showtime: 5pm

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of Santa Fe as a continuing community resource for all of Northern New Mexico are appreciated.

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San Gerónimo de Taos. New Mexico © Douglas Johnoson

James H. Auerbach, MD and Staff support Green Fire Times in its efforts to bring about a better world by focusing on the people, enterprises and initiatives that are transforming New Mexico into a diverse and sustainable economy. SoMe oF THe TopicS GreeN Fire TiMeS SHowcASeS: Green: Building, products, Services, entrepreneurship, investing and Jobs; renewable energy, Sustainable Agriculture, regional cuisine, ecotourism, climate Adaptation, Natural resource Stewardship, Arts & culture, Health & wellness, regional History, community Development, educational opportunities James H. Auerbach, MD provides dermatology services in Santa Fe, NM (Sorry, we are no longer accepting new clients.)

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

IN PRAISE of the CULTIVATION of MAÍZ

A new mural in Española A lejandro López

Our town needs to experience the process through which a community can create something real and alive over an extended period of time. This way, people can share in something positive, open-ended and exciting taking place in our midst. Best of all, it’s taking place through the simple agents of paint, drawing and patience. – Alexandra Jackson Rakovsky

estled between two mountain ranges at the confluence of three rivers and the intersection of five highways, the Española Valley, ancestral homeland of the Tewa Indian people, the first Mexican-Spanish capital of New Mexico, and the bastion of contemporary Chicano culture, is undoubtedly the heart of northern New Mexico. And yet, the heart of northern New Mexico is without a heart. That is because Española, the American-style city that grew up in the strategic center of the valley, developed according to established linear patterns of a railroad town and commercial hot-spot in the late 1800s.

Because of its mercantile rather than social, cultural or spiritual focus, it did not build a plaza where people could gather and express their collective dreams and aspirations beyond the merely commercial. Concurrently, the formerly powerful and sometimes still vital plazas of Santa Cruz de la Cañada and the pueblos of Ohkay Owingeh and Santa Clara “receded into the past,” a common occurrence among minority communities in northern New Mexico, as observed by cultural anthropologist, Dr. Thomas Guthrie, author of Recognizing Heritage. Throughout the 20th century, Española grew into a rather featureless place with innumerable parking lots and storefronts, like every other strip city across the country. There have been attempts at carr ying out “heart transplants” by raising a few important-looking civic buildings. However, for the most part, the populace has barely taken notice or a liking to them. The most highly attended civic function in the valley seems to be parades of various sorts. This is significant because Española, almost more than other places in the state, has been shaped by the automobile culture. One need only note the popularity of the cruise, the

A reminder of the not so distant past

lowrider and the number of drive-ups in this town of 30,000. Having been born and raised in Santa Cruz on the eastern flanks of Española, I have always been interested in the city’s fate as the result of the momentous changes it has experienced in a relatively short period of time. Since participating in an art movement founded by socially conscious artist, Lily Yeh, who works to restore the wholeness of distressed or broken communities through large-scale community art projects, I have taken an even greater interest. The fact that Española has borne the brunt of a collision between its age-old agrarian societies and a range of modern forces that include a troubling epidemic of substance abuse and pervasive urban deterioration (not far from a line of spanking new national chain stores), makes it all the more worthy of study and concern.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Almost by happenstance, Yeh, a native of Taiwan, found herself applying her artistic abilities and sensibilities to the wounds at the heart of a blighted, economically depressed inner-city neighborhood in North Philadelphia that has much in common with Española. Over many years of working with the city’s poorest residents, she made some important discoveries. Among them was that many hands working together toward building a new reality, along with a generous application of brilliant pigment and nurturing images onto bleak urban surfaces, can transform a community’s brokenness into a world of kaleidoscopic beauty, energy, strength and hope. In 1986, as an art and education student, I participated alongside Yeh in harnessing the latent energy of abandoned buildings, broken brick, and aimless, forgotten individuals. Together we built safe and attractive parks, playgrounds, gardens and

other community-enhancing projects. Since then Yeh’s work has extended, not just to other East Coast cities, but also to war-torn places like Palestine and Rwanda. Her influence reached Española in 2015 when, with the support of the New Mexico Community Foundation and the Northern Río Grande National Heritage Area, three large murals were painted on the former Hunter Ford building. One day in February 2016, I awakened with the desire to continue Yeh’s inspiring work in northern New Mexico. For some time I had been studying a long, highly visible privately owned building along Riverside Drive, one of the state’s busiest streets. I imagined it harboring an immense mural. Significantly, the street on which the building is located leads to an enclave of old homesteads which, not long ago, were agricultural. An acequia runs just a few feet away from the building. In 1992,

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The protagonists of the mural’s narrative of self-sufficiency and sustainability use only traditional methods of hand-work and simple tools. Each is framed against lush, towering corn plants and distant azure mountains suffused in iridescent New Mexican light. They bear expressive looks and signs of robust health, such as we

For tunatel y, the building ’s owner consented to the mural idea I proposed—a representation of the traditional agrarian life that many people living in the area remember well. The paradigm of growing one’s own food, although perhaps a romantic and heartwarming vision from

are multicultural New Mexican folk of all ages—cultivating, harvesting and shelling corn. The natural environment is represented by soils, land formations, r ivers, trees, birds, a sunr ise and sunset, celestial bodies, and especially, chlorophyll.

when I served as coordinator of Siete del Norte’s Learn While Serve AmeriCorps program, the program adopted the same stretch of riverside for ecological and urban enhancement. Buildings were repainted, there was an attempt to establish pristine public spaces, and people from the community were engaged in dialogue.

emerge from fields with arms full of green corn. Toward the east end, a large, multicultural family harvests in unison. Oversized, brilliantly colored cobs drop from the sky in two locations. Nearby the waters of the Río Grande cut through the landscape, delivering its precious liquid right up to the viewer’s feet. A large Pueblo pot and blue heron can be seen near a towering figure wielding a hoe. Their presence remind us that this land upon which we so brashly walk bears the deep imprint and soul of Pueblo peoples as well as of every species that dwells within its embrace. Beneath the snow-clad Truchas Peaks is a colossal figure of a young man who, in marked contrast to all the other figures, is painting the very mural in which the harvesting scene is unfolding. He is none other than Brayan Moreno, who, for two-and-half months, showed-up every day after school to paint with Arlene Jackson, Juan Lira and me.

the recent past, may actually also serve as an apt projection for a viable future.

commonly used to enjoy while living the life of agriculturalists.

became fearless warriors, fighting against the dragons of apathy and mediocrity.

As the world’s population edges up to the nine billion mark by 2050, there will be many more mouths to feed. In light of this, I think that it would be foolish to squander the arable lands, acequia water systems, heirloom seeds and undying will of the gente to plant, that at one time made this valley a legendary breadbasket. It seems to me that it would be wise to avail ourselves of these invaluable resources now, before our regional food needs become critical and the last generation of traditional farmers is gone.

In early April I went to the site and sketched large figures together with hints of foliage along the more than 50 feet of wall, which I naively thought I would paint myself in my “spare time.” Luckily, when I began painting, fellow artist, Brayan Moreno joined me. We approached the task with great zeal but were soon overcome with fatigue as a result of the enormous exertion required, together with the merciless mid-summer sun. We met each day around 4 p.m. and worked until well past sundown. One particular evening we worked through drizzle until 9 p.m., when it was pitch dark, except under our traffic light.

After a month we succeeded in projecting a sense of the mural’s composition. Next to the racetrack that is Riverside Drive, there suddenly appeared a 15-foot high crimson red chile ristra. It effectively startles those who pass by. Perhaps like nothing else can, the ristra informs travelers that they have arrived at the heart of the historic Española Valley.

I quickly began working on a design that would be of compelling interest to the community—the huerta/milpa, or garden/cornfield. I drew images from my own cultivated fields that communicate the soundness, beauty and biological richness of farming life. There

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After each workday, we stood shoulder-toshoulder looking at the gradually unfolding mural, discussing the day’s achievements and the next day’s challenges. Together we

An enormous figure of an Indo-Hispano grandmother shelling blue corn was another of the first images to take form. She is crowned by a full moon, against which migrating cranes are silhouetted. Once manifested by the sure, steady hand of Moreno, the energy of nuestra Madre Tierra began to inform the rest of the composition. To her left, clear-eyed grandchildren

The scene suggests that it is possible for humans to give form to their dreams and visions and become architects (or painters) of their own destinies. It is also a vision of our intimate ties to nature, regional productivity and harmony with one another. Special thanks to Lore of the Land, which partially funded the project, as well as to the family of Tomás Vigil, which gifted us with a rainbow of acrylic paints. Thank you to the many people who stopped by, painted for a while or waved and honked as they sped by. And muchas gracias to the kind owners of the building for allowing us to work on its paredes, as well as to the many kind neighbors who accepted our working presence. ■ A l e j a n d r o L ó pe z received his BFA degree at the Corcoran S ch oo l o f A r t i n Washington, D.C. and a Masters in Art Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pa.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

THE MOON RISES OVER HERNANDEZ AGAIN and AGAIN

Patricia M arina Trujillo

I remember throwing up my hand in that class and proudly proclaiming, “Hey! A lot of my family is buried there!” The reply? “Interesting, Ms. Trujillo, but not pertinent to this conversation.”

To only see Adams’ photo as landscape removes the character of its people, and the culture of story.

Where I really grew to appreciate this cemetery as art was from the yearly cleanings that first, my gramita Marina, my great-grandmother, then my gramma Lola, and then my mom would drag me, my siblings and all my primos each year for Memorial Day. The famous moonrise happens to be located over the camposanto (cemetery) in the village where my mother’s family is from. By the time the photo was taken in 1941, generations of my family were already becoming the dust that became the land that bore the people who bore me. This is the San Juan de Río Chama camposanto; people are no longer buried there, but there are families, like my own, who still go out each year to do the annual limpia, the cleaning for the ancestors. You’ll notice that I used the word “drag” earlier, as in kicking and screaming, in regard to how my gramita, grandma and mom got us to go clean each May. It was a ritual we prepared for weeks in advance, when late April brought the displays of plastic flowers to bloom in the aisles of TG&Y and J.W. Owens.

This is where gramita could easily spend her entire chequecito, the small monthly Social Security check she received, buying artificial gardens for all the relatives she could remember. Each year I would observe her making mental maps to catalogue everyone who needed remembering—as she taught us, people only die when no one tells their story any longer. First, she would close her eyes and trace the mental image of the camposanto, speaking the names of her loved ones: Antonio Francisco Montoya, María Bernadita Martínez, José Antonio Martínez, Fred Valdez, Conrad Valdez, Baby Freddie, Tony Valdez and on and on. When she got stuck, she would start telling stories of growing up and which tío lived next to the other tía, who they married and where they’d come from. As she did her remembering she told us stories of marriages, unrequited loves and tragic deaths caused by lightning strikes with keys in the pocket, being bucked by a horse, or just plain heart attacks. She told us about women dying in childbirth, leaving entire broods behind, or of the small graves for babies who never made it to life, marked with a simple circle of rocks or a wooden cross. Once her stories were done, she completed the mental tally for flowers, and either my grandma or mom were sent to the store to complete the purchases. After the flowers were bought, hoes, shovels and rakes were collected for all family members. As the youngest cousin, I was always given the job to pick weeds that were left behind with my bare hands, a.k.a., the detail work. We’d pack coolers with the makings for bologna sandwiches, Lay’s potato chips, a box of Little Debbie snack cakes and Cokes. Always present was a red plastic jug with a retractable spigot filled with water and ice for the entire family to share. Once the car was packed, we’d head off for a day with the ancestors. I say that I grew to appreciate the limpias of the camposanto as art because it took me well into adulthood to understand the value of this practice and others like it. At the time, I can fairly say that we kids were reluctant—anyone who has spent an entire day doing hard labor under the hot New Mexico sun, sweating salty drops and seeing Fruit Loop-colored sun spots, understands hard work is grueling even if it is for your ancestors. But the elders taught us to work the cemetery by generation and shade availability. These days were literally spent climbing (and cleaning) our family tree, right down to the earth where our ancestors were laid.

Green Fire Times • December 2016

ne of the most famous and most sought-after photographs in American fine-art photography is called “Moonrise, Hernandez, NM,” shot by Ansel Adams in 1941. I first encountered this photograph as capital “A” art in my university art history course. I was taught to appreciate it from an objective perspective, to memorize all manners of facts about its medium and technique. It is a silver gelatin print that stands the testament of time for many reasons. The photograph remains one of American photography’s most studied images because of how Adams reprinted the captured image over the years, adjusting the clouds in the sky by burning and dodging during development. It was not until the 1970s, when he printed the sky as an almost cloudless dark-toned expanse, that he felt he had achieved an effect equal to his original visualization of the scene.

The back of the San Juan de Río Chama church is featured in Ansel Adams’ famous Moonrise Over Hernandez, NM photo. After the weeding, we’d go through each grave, sweep the concrete (or the dirt!), and move the rocks that encircled many of the graves, rinse them in a bucket of warm soapy water that Grandma brought, and replace them just as they had been. It might seem futile to wash rocks, but it always struck me as an endearing gesture, one more chance to wipe the smooth face of a rock in lieu of a loved one’s. Every grave marking, whether official military headstone or weather-beaten wood cross, was checked for maintenance. If we’d forgotten a hammer, Mom used a rock to pound nails back into the wood. Or, we could be sent around to find usable wire to reassemble the accessories of the afterlife. Our labor and the stories we heard wove intricate mandalas around our ancestors, through grave markers and weeds, and figured us seamlessly into the design. The catalogue of the Akron Art Museum describes Adams’ photo as “a timeless metaphor of the stillness of the American landscape and the magical character of its light.” For me, and as I connect to the photograph by virtue of my culture and identity, there is nothing still about it. Though beautiful, the photo only hints at the art of the scene. Of the howling laughter at the stories about my grandpa Fred coming back from WWII to start a hamburger stand in El Guache, only to find reluctant customers in a community of people who had never eaten a hamburger before. Of the lamentations for loved ones lost before their time, like my Tío Tony and his friend who were struck on their bicycles by a drunk driver. They were only 10. Or the stories of all the beautiful and clever women who kept our homes together. A vivid memory from my childhood is

wandering and running through this orchard of family trees while the adults held vigil, praying and visiting. To only see this photo as landscape removes the character of its people, and the culture of story. As Leslie Marmon Silko writes of her community, “The people perceived themselves in the world as part of an ancient continuous story composed of innumerable bundles of other stories” (Storyteller xix). Culture is made up of these stories; they tell our history, they speak our languages, they shape our everyday lives, not only into the objects of art, but into art itself. Art is life. The everyday rituals of our communities form the lenses through which we will see the world, and that brings breath to art. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the photo, I still want that professor (who I am sure has long forgotten me) to understand that those layers of family stories are pertinent. I see a moonrise over Hernandez every night, and I also greet the sun each morning from this place. Some of these mornings, I head over to Socorro’s Restaurant for the “I lost my a** at the casino” breakfast special and wave at the San José de Río Chama cemetery along the way. My favorite table is underneath a poster of Mr. Adam’s photograph. Here I sit amongst the voices of the many regulars. In their speech I hear the cadence of my relatives, the stories where I am from, and our pertinence is affirmed again and again. ■ Patricia Marina Trujillo is the director of Equity and Diversity and an associate professor of English and Chicana/o Studies at Northern New Mexico College. She was born and raised in the Española Valley. Trujillo was recently named the Creative Writing Editor of the Chicana/Latina Studies: The Journal of Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social.

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

A Vignette from “Elvis Romero and the Cosmic White Corvette” A ndrew Lovato Part six of an intermittent series

White-winged snowflakes fall Hidden angels from the past Yesterday Awakens!

hen the aspen leaves turned yellow and the mountain peaks wore a mantle of white, Elvis knew the change of seasons was upon him. As December approached, the days became shorter and the sun sank earlier behind the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A cold nip was in the morning air, and it wouldn’t be long before the first light snow blanketed Santa Fe and transformed the city into the inside of a Christmas ornament that glittered with snowflakes when you shook it.

and belly full, and the whole town was transformed. Farolitos seemed to magically spring up everywhere. Walls and rooftops glowed with the warm light of candles burning in paper bags filled with sand. Every downtown portal post was wrapped with green fresh evergreen garlands, and the Plaza was lit up with bright Christmas lights of all colors. He trudged through the heavy snow marveling at Santa Fe’s rebirth into a winter wonderland. All of the adobe buildings were layered with soft, white flakes.

The beginning of winter meant that Christmas was fast approaching. This stirred up great excitement in the Romero family. Preparations began weeks in advance. Food was the most discussed topic of conversation leading up to the big day. Elvis’ mother and sisters began networking soon after Thanksgiving, deciding on who was preparing the biscochitos, empanaditas, panocha and other goodies for the platillos Nativos (Christmas foods).

The next morning was Christmas Eve, and it was filled with brilliant sunshine after a storm had passed overnight. Everyone was excited and preparations were in full swing. The Romeros were hard at work preparing for Christmas at grandma’s house. Everyone was busy preparing food, setting up the Christmas tree and getting everything ready for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. At dusk the family came together to go on their annual farolito walk. As soon as the sun set, they made their way to Cristo Rey Church where a beautiful Las Posadas portrayed Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus sleeping in a manger. The roles of Mary and Joseph were performed by church members dressed up in their personal renditions of humble attire. The baby Jesus was only a doll because the cold temperature made using a real infant impossible. However, church members were able to scrounge up a live donkey, which added an air of authenticity to the presentation. Father Martínez gave a brief sermon in front of the Posada and this was followed by the choir singing novellas accompanied by the freezing fingers of a trio of guitar players.

There was one aspect of the Christmas gathering that was never in doubt. The location always had been and would continue to be at Grandma López’s house. Evelyn’s mother’s little adobe on Agua Fria Street was much too small to accommodate the growing clan. Several other locations would have been much more practical, but no one ever dared approach the topic with her. It was understood that María López was the epicenter of the holiday celebrations. Like a good daughter, Evelyn never questioned the Christmas hierarchy. Elvis’ last days of school rushed by before the holidays; he looked forward to a whole month of vacation. All the kids were excited as they filled their classrooms with construction paper decorations, and the fifth- and sixth-graders rehearsed a Christmas play that would be performed for the whole community. On the last day before the Christmas break, every classroom had a party, and students exchanged humble gifts and handmade cards. They sang Christmas carols like Noche de Paz (Silent Night) and Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful). The day ended with the breaking of the traditional Christmas piñata and a treat of biscochitos and hot chocolate before everyone headed home. Elvis left school in the late afternoon with his heart

Elvis and his cousins lingered by the Posada for a while, bundled up against the night as their breath escaped in white puffs. Eventually, the clan began to stroll toward Canyon Road. They walked down the brilliantly lit street, filled with the glow of farolitos and luminarias.

Farolitos

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Every year Elvis’ mom and dad had the same debate during the journey. They could never agree as to what a farolito or a luminaria really was. Gilbert contended that farolito was the proper name for the candles that were lit inside small, brown paper bags partially filled with sand. The glow of these bags was awe-inspiring when they lined the streets and rooftops of downtown Santa Fe. Luminarias, he insisted, were the bonfires that Christmas Eve walkers stopped by to warm their

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LUMINARIAS or FAROLITOS?

Luminarias (unless you live in Albuquerque and some other places in New Mexico where they are called farolitos)

The St. Francis Basilica in Santa Fe A Santa Fe home on Christmas eve hands and feet and to drink hot cider near. These were lit by homeowners who considered it their duty to comfort their holiday guests.

apples, a plate of biscochitos, a jar of green chile jam, or a bag of piñón nuts. The most important thing was not to forget anyone.

Evelyn disagreed adamantly, claiming that the opposite was true: the glowing paper bags were luminarias and the bonfires were farolitos. This argument raged on year after year and the question was never settled, but despite their disagreement, they had a wonderful time, meeting old friends and singing carols. Elvis and Angelo followed behind the grown-ups, their eyes shining with the light of the blazing embers.

Some of the more creative members of the family like Tía Lucinda came up with outrageous handmade gifts. Lucinda had an uncanny talent for taking pinecones and bringing them to life by gluing on stick arms and legs, adding grass for hair, and attaching button eyes and noses. She created the most hilarious likenesses of people that she unveiled on Christmas Day. Everyone found her caricatures uproariously funny and her gifts were always a big hit.

Christmas Eve was capped with a Midnight Mass at St. Francis Cathedral. The beautiful stone church overflowed with worshippers, filling every pew. Angelo fell asleep in his mother’s arms before the mass even began. A large choir sang inspiring hymns and Father Martínez performed the Christmas service for the gathered faithful. This was when Elvis invariably began to feel overwhelmed by the sights and sounds around him. His head would start spinning, and the singing combined with Father Martínez’s voice trailed away into faint echoes as he laid his head down on the backrest of the hard wooden pew and drifted away. Every year he vowed that he‘d make it through the whole mass and every year he failed. When the family got together on Christmas Day, the scene was amazing. There was an endless supply of laughing, hugging and food. Everyone marveled at how tall the kids were getting and there was loud Mariachi music blasting from the record player. Elvis and Angelo ran around the outskirts of the activity with their countless cousins. They laughed and screeched at the top of their lungs until they dropped down on the rug from sheer exhaustion. There was plenty of posole, tamales, menudo, sopa, chili rellenos, chicos, panocha, and empanaditas to enjoy, and finally everyone surrendered to the cooks and had to refuse even one more bite. Life was good. No one in Elvis’ family was particularly well off, and so the gifts that were exchanged were mostly handmade or came in the form of food offerings. A typical gift might be a bag of

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An unforgettable example was a pinecone with a paperclip fashioned into wire-rimmed glasses and tufts of yarn wrapped around the ears, leaving a pronounced bald spot on top. “Guess who this is?” Everyone laughed until tears ran down their cheeks because it looked just like Uncle Antonio, and when he was presented with his likeness, he posed with it while flashbulbs went off, preserving the scene for posterity. Sometimes Christmas gifts came in the form of labor. For instance, an uncle would present his brother’s family with a cord of chopped wood or someone might offer to rebuild a carburetor. No matter what resources anyone had, the gift exchanges were heartfelt, and when the family was gathered around the fresh-cut evergreen tree in Elvis’ grandparent’s warm home, the expressions of joy were of equal intensity no matter what size of gift. Even the children were expected to present offerings and they often came up with Christmas drawings, poems, or handmade Ojos de Dios or “God’s Eyes,” made of sticks and colorful yarn woven in diamond-shaped designs. ■ Through his writings, native Santa Fean Andrew Lovato, Ph.D., walks readers through an exploration of Hispanic and New Mexico cultures of yesterday and today. An associate professor at Santa Fe Community College, Lovato is the author of Santa Fe Hispanic Culture: Preserving Identity in a Tourist Town; The Year Zozobra Escaped: Featuring Zozobra’s Great Escape; and a contributing author of four other books. Andrew.lovato@sfcc.edu

Green Fire Times • December 2016

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Green Fire Times • December 2016

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NEWSBITEs VERDE TRANSMISSION LINE: ACCEPTANCE and OPPOSITION Hunt Power, a Dallas-based company owned by a family that deals in oil and gas production, is seeking to build a $60 to $80 million 345-kilowtt transmission line across northern Santa Fe County and southern Río Arriba County. The 33-mile project, the last uncompleted section of a loop the runs from the Four Corners area to Albuquerque and back, would go through the pueblos of Pojoaque, Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh and cross the Río Grande. Hunt has negotiated a right-of-way agreement with those pueblos but the Pueblo of San Ildefonso has refused; and so the line would go around that pueblo, near the populated area of Jacona. About one third of the route is on federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

Many non-pueblo residents in the Española and Pojoaque valleys have expressed opposition to the 55- to 130-ft. towers, citing health concerns, effect on property values, critical wildlife habitat and impacts on landscapes that attract tourists and film productions. The Taos field office of the BLM has labeled the area “a High-Priority Visual Corridor.” There have been calls for the line to be buried, a suggestion the company has adamantly rejected. The company says the line would strengthen PNM’s electrical grid, improve reliability and expand capacity to transport power generated by coal, natural gas and renewable sources. The project has not yet received a permit from Santa Fe County. It will likely be discussed by the County Commission on Dec. 13. The next BLM public meeting is Dec. 12 in Pojoaque. The BLM will continue taking public comment through Jan. 5. It will probably be two years before a final decision is made whether to approve some version of the line on public land.

PUBLIC LANDS METHANE RULE FINALIZED

The oil and gas industry’s methane waste on public lands is said to equal the climate pollution of 14 coal-fired power plants. On Nov. 15, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released new rules that will reduce the industry’s waste by requiring that companies invest in controls to stop waste in existing operations, and as a condition for new leasing and drilling. The rules modernize standards adopted 36 years ago. Low-cost technology to combat methane waste is readily available and is a growing industry. Oil and gas companies routinely vent methane into the atmosphere, burn it as a waste product from drilling and allow it to leak from equipment—an estimated $100-million-worth every year in New Mexico. Wasted gas has been shown to negatively impact public health—particularly for communities bordered by oil and gas operations—and exacerbate climate change. The new rules will help protect land, air and water throughout the lands that surround Native American communities in the Four Corners and greater Chaco regions. When methane is emitted, smog-forming pollutants that can cause respiratory diseases, and chemicals such as benzene, which has been linked to cancer, are also released. Methane waste has also contributed to haphazard development, leaving a patchwork of drilling pads, wells, roads and pipelines that disrupt local communities and scar the landscape. A nearly 100-member coalition of local, regional and national groups, led by the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) worked for almost four years to encourage the federal government to heed government studies and craft a strong rule. Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, WELC’s executive director, said, “Now we will begin the difficult work of defending the rule and making sure it is implemented and enforced.”

NEW MEXICO WATER NEWS

A dry year is expected for New Mexico. So far, reservoirs such as Elephant Butte Lake are very low, and snowmelt and runoff, upon which many farmers depend, does not look promising. Warm weather is predicted to continue through the winter. Some farmers in the southern part of the state have stopped growing on portions of their acreage because of low reservoir levels. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Utility Authority has begun its annual releases of reservoir water so it will seep into the ground and be available later to be pumped from the aquifer. In September, the Authority signed off on a comprehensive 100year water plan that takes climate change predictions into account and focuses on conservation, groundwater management, watershed restoration and reuse.

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In other water news, last month the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) imposed a $1-million penalty on Animas Valley Water, a Farmington-area utility, and ordered the company to supply water to customers who have been most severely affected by contaminated water. Some have had to boil water in order to drink it since June. Famed activist Erin Brockovich has begun an investigation into “what appears to be one of the worst drinking-water systems in the country.” “Sadly,” she wrote on her Facebook page, “its source water is the mine-polluted toxic river.”

JÉMEZ Y SANGRE REGIONAL WATER PLAN SUBMITTED

According to the updated Jémez y Sangre Regional Water Plan, submitted by a regional committee to the Interstate Stream Commission last month, surface water that northern New Mexico relies on such as the Río Grande and the Río Chama could be significantly reduced as a result of climate change. The report predicts that the region’s demand will exceed its supply, possibly as early as 2020. It proposes conservation, restoration and storage projects, advocates the protection of agriculture, and recommends that domestic well associations, many of which are facing infrastructure needs, combine resources. The Jémez y Sangre is one of the 16 water-planning regions in the state. Reports from each region will be used to develop an integrated plan. One threat to groundwater cited in the report is the presence of hexavalent chromium in the Los Alamos-area aquifer. The chemical, once used to line cooling towers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, reportedly does not currently affect drinking water supplies, but a report released by the lab’s Environmental Management Office said the plume may not be remediated for decades. Another concern is that many of the region’s wells have high levels of naturally occurring uranium. Establishment of a governing board for a regional water utility, a $261-million project that would be built in the Pojoaque Valley by 2024, is soon to be voted on by the Santa Fe County Commission. The utility would include four area pueblos. If approved as part of the Aamodt case, it would end more than half a century of litigation over the area’s water rights.

NAVAJO NATION INSTALLING SOLAR/WIND GENERATORS

Big Navajo Energy (BNE), a Utah-based, Navajo-owned and operated company, has installed a solar heater and solar/wind generators on the Navajo Nation’s legislative branch offices. The company has announced that it will next begin installing solar heaters and off-grid generators on some of the most rural parts of the reservation for tribal members. BNE also distributes natural gas generators and intends “to provide low-cost renewable energy to Native Americans across the United States and globally as well.” The Navajo Nation is the size of West Virginia, with over 300,000 tribal members. More than 18,000 do not have access to electricity. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority is building its first utility-scale solar plant near Kayenta, Arizona.

TEWA WOMEN UNITED’S CROWD-FUNDED SOLAR SYSTEM

Tewa Women United’s solar project was two years in the making. Fundraising efforts made it possible for a 7kW solar system to be installed on TWU’s community center in Española, New Mexico, recently. The system will generate about 98 percent of the group’s annual electrical needs, saving money and reducing the organization’s carbon footprint. Additional yearly projected benefits: 24,035 pounds of coal not burned and 119,073 gallons of water saved. The project was crowd-funded by the local advocacy group New Energy Economy. There were also some private donations. Sunpower by Positive Energy Solar was a partner on the project. “Renewable energy restores the experience and dignity of self-sufficiency that our ancestors enjoyed,” said Beverly Billie, TWU’s outreach/training coordinator. “The poor of New Mexico spend about 27 percent of their incomes on energy bills.” TWU programs, which serve the Eight Northern Pueblos of New Mexico, the Española Valley, and the greater Native community, focus on family wellness and women’s empowerment. The organization, started in 1989 as a support group for women concerned with issues such as alcoholism, suicide and domestic/sexual violence, later incorporated as a nonprofit for educational and social purposes, specifically to work to “end all forms of violence against Native women, girls and Mother Earth.”

Green Fire Times • December 2016

WHAT'S GOING ON! Events / Announcements ALBUQUERQUE

DEC. 7, 6:30–8:30 PM OUT FROM UNDER THE METHANE CLOUD ABQ Mennonite Church 1300 Girard NE Workshop/discussion on NASA’s Four Corners methane study. Speakers include Jon Goldstein of the Environmental Defense Fund. Sponsored by the Sierra Club–Río Grande Chapter, 350 NM, NM Interfaith Power & Light, Conservation Voters of NM and Western Environmental Law Center. Riograndesierraclub.org

DEC. 8, 11:30 AM–1:15 PM AED QUARTERLY INVESTORS LUNCHEON ABQ Marriott Uptown 2010 Louisiana NE

ABQ Economic Development, a private nonprofit, will present two speakers and provide an update on business development activities. $70/$40. https://holdmyticket.com/tickets/261992?tc=hmt

DEC. 8, 5 PM RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY ASSN. ANNUAL MEETING CFV Solar Test Lab 5600-A University SE

Guest speakers: Mark Gaiser, NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Dept. and Matthew Armijo, Government Affairs at PNM Resources. https://reia-nm.org

DEC. 8, 6–9 PM TREEHUGGER BASH The Grove Café and Market 600 Central SE

An evening of discussion with WildEarth Guardians. The next steps in combating fracking by Big Oil and Gas in the Four Corners and across the West. Silent auction, food, entertainment. $35/$25. Info: cnickel@wildearthguardians.org

DEC. 9, 7:30 AM–5 PM NM PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE FORUM Embassy Suites ABQ 1000 Woodward Pl. NE

“Effective Advocacy: From Grassroots to the Roundhouse.” An opportunity for organizations and individuals working to improve community health to network, learn, discuss timely issues and share legislative proposals. Info: silva7cc@ gmail.com. $60/$40/$30. Registration: www. nmpha.org/event-2361201

DEC. 10, 10:30 AM– 12:30 PM ABQ CITIZENS’ CLIMATE LOBBY Higher Ed. Center, 1950 Siringo Rd. Meets on the 2nd Sat. of every month. Working for climate change solutions that bridge the partisan divide. lisas.ccl@gmail.com, https:// www.facebook.com/ccl.newmexico

DEC. 17, 2–5 PM CLARIFYING MEDITATIVE WORK Wat Center, 145 Madison NE

Workshop for people from any meditation tradition or no tradition. Also meets JAN. 17 and Feb. 11. Reservations, info: NM Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat. 505.281.0684, https://meditationnm.wordpress.com/

THROUGH DEC. 30; GATES OPEN 5:30 PM RIVER OF LIGHTS ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden 2601 Central NW Walk-through light show. Not open 12/24-25. $12/$6. Cabq.gov, www.riveroflights.org

THROUGH DECEMBER LAS HUERTAS FARMING TRAINING COURSES Bernalillo County Ext. Office 1510 Menaul NW Intro to Horticulture in Aridlands covers basics of farming in NM’s varied climate and seasons. Growing Techniques, Business management and planning. sean@ riograndefarm.org, http://riograndefarm.org/ farmer-training-farm-incubator/

SATURDAYS, 1 PM WEEKLY DOCENT-LED TOURS National Hispanic Cultural Center 1701 4th St. SW

Tours of different exhibits and themes in the Art Museum. $2-$3, free with museum admission. 505.246.2261, nhccnm.org

DAILY, 10 AM–6 PM WILDLIFE WEST 87 N. Frontage Rd., Edgewood (just east of ABQ)

122-acre park/attraction with educational programs dedicated to native wildlife and ecology. $7/$6/$4/children under 5 free. www. wildlifewest.org

DAILY OUR LAND, OUR CULTURE, OUR STORY Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

9 am–5 pm and 12/4, 10 am–5 pm: Free. Hosted by the nonprofit Recycled Art Alliance and Keep SF Beautiful.www.recyclesantafe.org

DEC. 3, 1–5 PM YOUTH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Scottish Rite Temple 463 Paseo de Peralta

DEC. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; 8 AM–1 PM SF FARMERS’ MARKET HOLIDAY MARKET SF Railyard, 1607 Paseo de Peralta

DEC. 10–11, 9 AM–3 PM YOUNG NATIVE ARTISTS WINTER SHOW NM History Museum, Meem Community Rm., 113 Lincoln Ave.

Vendors sell handmade crafts as well as produce and other agricultural products. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

DEC. 4, 2–5 PM GRAND OPENING ARTsmart NM, 1201 Parkway Dr.

Community event with art-making, tour, food and more. 505.992.2787, speterson@artsmartnm.org

DEC. 4, 2:30–5 PM SILENT AUCTION Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

FIRST SUNDAYS NM MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 1801 Mountain Road

DEC. 4–7 NUCLEAR SUMMIT SF Convention Center, The Lensic

Farm training program and business incubator for beginning and experienced farmers. Presented by Bernalillo County and NMSU’s Extension Service. $10/class or $50 for six or more classes. 505.243.1386, garlisch@nmsu.edu, http:// aces.nmsu.edu/county/bernalillo/farmranch/ farm-business-training-.html

ABQ 2030 DISTRICT

A voluntary collaboration of commercial property tenants, building managers, property owners and developers; real estate, energy, and building sector professionals, lenders, utility companies; and public stakeholders such as government agencies, nonprofits, community groups and grassroots organizers. Property partners share anonymous utility data and best practices. Professional partners provide expertise and services. Public partners support the initiative as it overlaps with their own missions. Info: albuquerque@2030districts.org

SANTA FE

DEC. 2–4 RECYCLE SF ART FESTIVAL SF Convention Center 201 W. Marcy

18th annual. 12/2, 7 pm: Trash Fashion and Costume show created by adults, youth and children: $20/$15/$8. 505.988.1234, Friday Recycled Art Market: $5. Ticketssantafe.org. 12/3,

Green Fire Times • December 2016

Photos by Ian Shive in honor of the National Park Service Centennial Celebration. Through Feb. 3. 505.570.5385, www.editionone.gallery

DEC. 10, 9 AM–4 PM HOLIDAY MARKET IAIA Academic Bldg., 83 Avan Nu Po Rd.

Historical overview of the Pueblo world and contemporary artwork and craftsmanship of each of the 19 pueblos; Weekend Native dances. 866.855.7902, www.indianpueblo.org

MONDAYS THROUGH MID-JAN., 5:30–8 PM GROW THE GROWERS Bernalillo County Extension Office 1510 Menaul NW

DEC. 9, 5–7 PM OPENING RECEPTION PHOTO EXHIBIT: WILDERNESS AND NATIONAL PARKS Edition One Gallery, 1036 Canyon Rd.

Performances by Devon Glover The Sonnet Man, Upstart Crows of SF, students from the Academy for Technology and the Classics, NM School for the Arts and SF Indian School. $5. YSFsfe. BrownPaperTickets.com. Info: 505.466.3533, InternationalShakespeare.center

Benefit for Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project. Hor d’oeuvres, music. Vacation packages, original art, handcrafted jewelry, restaurant gift certificates and more. Admission: $20/$10. 505.852.1351, admin@mesaprietapetroglyphs. org, www.mesaprietapetroglyphs.org

Museum admission is free to NM residents on the first Sunday of every month. 505.841.2800

Acclaimed National Geographic film on the work of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. 505.428.1266. Also screens the same time at Temple Beth Shalom, 205 E. Barcelona and Unitarian Universalist Church, 107 W. Barcelona. 12/9, 6:30 pm at the Eldorado Community Center and 7 pm at United Church of SF, 1804 Arroyo Chamiso

“Disruptive Futures” National symposium on nuclear weapons. 20–30 interdisciplinary leaders will discuss present-day threats and explore “what if” scenarios. Only a few events are open to the public. Keynote speakers include former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, who will have a public dialogue with journalist Eric Schlosser on 12/4, 5 pm at The Lensic. $15. There will be a screening of Command and Control and Q&A with Eric Schlosser on 12/3, 3:30 pm at the Center for Contemporary Arts. Presented by Creative SF. creativesantafe.org/global.html

DEC. 4, 11,18, 22, 23; 10 AM–4 PM RAILYARD ARTISANS MARKET HOLIDAY MARKET SF Railyard, 1607 Paseo de Peralta

Gift items by local artisans and holiday festivities. www.artmarketsantafe.com

DEC. 5, 6 PM NATIVE AMERICAN SCOUTS AT THE SF PRESIDIO IN THE 1700s Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

SW Seminars presentation by author Steve Post. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

DEC. 8, 6 PM PRESENTATION ON THE ARCTIC REI in the Railyard

Teacher Karina Vanderbilt, Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, on her Natl. Geographic summer sojourn to Norway and the Arctic.

DEC. 8, 6:30–8:30 PM YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY SFCC Jémez Room and other locations

Institute of American Indian Arts students, faculty, staff and other Native American artists. 505.424.5704, cbrossy@iaia.edu

Offspring of the Palace of the Gov’s Portal Program. No charge. 505.476.5200, nmhistorymuseum.org

DEC. 10, 9:30 AM– 12 PM SF CITIZENS’ CLIMATE LOBBY Higher Ed. Center, 1950 Siringo Rd.

Monthly meeting. Working for climate change solutions that bridge the partisan divide. 817.312.1893, https://www.facebook.com/ccl.newmexico

DEC. 10, 4–7 PM KINDRED SPIRITS HOLIDAY CELEBRATION 3749-A Hwy. 14

Tour of senior animal sanctuary at 4:30 pm. Candle lighting, refreshments. 505.471.5366, www.kindredspiritsnm.org

DEC. 12, 6 PM NATIONAL PARKS CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY JOURNEY Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

SW Seminars presentation by Dr. John Hunner. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

DEC. 12, 7 PM SF CONCERT BAND HOLIDAY CONCERT The Lensic, 211 W. San Francisco

Free admission, donations welcome. Also appearing 12/10, 7 pm at SF Place Food Court. www.santafeconcertband.org

DEC. 15, 7–9 PM TRIBUTARIES OPENING SF Art Institute

Land Arts of the American West. 505.424.5050, hartmann@unm.edu, https://landarts.unm.edu, http://sfai.org

DEC. 16, 10 AM NM ACEQUIA COMMISSION MEETING Bataan Memorial Bldg., Rm. 238 Don Gaspar and S. Capitol

Agendas: 505.603.2879 or www.nmacequiacommission.state.nm.us; Info: molinodelaisla@gmail.com

DEC. 17–JAN. 1, 5–8 PM GLOW SF Botanical Garden 717 Cam. Lego on Museum Hill

Artful illumination, entertainment, food. $9/$7/ Children 12 & under free. http://santafebotanicalgarden.org/events/glow/. 505.471.9103

DEC. 17, 7 PM 2017: THE NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS Center for Spiritual Living

www.GreenFireTimes.com

DEC. 17–18 WINTER INDIAN MARKET La Fonda on the Plaza

12/16, 6–9 pm: opening/early bird shopping. $50. 12/17: 9 am–5 pm, 12/18: 10 am–3 pm. Presented by SWAIA. 12/17–18: $15/$10. 505.983.5220, swaia.org

DEC. 17, 1 PM: DOORS OPEN CELTIC CHRISTMAS/COWBOY CHRISTMAS Scottish Rite Temple 463 Paseo de Peralta Celtic: 2–4 pm; Cowboy: 5–9 pm. $30/$20/$15. Benefit in support of securing the temple as a continuing resource for northern NM. Tickets: 505.988.1234, tickessantafe.org, Donations: 505.982.4414, Secretary@NMScottishRite.org

DEC. 18, 1–4 PM HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE NM Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace Marionette plays and chats. 505.476.5072, www.nmartmuseum.org

DEC. 18, 5–7 PM WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION SF Children’s Museum 1050 Old Pecos TRL. 1,000 farolitos, labyrinth, music, bonfires, stargazing, refreshments. $5. 505.989.8359, santafechildrensmuseum.org

DEC. 19, 6 PM GEOLOGY OF GEORGIA O’KEEFFE’S WHITE PLACE AND BLACK PLACE Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

SW Seminars presentation by Field Geologist Kirt Kempter. $12. 505.466.2775, southwestseminar@aol.com, southwestseminars.org

JAN. 7–14, 6 PM IAIA WINTER READERS GATHERING 83 Avan Nu Po Rd. Noted authors Andre Dubus III and Ross Gay, filmmakers Sterlin Harjo, Sydney Freeland and many others. Auditorium in the Library and Technology Center. Iaia.edu/about/visit

MARCH 2–4 MOUNTAIN WEST SEED SUMMIT Hotel SF, 1501 Paseo de Peralta

The vanguard of a burgeoning movement to reclaim seed sovereignty in local communities and create a sustainable food future. Lee-Ann@rockymountainseeds.org, www.RockyMountainSeeds.org

THROUGH MARCH 5, 2017 LOWRIDERS, HOPPERS AND HOT RODS NM History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave. Car Culture of Northern NM. 505.476.5019, www.nmhistorymuseum.org

SUNDAYS, 10 AM-4 PM RAILYARD ARTISAN MARKET Farmers’ Market Pavilion 1607 Paseo de Peralta

Local artists, textiles, jewelry, ceramics, live music. 505.983.4098, Francesca@santafefarmersmarket.com, artmarketsantafe.com

SAT., 8 AM-1 PM SF FARMERS’ MARKET 1607 Paseo de Peralta (& Guadalupe)

Northern NM farmers & ranchers offer fresh greenhouse tomatoes, greens, root veggies, cheese, teas, herbs, spices, honey, baked goods, body care products and much more. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

SUNDAYS, 11 AM JOURNEY SANTA FE CONVERSATIONS Collected Works Books

www.GreenFireTimes.com

202 Galisteo St.

12/4: Cady Wells and the post-atomic landscapes of northern NM with Lois Rudnick; 12/11: Randy Grissom, president of SF Community College; 12/18: poetry reading by board members of NM Literary Arts: Anne Valley-Fox, Joan Logghe, Michelle Holland, Elizabeth Raby, Edie Tsong and Roberts French. Moderators Alan Webber, Bill and Ellen Dupuy. Free. www.journeysantafe.com

MON.–SAT., 8 AM–4 PM RANDALL DAVEY AUDUBON CENTER 1800 Upper Canyon Rd. Striking landscapes and wildlife. Bird walks, hikes, tours of the Randall Davey home. 505.983.4609, http://nm.audubon.org/landingcenter-chapters/ visiting-randall-davey-audubon-center-sanctuary

THROUGH DEC. 30 A NEW CENTURY: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LLOYD KIVA NEW Museum of Indian Arts and Culture 710 Cam. Lejo Fashion designs, art, photos and archival documents. 505.476.1269, indianartsandculture.org

JAN. 6 APPLICATION DEADLINE SF ART INSTITUTE EQUAL JUSTICE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Sept. 2017–July 2018 program addressing how art and creative processes can impact social and racial equality. 505.424.5050, residency@sfai.org

REGISTRATION OPEN

Medicinal Plants/Herbal Medicine Milagro School of Herbal Medicine Feb. 2017 class. Certificate programs start in April. info@milagroherbs.com

SANTA FE RECYCLING

Reduce, reuse and recycle. City residential curbside customers can recycle at no additional cost and drop by 1142 Siler Road, Building A to pick up free recycling bins. For more information, visit http://www.santafenm. gov/trash_and_recycling or call 505.955.2200 (city); 505.992.3010 (county); 505.424.1850 (SF Solid Waste Management Agency).

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SF COUNTY

Hard copies $70, CDs $2. Contact Melissa Holmes, 505.995.2717 or msholmes@ santafecounty.org. The SGMP is also available on the county website: www. santafecounty.org/growth_management/ sgmp and can be reviewed at SF Public libraries and the County Administrative Building, 102 Grant Ave.

TAOS

DEC. 6, 7 PM BENEFIT CONCERT FOR STANDING ROCK KTAOS Solar Center, 9 State Rd. 150, El Prado

Featuring Robert Mirabal, David Garver, Jimmy Stadler, Mina Tank and others. Admission: donation of 1-gallon or larger container of water, wool socks, sleeping bags, flashlights with batteries, wool or thermal blankets. Financial donations also accepted. Ktaos.com

DEC. 10, 4–7 PM BONFIRES ON BENT ST. John Dunn House Shops 120–124 Bent St.

Snacks, music and events all day. www. johndunnshops.com

THIRD WEDS. MONTHLY TAOS ENTREPRENEURIAL NETWORK Taos County Courthouse Mural Room, Taos Plaza Networking, presentations and discussion. Free.

Audio-visual presentation by a by astrologer Azlan White. Requested donation: $25/$20/ under 12 free. Benefits Global Relief Resources. Tickets: The Ark or BrownPaperTickets.com. Info: 505.982.0638, www.2017Adventure.weebly.com

Ray Hererra’s Christmas display at his Hillside Avenue home in Santa Fe FARMER-TO-FARMER TRAINING Taos County and Española Valley

Learn to be an organic acequia farmer. 2017 yearlong training program is being started by the NM Acequia Association. Includes farm and business planning, season extension, fertility and soil health, equipment maintenance, planting & harvesting, organic pest management and more. 505.995.9644, pilar@lasacequias.org

ONGOING HOLY CROSS HOSPITAL HEALTH SUPPORT HCH Community Wellness Center (lower entrance), 1397 Weimer Rd. 575.751.8909, mariam@taoshospital.com, TaosHealth.com

HERE & THERE

DEC. 2, 10 AM–2 PM PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING ABOUT CHACO AREA FRACKING Navajo Nation Museum Window Rock, AZ.

Conducted by the BLM’s Farmington Field Office. www.blm.gov/nm/farmington, www.frackoffchaco. org/#meetings

DEC. 2–4 RED ROCK BALLOON RALLY Red Rock Park, Gallup, NM

About 200 hot air balloons float above the red rocks and canyons. 800.380.4989, redrockballoonrally.com

DEC. 10, 5–9 PM LIGHT AMONG THE RUINS Jemez Historic Site, Jemez Springs, NM

More than 1,400 farolitos. Complimentary horse and wagons bring visitors to and from Jemez Springs’ plaza to the site throughout the evening from 3 locations. Traditional Native American dances, flute music and complimentary refreshments. 575.829.3530, www.nmhistoricsites.org

JAN. 13, 5 PM APPLICATION DEADLINE RECYCLING AND ILLEGAL DUMPING FUND GRANTS

The NM Environment Dept. is accepting applications for grants for scrap tire management, illegal dumping abatement and recycling projects. Municipalities, counties, solid waste authorities, cooperative associations, land grant communities, pueblos and tribes are eligible for funds totaling $800,000. Grants will be awarded July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. 505.827.2653, neal. denton@state.nm.us, http://bit.ly/1Xh9yF1

JAN. 17 APPLICATION DEADLINE LANL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND Supports high school seniors and undergradu-

ates from Los Alamos, SF, Mora, Río Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval and Taos counties pursuing 4-year degrees in all fields. $1,000–$20,000. www.lanlfoundation.org

FIRST MONDAYS EACH MONTH, 3–5 PM SUSTAINABLE GALLUP BOARD Octavia Fellin Library, Gallup, NM

The City of Gallup’s Sustainable Gallup Board welcomes community members concerned about conservation, energy, water, recycling and other environmental issues. 505.722.0039.

MON., WED., FRI., SAT., 10 AM–4 PM PAJARITO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER 2600 Canyon Rd., Los Alamos, NM Nature center and outdoor education programs. Exhibits of flora and fauna of the Pajarito Plateau; herbarium, live amphibians, butterfly and xeric gardens. 505.662.0460, www. losalamosnature.org

TUESDAYS, 6–8 PM FAMILY NIGHT PEEC, Los Alamos, NM

The second Tuesday of every month. Games, activities experiments or crafts at the Nature Center. 505.662.0460, www.losalamosnature.org

WEDNESDAYS, 10 AM GREEN HOUR HIKES Los Alamos Nature Center Los Alamos, NM

Kid-centered hikes. Free. Losalamosnature.org

FIRST 3 WEDS. EA. MONTH, 6–7 PM SOLAR 101 CLASSES 113 E. Logan Ave., Gallup, NM Free classes about all things related to off-grid solar systems. No pre-registration necessary. 505.728.9246, gallupsolar@gmail.com,Gallupsolar.org

SPIRIT OF THE BUTTERFLY 923 E. Fairview Land, Española, NM Women’s support group organized by Tewa Women United. Info/RSVP: Beverly, 505.795.8117

BASIC LITERACY TUTOR TRAINING Española area

After training by the NM Coalition for Literacy, volunteer tutors are matched with an adult student. 505.747.6162, read@raalp.org, www. raalp.org/become-a-tutor.html

RIO GRANDE RETURN

Locally produced salsas, jams, honey, chocolates, soaps, lotions, incense and more. Supports local farmers, producers and the conservation of the Río Grande. 505.466.1767, toll free: 866.466.1767, www.riograndereturn.com

Green Fire Times • December 2016

The Live Local and Prosper Pledge:

We the community of Santa Fe, in order to foster a vibrant local economy, ensure a strong tax base, and grow a prosperous future, do hereby commit to the following actions:

•

Buying goods and services locally, whenever possible, for both personal and business matters.

•

Celebrating local businesses, and making an extra effort to support members of my community.

•

Encouraging others to take the pledge and take action for the local economy.

The Live Local and Prosper Pledge

is a community effort which includes yellCast, all three Chambers of Commerce plus dozens of local organizations committed to Santa Fe’s economy.

so..HOLD YOUR HAND UP, TAKE THE PLEDGE, then… CONNECT & WIN CASH & PRIZES in the yellCast Santa Fe Challenges! Find details on yellcast.com/pledge

How to

2 SEARCH

Put in what you are looking for in SantaFe at yellCast.com

Green Fire Times • December 2016

3 SELECT

Review the local results (try the different ways to sort) and select the businesses you want to contact

CO N N E C T

Send your specific request to the selected businesses, include photos and videos if desired—and see who gets back to you first!