November 2015 Green Fire Times by Sun Publishing

News & Views

T he November 2015

from the

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V alle de A trisco S outh V alley of A lbuquerque Northern New Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Largest Distribution Newspaper

Vol. 7 No. 11

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Vol. 7, No. 11 • November 2015 Issue No. 79 Publisher Green Fire Publishing, LLC

Skip Whitson

Associate Publisher

Barbara E. Brown

Editor-in-chief

Seth Roffman

Guest Associate editor

Sommer Smith MediaDesk New Mexico Art Director

Anna C. Hansen, Dakini Design Copy Editor Stephen Klinger Webmaster: Karen Shepherd Contributing Writers

Noah Allaire, Julia Bernal, Jorge García, Joseph C. García, Michelle Meléndez, Tony Monfiletto, Virginia Necochea, Juan Reynosa, Seth Roffman, Sam Sokolove, Sommer Smith, Bill Wagner, Tarynn Weeks

Contributing Photographers 4 A Greater Good Photography, Mark Anderson, David Broudy, Anna C. Hansen, Marissa McGill, Seth Roffman, Steve Valasek

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Skip Whitson 505.471.5177 skip@greenfiretimes.com Anna C. Hansen 505.982.0155 dakinidesign@newmexico.com

News & Views

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Sustainable Southwest

Winner of the Sustainable Santa Fe Award for Outstanding Educational Project

Contents

Collaboration Among Organizations Flourishes in the South Valley . . . . . . . . . 7 The EleValle Network . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 8 South Valley Photos . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 9 South Valley Community Partnership for Health Equity Applying Lessons Learned in Cuba.. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 10 First Choice: Nurturing a Wellness Ecosystem in the South Valley . . . . . . . . . .13 New Mexico Center for School Leadership: Local Wisdom for Local Schools. . 15 Precursors of Albuquerque Along El Camino Real. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Genesis of Acequias in Atrisco (The South Valley). . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 19 La Correinte del Valle: A Mural Project in the South Valley. . .. . .. . .. . .. .20 The Agri-Cultura Network. . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 22 Gardens de Atrisco . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 25 The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Op-Ed: A Community’s Battle Against the Santolina Master Plan . . .. . .. . .. 28 South Valley Reflections . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 29 Op-Ed: How Zoning Codes Can Drastically Impact Environmental Justice Communities . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .31 Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 22, 29, 37 What’s Going On. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 38

Robyn Montoya 505.692.4477 robyn.greenfiretimes@gmail.com Lisa Powers, 505.629.2655 Lisa@greenfiretimes.com Niki Nicholson 505.490.6265 Niki@GreenFireTimes.com

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Green Fire Times provides useful information for community members, business people, students and visitors—anyone interested in discovering the wealth of opportunities and resources in the Southwest. In support of a more sustainable planet, topics covered range from green businesses, jobs, products, services, entrepreneurship, investing, design, building and energy—to native perspectives on history, arts & culture, ecotourism, education, sustainable agriculture, regional cuisine, water issues and the healing arts. Green Fire Times is widely distributed throughout north-central New Mexico. Feedback, announcements, event listings, advertising and article submissions to be considered for publication are welcome.

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“Three Sisters” mural detail at the South Valley Economic Development Center

COVER:

Mural detail from La Corriente del Valle – The Flow of the Valley, a new mural depicting culture, continuity and change in the Valle de Atrisco, the South Valley of Albuquerque. © 2015 Working Classroom, Inc. (See story, pg. 20) Photo by Seth Roffman Green Fire Times • November 2015

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ November 2015

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Collaboration Among Organizations Flourishes in the South Valley

Sam Sokolove n the world of nonprofit organizations, building meaningful partnerships among organizations with similar community vision is becoming a movement. In Albuquerque’s South Valley, home to many service organizations that address health, economic and educational realities, sharing knowledge and limited resources is critical. According to a recent study conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, 80 percent of the South Valley’s 41,000 residents are Hispanic and 52 percent are Mexican nationals. Sixty percent of the population over the age of 25 has no formal post-secondary education, and more than half have limited English proficiency.

Strengthening families through communityengaged and communitydriven solutions. From this need emerged EleValle, a collaborative of agencies working toward a healthier South Valley by strengthening families through community-engaged and communitydriven solutions. Formed in 2008 through funding provided by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Office for Community Health (specifically for the Pathways to a Healthy Bernalillo County initiative), EleValle guides and connects underserved residents to health and social services. Members include: Casa

de Salud, La Plazita Institute, Río Grande Community Development Corporation/South Valley Economic Development Center, Encuentro and Centro Sávila. EleValle’s leadership team is comprised of the directors of each of those organizations. According to La Plazita Institute Co-Director Theresa González, “Everything we do is driven by community... because community health is what we hope to achieve.” In 2011, EleValle was awarded a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to support the collaborative administration and build capacity. The McCune Foundation provided project-level funding. Since its inception, the Río Grande Community Development Corporation (RGCDC) has served as EleValle’s fiscal sponsor. EleValle presents monthly “burrito network” breakfast gatherings, which strengthens networking, linkages and resources for community health workers, activists and officials. EleValle’s organizations are located along a mile of Isleta Boulevard. Due to their close proximity, organization staff often walks clients down the road to access services from partner organizations. Their focus is strategic p l a n n i n g, c om mu n i c a t i on a n d coordination. Together they work to reduce marginalization and isolation; provide children and families with needed health services, including behavioral, physical, mental health and substance abuse; provide housing referrals; create economic opportunity and workforce development; provide food resources; and engage in problem

South Valley Economic Development Center

Casa de Salud offers “dignity-based” medical services.

solving with immigrants, refugees and former inmates. EleValle Director Sam Sokolove says, “The issues we address range from getting returning citizens jobs to securing food for indigent families, and we’re always focused on long-term solutions, not just a quick fix.” Thirty Pathways program navigators or promotores, working with EleValle’s partner agencies, provide culturally appropr iate guidance to assist marginalized, at-risk residents. The promotores identify risk factors and needs, and follow individuals’ and families’ progress. Data collected is reviewed and analyzed collectively.

Cheruvu and Amanda participate in First Choice’s Health Commons program.

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EleValle network strategizing

Each organization in the collaborative has its own unique histor y, and before EleValle was established, their relationships were mostly indirect and

limited. For RGCDC CEO Tim Nisly, collaboration among the partners was a process that did not happen overnight. “Collaboratives take time,” he says. “It’s important to put aside egos to allow for collective decision-making.” After nearly seven years, the leadership team has achieved a high degree of mutual trust and functionality. “We’ve learned that collective advocacy is a powerful thing,” Nisly says. EleValle is also engaged in advocating for systemic and policy-level change; it also provides “backbone” support f o r t h e Juntos Para La S alud/ Together for Health campaign, which successfully challenged Bernalillo County to strengthen its health safety net. Every county resident who meets income guidelines is now eligible, and community members continued on page 8

Green Fire Times • November 2015

Collaboration continued from page 7

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are included in safety-net planning, assessment and decision-making. Recently, Juntos activists presented the County Commission with petitions containing nearly 1,000 signatures urging commissioners to use the UNM hospital lease agreement and memorandum of understanding as a foundation to achieve a well-designed system of healthcare.

“Community health is what we hope to achieve.” Having ser ved approximately 30 percent more clients per organization and with an 11 percent lower dropout rate than other Pathways organizations, EleValle’s leadership is committed to the Pathways model. The network is investing in more promotores and professional skillbuilding opportunities for them so it can generate sustainable social change by bettering the lives of the South Valley residents. EleValle has been approached by many other community organizations seeking promotores and hopes to partner with some of them in 2016. For more information about EleValle or its partner agencies, call 505.306.7853 or visit www.elevalle.org. i Sam Sokolove is the director of EleValle.

Green Fire Times • November 2015

The EleValle Network

Casa de Salud offers a wide range of conventional, natural and traditional “dignity-based” medical services that include health literacy, promotion of community health and health leadership development. The organization offers diabetes prevention, nutrition counseling, women’s health and prenatal care services. Multiple projects have originated from this enterprise, such as Vision for Dignity, Access and Accountability in Healthcare (VIDA)—a project that works with community groups, political leaders and patients to address systemic barriers that reinforce inequality in healthcare. Centro Sávila is focused on the healing and recovery of individuals with emotional and/or psychological problems. The center also aims to serve whole families and communities. Centro Sávila is particularly concerned with improving health outcomes, such as reducing inordinately high emergency room-use rates, increasing access to behavioral healthcare and providing affordable mental healthcare in a culturally and linguistically competent way. Encuentro is central New Mexico’s source for Latino immigrant opportunities. The organization is focused on engaging Latino immigrant families in educational options that build skills for economic and social justice. Encuentro is committed to the belief that quality education should build both individual and community knowledge, and with that knowledge comes individual and community power. La Plazita Institute, Inc. promotes the well-being of youth, elders, families and communities through the philosophy of “La Cultura Cura,” which means “culture heals.” The institute encourages people to draw upon their cultural roots and histories to express traditional values of respect, honor, love and family in order to reduce violence, addiction, incarceration, recidivism and destructive lifestyles. LPI recognizes that indigenous and historically disenfranchised communities have unique experiences and contexts, so space and creative opportunities are provided for individuals and families to better navigate “multiple worlds.” The institute’s goals are: improve health, wealth and security of families by connecting them to healthy food; and improve health and economic equity by focusing on existing assets, education, innovation, healing, reinvigorating agriculture, and by inspiring disconnected individuals to become community leaders, entrepreneurs and practitioners. T h e R í o G r a n d e C o mm u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t C orporation (RGCDC) pursues community-wide economic and social development that enriches traditional cultural values and historical uses of the land while supporting the peoples’ voice in development and reducing poverty through entrepreneurial enterprise.

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Photos © Seth Roffman and Anna C. Hansen

Scenes from Albuquerque’s South Valley, October 2015

TOP: Waterway flows through Bernalillo County open space; a portrait of César Chávez looks out over La Placita Gardens; CENTER: NM state Democratic Chairwoman Debra Haaland and State Sen. Michael Padilla at a rally; Elvis Chávez; mariachi musician Mónica E. Montoya; participants at Michael Padilla’s event; Bottom (l-r): 91-year-old Hector Gonzales (with daughter Johanna Gonzales) received recognition for lifelong service to acequias; actor/school board member Steven Michael Quezada; South Valley residents

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South Valley Community Partnership for Health Equity Applying Lessons Learned in Cuba

Bill Wagner

New Mexico and U.S. healthcare systems have much to learn from the Cuban experience.

equity and uses the Cuban experience to inform global debate, policies and practice. MEDICC, in conjunction with Francisco Ronquillo and doctors Art Kaufman, Martha McGrew and Pope Mosely from the UNM Health Science Center, organized two separate groups of 15 people from Albuquerque to visit Havana. The purpose of the trip was to gain a better understanding of the Cuban healthcare system. The week included visits to consultorios—community-based clinics that are also the homes of the local physician and nurse, polyclinicas— regional, specialty clinics—and to tertiary level hospitals. The visit also included opportunities to meet with scholars at the National School of Public Health (ENSAP) and with international students at the Latin American Medical School (ELAM), one of the largest medical schools in the world. We were even able to sneak away to hear the incomparable Nueva Trova singer and songwriter Silvio Rodríguez playing a street concert.

In 2012, I joined a group of New Mexican public healthcare providers, a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , ad vo c a t e s a n d researchers, with an interest in improving the health of residents of Albuquerque’s South Valley, on a weeklong MEDICC trip to Havanna. MEDICC is a nonprofit organization that promotes cooperation among U.S., Cuban and global health communities to improve health outcomes and

O ur exper ience obser ving and learning from the Cuban healthcare model provided a counterpoint to the disparities in health access and outcomes in the South Valley. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the hemisphere, Cuba is among the countries with the best health indicators in the world. Cubans told us, “We live like poor people, but die like rich people.” With the average

New Mexican healthcare providers in Havana

Green Fire Times • November 2015

life expectancy at 78 years, they live almost as long as the average American. Yet they have a higher doctor-patient ratio (6.7per 1,000 people in Cuba to 2.6 per 1,000 people in the U.S.) and a lower

he recent thaw in relations between the United States and Cuba has generated new hope for bilateral exchanges, although for now, the potential remains largely in the realm of collective imagination. The tourism industry imagines white sand beaches and resorts visited by American cruise ships, the telecom industry imagines an explosion of cell towers and Internet providers on the island, and a number of Americans imagine smoking Cohiba cigars and sipping Havana Club rum. But, thanks to the Oakland, California-based Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC), a trans-national exchange that prioritizes people over profits does not need to be imagined. It has existed for nearly two decades.

New Mexico cohort visiting Cuban consultorio or community-based health clinic

infant mortality rate lower than the U.S. (4.7 per 1000 live births in Cuba to 5.9 in the U.S.). Cuba has universal access to f ree healthcare. In New Mexico, even after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the expansion of Medicaid benefits, more than 15 percent of the state’s population remains uninsured. T h e s e c re t t o C u b a’s s u c c e s s , we learned, was an investment in human capital. Economic hardships generated f rom the embargo and exacerbated by the collapse of the Soviet bloc in 1989 generated a period of crisis in the early ’90s known as the “special period.” Food, clothing and medication were scarce and the situation forced Cubans to economize in every aspect of their lives. During this time, Cuba developed strategies including emphasis on upstream, cost-saving policies. Epidemiological focus, cross-sector collaboration and early intervention in Cuba have been undeniably successful and contrast with downstream, individualized and crisis-response focus that characterizes the U.S. system. I spoke with Cuban doctors who couldn’t fathom why in a good year in New Mexico only 75 percent of children are fully immunized, when in Cuba the rates are 99 percent.

The big takeaway from our trip is that New Mexico and U.S. healthcare systems have much to learn from the Cuban experience. Healthcare provider education in the U.S. struggles to keep pace with population’s healthcare needs. The effects of outdated and fragmented systems in the U.S. include a focus on specialty care and emergency intervention at the expense of primary care, fragmentation and poor teamwork. Cuba’s return on investment from its high-quality primary care and public health system is unparalleled in the Western Hemisphere. The Cuban government prioritized educating and supporting a skilled professional healthcare workforce. The resulting surplus of doctors allowed Cuba to care for its population at home and embark in international healthcare diplomacy, sending doctors to less fortunate countries, often in exchange for commodities such as oil. During the recent Ebola crisis in Af rica, Cuban doctors were some of the first and most effective responders. As an anthropologist working in Guatemala from 2001-2003, I witnessed doctors f rom the Cuban medical mission providing services in rural Maya communities where no Guatemalan doctor had previously set foot. continued on page 12

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

A fundamental commitment to the idea of access to healthcare as a basic human right underpins the Cuban health mission and reinforces the esprit de corps. Inspired by successes of the Cuban healthcare system, our group returned ready to take on the challenge of making health access and equity our first priority in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Supported by MEDICC, our group formed the Community Par tnership for Health Equit y (CPHE) and began implementing programming in the South Valley that adapted lessons learned in Cuba. CPHE participants that traveled to Cuba represented organizations including UNM Health Sciences Center, Molina Healthcare, The South Valley Economic Development Center, First Choice Community Health, The Bernalillo County Health Council, PB & J Family Services, Casa de Salud, Centro Sávila, the Partnership for Community Action, Bernalillo County Place Matters, La Plazita Institute, Albuquerque Public Schools and others. One of our first activities was to form a walking group with patients and staff from Casa de Salud and Centro Sávila. Every Friday morning we met at the West Side Community Center to walk together.

30 New Mexican public healthcare providers and researchers joined with UNM Health Science Center directors on a weeklong trip to Havana.

Many of the participants were Spanish speakers with diagnoses of diabetes or pre-diabetes. An hour of walking each week supported the physical health of patients and healthcare providers alike. The walking group served as a metaphor for the model of healthcare that we sought to build. Instead of talking at our patients in abbreviated 15-minute checkups, we walked beside them for an hour. Our group included MDs, social workers and community health workers or promotoras. Not surprisingly, we learned a lot more about their healthcare needs,

continued from page

their strengths and the barriers that they faced trying to access care. We learned about the scarcity of affordable, nutritious food in the South Valley. We learned recipes using locally grown produce that our patients shared with us. We learned how often diabetics had to go without insulin because of problems with insurance, prescriptions and access to transportation. We learned the difficulties many of our clients faced when, every year, they were kicked off the rolls of Medicaid and had to reapply, even though their income had not changed. We learned about how hard our clients worked to overcome barriers that made it hard to manage their chronic diseases, which were, all too often, accompanied by bouts of anxiety and depression. Our South Valley CPHE walking group helped us to better understand how health disparities in the South Valley were reinforced and maintained. Despite the enactment of the ACA and the expansion of Medicaid in New Mexico, over 100,000 Bernalillo County residents remain uninsured, and more than 30,000 will not be able to find coverage. Hispanic and immigrant families have the largest health and economic disparities in New Mexico. With the guidance of Dr. Camilla Romero and Guadalupe Fuentes, a health promotora, we began engaging Spanish-speaking diabetics to participate in the Girasol program, which offers a series of hour-long, oneon-one classes focusing on nutrition, active lifestyle and stress management to help manage the chronic disease more effectively. The program also invites family members of diabetics to learn ways of supporting healthy nutrition and exercise in their family as well as peer support for participants. The program also developed a therapeutic garden club at Centro Sávila. In 2015, MEDICC, supported by a seed grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, funded the South Valley CPHE 2.0 program. The seed grant funds similar CPHE groups in cities throughout the country including the Bronx, Milwaukee, Oakland, East L.A. and San Diego. This program strengthened collaboration and coordination of outpatient mental health services at Centro Sávila, diabetes prevention and management with the Girasol

Green Fire Times • November 2015

Health Equity Lessons

South Valley Community Partnership for Health Equity members in Cuba (l-r): Bill Wagner, Guadalupe Fuentes, Alma Olivas and Fernando Ortega.

program and afterschool educational arts, cultural, science and sports programming through the ACCESS (Arts, Community, Culture, Education, Sports and Science) program.

CPHE groups across the U.S. are moving forward together to increase our collective impact at building health equity and eliminating health disparities.

ACCESS was founded by Fernando Ortega. Working with Spanishspeaking South Valley residents as a healthcare navigator, Ortega knew of the scarcity of afterschool programming for children. Economic, geographic, language and cultural barriers that made exercise prohibitive increased children’s risk of diabetes and obesity. Ortega collected input from parents and children and developed a series of events including a co-ed soccer league, karate and kick boxing classes, arts classes, gardening, educational and cultural activities. The group meets multiple afternoons each week and offers varied programming that also provides support for adults. Adult programming in the ACCESS program includes ESL and GED classes, student advocacy training and assistance with health insurance enrollment.

Perhaps our greatest challenge in the U.S. lies in the imperial blind spots of our national memory and imagination. Cuba occupies a special place in the history of American imperialism. From military occupation to revolution to thwarted invasion, the Cuban people have endured offense after offense. Nevertheless, Cubans have imagined a country that, despite a lack of economic resources, could ensure long healthy lives for its people. As the U.S. and Cuba move toward normalizing relations and allowing Cold War animosities to be, at long last, laid to rest, the South Valley CPHE 2.0 program provides an example of U.S.-Cuban cooperation that can help both countries to imagine a future of greater equity and health. i

The South Valley CPHE 2.0 program has brought together similar CPHE groups that have formed in other cities throughout the country where MEDICC has organized delegations to visit Cuba, including San Diego, East Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Milwaukee, The Bronx, Ohio and New Orleans. Two national conferences have taken place in Albuquerque and Oakland to share our work, our successes and our challenges.

B i l l Wa g n e r , Ph.D., LCSW, is the founder and director of Centro Sávila, a nonprofit outpatient behavioral health program in A l b u q u e r q u e ’s South Valley that provides affordable mental health and social services. Centro Sávila is the fiscal sponsor and a collaborator with the ACCESS and Girasol programs in the South Valley Community Partnership for Health Equity.

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First Choice: Nurturing in the South Valley

Wellness Ecosystem

Michelle Meléndez

here is a certain amount of humility and audacity required to admit that the care you provide only accounts for about 10 percent of what ultimately determines a patient’s health. Such a thought runs completely counter to the “doctor knows best” belief upon which our current health system is based. It’s quite unusual for your health system’s CEO to acknowledge the truth of this statement and to choose to address some of the other 90 percent of factors that determine people’s health. But that is just what the leadership of First Choice Community Healthcare has done by expanding the scope of its primary care system. Doctors tend not to dig for the underlying social causes of poor health when they have nothing to offer a patient but words of encouragement. In fact, they have come to dread the “doorknob confession” that patients sometimes divulge about how the patient lost a job or is having trouble at home. A recent First Choice Community Healthcare is a nonprofit primary-care health system Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study that provides medical, dental, behavioral health care, and specialty care, as well found that four out of five of physicians wish as Women, Infants and Children (WIC). First Choice serves more than 50,000 they could prescribe food or housing, but feel individuals in three counties in Central New Mexico regardless of income or insurance status. First Choice is doubling the size of its South Valley campus. unequipped to address social determinants that impact patient health. That is why First Choice has taken steps to build its and the University of New Mexico (UNM), called WellRx.This allows doctors to systematically community’s capacity to address more of the 90 percent while maintaining the highest screen for social needs like they screen for tobacco use. They and the doctors they train quality of care for its 10 percent share of health impact. in residency write “prescriptions” for assistance from community health workers, whom the doctors have embraced as equal partners on the healthcare team. While there is no magic pill that cures a patient’s difficulty with finding a job or paying for utilities, a WellRx connects patients with a source of food so that they may be able to afford their medicine, or with transportation to their follow-up appointment. A more traditional approach would regard patients who can’t afford medicine or transportation as “noncompliant.” One goal of the pilot project is to prove to health insurers that addressing First Choice is asking itself the question, “How can we as healthcare teams build on social needs can prevent costly disease treatment. the assets we, in partnership with our communities, possess to amplify the impact we have on the health and well-being of our communities?” The two main strategies it is There is an oft-cited parable of three friends who see children drowning in a river: Two using involve deploying community health workers and developing an expanded Health rush into the water to save the children.The third friend swims upstream, acting to “stop Commons to address the upstream drivers of poor health in the South Valley, where whoever or whatever is throwing these children in the water.” As “upstreamists,” Dr. Art health outcomes are among the worst. In many ways, these two strategies represent a Kaufman, a pioneer in spreading the social mission of medical education and Dr. Will return to the roots of the community health center movement of the late 1960s started Kaufman, a family doctor who heads the Community Health and Wellness programs by Dr. Jack Geiger in the Mississippi Delta.The founders of First Choice emerged from at First Choice, are addressing needs at the source to prevent problems downstream. the War on Poverty, who organized with medical allies to establish the first clinics in The First Choice Wellness program has brought a subsidized CSA program to patients; the South Valley. The leaders knew then what we know now –health comes from more a Mobile Farmers’ Market; a monthly healthy cooking class; a USDA children’s meal than just high-quality healthcare. It comes from high-quality childcare, education, jobs, program; Spanish-language yoga; access to healthy food and safe neighborhoods. meditation; massage therapy; legal assistance and other resources. But they Once we got the health center going, we started stocking food in the center pharmacy and are still working at the individual level. distributing food—like drugs—to the people. A variety of officials got very nervous and said, ‘You can’t do that.’ We said, ‘Why not?’ They said, ‘It’s a health center pharmacy, First Choice plans to be even more and it’s supposed to carry drugs for the treatment of disease.’ And we said, ‘The last time effective by developing communities we looked in the book, the specific therapy for malnutrition was food.’ – Jack Geiger. The that promote and engage people Unsteady March. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 48, 1-9 in healthy lifestyles. We know that people’s individual choices are shaped The current healthcare system that is predicated on generating office visits leaves by the many contexts in which people little time and resources to address the social determinants of health and their policy live. That’s where the First Choice antecedents. But the Affordable Care Act’s slight pivot toward prevention has given expansion plans for the South Valley doctors like Art Kaufman and his son Will Kaufman the opportunity to test their Healthy cooking class participant. The class is Community Commons come into play. audacious theories about how taking action on the social needs of patients will net presented by one of First Choice Community The Commons becomes the context in results in patient health, satisfaction and, ultimately, cost. Both Drs. Kaufman have pilotHealthcare’s partners, La Cosecha, at First tested a simple screening tool for poverty, created by Dr. Janet Page-Reeves from the Choice’s South Valley Health Commons.

How can we as healthcare teams build on community assets to amplify the health and well-being of our communities?”

continued on page 14

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

Wellness Ecosystem continued from page 13 which patients can fill their wellness prescriptions with vendors whose missions are aligned with ours. The board of directors of First Choice, more than half of whom are patients, have acquired more than 10 acres, doubling the size of its South Valley campus, to provide a platform from which to launch five health-promoting enterprises: an early-childhood development center; a health professions charter high school; an ‘aging well’ wellness center; a community farm/local food hub; and a farm-to-table-style restaurant that also serves as the Commons commissary. These projects were selected with the goal of investing in those enterprises that have the best hope of mitigating socio-economic indicators as well as becoming financially sustainable through co-location and cooperation, thereby generating a sustainable wellness ecosystem.

Addressing social needs can prevent costly disease treatment. The ambitious $25-million development project is getting underway in 2016, with funds from the state Legislature and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to start the community farm. The Agri-Cultura Network has given input into the farm design and expressed its interest in locating its food hub operations at the site. Agri-Cultura and First Choice have collaborated on the CSA, cooking classes and Mobile Market, which have been supported with grants and subsidies from Presbyterian Healthcare Services, the CDC (REACH) and the BUILD Health Challenge (Robert Wood Johnson, Kresge, deBeaumont, and Colorado Health foundations and The Advisory Board Company). The next major phase of the expansion project will focus on building a permanent campus for Health Leadership High School, with whom we have been partners since inception in 2012-13. First Choice and HLHS boards have entered into a long-term lease and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that spells out how together, along with other healthcare partners, we will prepare the next generation of health leaders, grounded in the ethos of community health and upstream thinking. The full build-out of the project could take 5-7 years, but the return on the investment will pay dividends in terms of better health, educational attainment and jobs for years to come. An independent economic analysis shows that the project will create a minimum of 100 new jobs, with total salaries of $4,820,000, generating an estimated additional $ 24,100,000 annually into the New Mexico economy. i Michelle Meléndez is development director at First Choice Community Healthcare and serves on the Con Alma Health Foundation Community Advisory Committee and the Bernalillo County Community Health Council. 505.241.5182, fcch.com

Green Fire Times • November 2015

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New Mexico Center for School Leadership Local Wisdom for Local Schools Tony Monfiletto hree years ago The Center for S c h o o l L e ad e r s h i p ( C S L ) established a vision to provide the best education for students who need it most. Troubling graduation rates, disengagement and stark workforcedevelopment challenges indicated a great need in our community for highly impactful, relevant schools that prepare our youth for their future. In recent years the New Mexico CSL has partnered with school, community and business leaders to identify solutions to some of our state’s most pressing challenges.

Designing schools through a community development lens The Center’s work is grounded in two core philosophies: local wisdom for local schools (the understanding that local communities are assets in designing schools that support students to succeed in a fast-changing world) and a three-pillar model of learning by doing, community engagement and student support to guide student success. This unique approach, combining a three-pillar model with local wisdom, is shaping the education landscape for impactful, engaging learning for every student. I have been blown away by the local wisdom of the businesspeople, community members and parent leaders I have met as we work to redesign

effective, engaging public schools across Albuquerque. Albuquerque is built around relationships, and that is particularly true of the South Valley. The commitment to building a next generation of leaders in Albuquerque has been staggering. We will soon have two Leadership High Schools in the South Valley, bringing our network of Leadership High Schools up to four. Siembra Leadership High School (an entrepreneurship-focused school) will begin operating in August 2016, and Health Leadership High School will move from the Southeast Heights to the South Valley Health Commons in August 2018. When they are fully enrolled, Siembra and Health Leadership will serve nearly 900 students, and they will be designed from the local wisdom of the people who live and work in the community. When we were contemplating Health Leadership High School, we could have located it anywhere in Albuquerque. We went through a series of design summits with health professionals, and I saw a special kind of synergy happening that I saw in my parents, who were teachers at Ernie Pyle: The experts believed in young people and the power of the South Valley community. They pushed for a South Valley location, and I had a sense that these future partners would help us create a school that would be like nothing else in the country. It was a school that would do more than prepare students for college or a career. It would also be a catalyst and an engine for improved health in a

Future Tech Leadership High School students engage in project-based learning.

specific community. They helped us imagine a generation of young people with assets that could be cultivated as part of a systemic change that could make the South Valley a model for ACE Leadership High School graduation ceremony, May 2014 healthy living. I recently attended a “pitch session” at Health Leadership High School. There were 30 people from health related organizations that came to suggest community-based projects to teachers. Healthy food sources, early-childhood development, mental health, effects of pain medication and other ideas were brought to the faculty by their partners. It was a cross-section of timely topics and local wisdom that has a direct effect on the well-being of the South Valley. More importantly, the experts who “pitched” projects also committed to deploying their local wisdom to support teachers as they work with students as the projects

unfold over the school year. I left the meeting and thought, “It’s gotta be a South Valley thing.”Where else would so many people, with so many other things to do, be so generous with their time and expertise? i Tony Monf iletto is the director of the New Mexico Center for School Leadership. Over the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in creating a policy climate that welcomes innovative solutions to respond to our public schools’ biggest challenges. http:// leadership-pdc.org

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

Precursors of Albuquerque along El Camino Real Folsom/Cochise Cultures, Isleta Pueblo, Atrisco and Pajarito Land Grants, 1650-1900 Hilario Romero Folsom and Desert Cultures

Centuries later, the early desert cultures, in the past called Cochise, were attracted to this river valley as dry conditions caused them to look for permanent water sources close to hunting, fuel for fires, wild plants and seeds, and much later, rich soil for agriculture. They hunted smaller game such as elk, deer, wild turkey–which they would eventually domesticate–and rabbits. Once they were able to domesticate the seeds and adapt them to the area, the trio of squash, corn and beans would become staple crops that would sustain their lives. They built pit houses, circular dwellings dug from the earth with protruding roofs for warmth and shelter. They preserved the staple crops by drying them and milling them with el metate and el mano. Although hunting would still be the main source of sustenance, slowly but surely, agriculture would supplement their diet and build stability for future generations.

Collection of Hilario Romero. Photo by Carlos Vierra, ca. 1897

The Tiwas of Ysleta

By 1200 A.D., the Tiwa people arrived and built aboveground pueblo villages throughout the Río Grande Valley, from today’s Bernalillo to Belen. The ancestors of the Pueblo of Isleta settled in a rich area 13 miles south of today’s Plaza de Albuquerque. They found this area to be ideal for agriculture with a permanent water source, fertile soil, hunting and fishing in the bosque and nearby mountains, firewood, clay soil for pottery and building, and volcanic rock for multiple uses. The landforms that surrounded them were sacred and very important to their way of life. Parajito Mesa, the Sandías, the Manzanos and the West Mesa volcanic outcroppings were a few of these important places. They built villages on both sides of the Río Grande. The petroglyphs there are testimony to their spiritual history and culture in the area. They were witnesses and participants in the Tiguex War against Coronado and his expedition. The atrocities committed against the Tiwas by Coronado’s men resound today in historical accounts.

La Correinte del Valle mural detail © Working Classroom, Inc.

Ancestors of Native Americans of the Southwest were traveling through and creating communities in and around the valley of the Sandía and Manzano mountains for centuries prior to the arrival of the Spanish. Early Folsom peoples camped below the Pajarito and West Mesas and left evidence of hearths and tools. The bosque along the Río Grande in this area was more lush than today, and was home to game such as mastodons, mammoths, long horned buffalo, camel, giant ground sloth and miniature horses. Folsom people also gathered wild plants and seeds to supplement their diet. Their time was at the end of the last Ice Age, roughly 10,000 years ago, when the climate began to change. Centuries passed and the land slowly began to dry out, causing the large game to become extinct and the early Folsom to move with the natural forces of nature in order to survive.

First Contact: The Spanish and Tiguex Pueblos War

In the summer of 1540, a large group of Spanish soldiers and Indian allies under Francisco Vásquez de Coronado entered what would be later called la Frontera del Norte de Nueva España. After a dangerous trek through “la Zona Arida”—today’s Arizona, they arrived at Zuni Pueblo, where the Indians were prepared for battle. The Zunis fought hard but were overcome by Coronado’s soldiers and Indian allies with modern weapons, riders on horseback and overwhelming numbers. According to the account of Pedro Castañeda de Najera–who documented the expedition 20 years later–Capitán Hernando de Alvarado and 40 men were sent on to the east with “Bigotes,” a handsome Indian with a mustache. They arrived at the province of Tiguex, a series of 12 pueblos along the Río Grande in a beautiful valley. Many of the pueblos were multi-storied and had sizable populations. Alvarado described what he saw: “This river flows through a broad valley planted with fields of maíz. There are ‘alamedas de álamos de algodón.’ ” The houses are of mud, two stories high.” At first contact with the pueblos of Tiguex, Alvarado noted: “The next day the principales and people came from 10 pueblos, in order, one behind the other.”

They arrived at the province of Tiguex, a series of 12 pueblos along the Río Grande in a beautiful valley.

That was followed by two pueblos, which did not welcome their arrival but came forward in preparation for war. Castañeda’s account further stated that Alvarado decided to send Coronado a request to spend the winter at Tiguex. From that point on, the pueblos learned from Bigotes, that the Spanish were determined to find gold. Bigotes escorted Alvarado to his pueblo, Cicúye (Pecos Pueblo) and presented a man from the plains tribes. Alvarado named him “El Turco” because of his dark skin and features. He would guide Alvarado east to a place called “Quivira.” Upon return from the long journey to an area near present day Wichita, Kansas, Alvarado was told by El Turco that the gold band he wore came from Bigotes. He took Bigotes and El Turco back with him to Tiguex and, after reporting to Coronado his adventure to Quivira, he killed El Turco for leading him on a false journey for gold.

Mission Church of Ysleta Pueblo, built around 1620

Green Fire Times • November 2015

Coronado and his men had taken up residence at a pueblo they referred to as “Cofor” (which was “Kuaua”), ironically known today as “Coronado National Monument.” According to Castañeda, the Tiwas at this pueblo

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La Correinte del Valle mural detail © Working Classroom, Inc.

had to find residence among other pueblos. This action, along with the killing of El Turco, demand for food from the pueblo’s food storage, and the rape of a pueblo woman, instigated a war with the pueblos of Tiguex. Initially the Pueblos killed some of the Spanish horse herds left to graze. Coronado’s soldiers and allies took several pueblos and killed many of their warriors, sending shockwaves throughout the Pueblo world. However, the Pueblo of Moho remained under siege because the Spanish were unable to break through its walls despite constant bombardment. It was clear that this so called expedition was more of a conquest. The Pueblos of Tiguex were in a war and subsequent occupation by Coronado and his men. Throughout the winter of 1540–41, the Spanish invaders took what they wanted from the pueblos, causing hardship and distrust. Ysleta Pueblo and its residents suffered from Coronado and his men’s demands. Upon their return to México, Coronado and his captains were condemned for their treatment of the Indians and fined, but Coronado was later exonerated. For the next 40 years, travel and expeditions to the northern frontier were discouraged, and it wasn’t until Juan de Oñate led a group of settlers in 1598 that the Spanish would decide to settle in what they would call “Nuevo México.” For the next 82 years the Spanish would gradually settle near the pueblos on grants of land given to groups of families. Eventually, the Spanish and Pueblos were unable to co-exist due to the overzealous Fr a n c i s c a n m i s s i o n a r y ’s conve r sion me th ods, th e Spanish encomienda, the tribute, forced labor and military service, slavery and the droughts of the 1670s. In 1680, the Pueblos revolted and forced the Spanish out of Nuevo México. The fleeing Spanish under Gov. Otermín escaped the siege of Santa Fe and stopped in Ysleta Pueblo, where they took supplies and some Ysletas with them south to El Paso del Río del Norte.

Return of the Spanish: The Atrisco and Pajarito Land Grants

As early as 1598, there were many parajes (camps/camping grounds) that Oñate and the colonists used along the long journey along what was to become “El Camino Real.” It was a series of Pueblo trails to the south into México that had been used by indigenous traders among the tribes. Los Padillas and Atrisco were parajes–early rest stops that would eventually become small communities during the 1600s and after the Reconquest. The first settlements in the area between Sandia and Ysleta pueblos before the Pueblo Revolt were Los Padillas, Atrisco and, later, Pajarito. Marc Simmons, in his book Hispanic Albuquerque: 1706–1846, speculated that when Gov. Diego de Vargas made his initial journey into New Mexico with a group of soldiers and possible colonists, he gave land grants along the way to “old settlers” in order to reoccupy the same lands settled before the Pueblo Revolt.

The Atrisco Land Grant

The word Atrisco does not exist in Spanish. However there is a Nahuatl word “Atlixco,” which means “on or near a surface of water.” The Río Grande at Atrisco was wide, with a smooth flow and fertile bottomlands. It was probably named by Nahhuatl-speaking Mexican Indians that came with Gov. Vargas in 1692-93. Governor Vargas gave the Atrisco Land Grant to Fernando Durán y Cháves in 1692 at Angostura just north of Bernalillo. His father, Pedro Durán y Cháves, lived in Atrisco before the Pueblo Revolt. It moved toward resettlement in 1701 when Fernando Durán y Chaves asked Gov. Pedro Rodríguez Cubero for formal possession of the grant. In 1703, when Captain Diego Montoya, Alcalde of Bernalillo initiated the ceremony, the settlers were already planning houses and planting fields. (Docket #45 Court of Private Land Claims, Microfilm, NMSRCA) The Atrisco Grant boundaries were described by the heirs of the founders: “On the north, by the Barranca de Juan de Perea; on the east, by the Río Grande; on continued on page 32

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

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The Genesis of Acequias in Atrisco (The South Valley)

Jorge García

ven though it is easier for folks to categorize the South Valley as the “South Valley”, it has not always been known by that name. What we today call the South Valley is actually a region that, prior to 1848, was subdivided into land grants, or, as they used to be called under Mexican rule, las Mercedes.

During a conversation about our particular area, which we call Atrisco, a good friend of mine mentioned that it is easier to refer to the area as the South Valley because that is what everyone understands now. That is true, but in simplifying things, we risk losing the richness of history, culture and tradition. The South Valley evokes nothing more than a semi-urban area that is slowly

What Are Acequias?

Acequias are the age-old, handdug, gravity-fed irrigation ditches in northern New Mexico that make possible the cultivation of locally grown food. But they represent much more than that. As a social system implanted into the hydrological cycle for community subsistence, acequias constitute a place-based knowledge of watershed, intertwined with food traditions, community and culture. They are an instructive example of democratic self-governance, stewardship and sharing of resources. They are also the defining structure of their ecosystem. The unlined ditches allow water to seep into and recharge local aquifers, providing a rich riparian zone for wildlife, shade trees and native plants.

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A quick snapshot of the region shows how it was subdivided by the Alameda land grant around the area we now call Corrales. Moving downriver, there was the Albuquerque land grant in what we now call Old Town, and, north of Old Town, there were land grants in what we today call the North Valley, which started with Los Duranes land grant right by I-40 and Río Grande. The communities of Martínez town were by the university, Barelas and San José by the freeway and I-25. Across the river there was, and still is, the land grants of Armijo, Atrisco and Arenal. Further south were several other mercedes, such as the Gutiérrez, the Chávez, Los Padillas and the Pajarito. All of these communities make up what we call the “South Valley” of Albuquerque.

TOP (l-r): Spring procession through a South Valley street; Don Lorenzo Candelaria and his wife Dora carrying San Ysidro, patron saint of farmers; end of season acequia blessing; l-r: danzantes Fidel González, Fernando Ortega and Jorge García with acequia commissioner Santiago Maestas (center) and Virginia Necochea; Center: Isleta Pueblo elder and an acequia commissioner chat as Aztec dancers perform their ceremony

getting gentrified and absorbed by the city. Atrisco, on the other hand, speaks about the history and the semirural environment that still remains connected to its pre-industrial economy and Acequia tradition. So the question is, how did the place lose its history, or better yet, has the place lost its history? The answer to that is no, the place has not lost its history. The South Valley, or the Atrisco Valley, still safeguards its history and traditions. There is no doubt that social, cultural, economic and political dynamics under Anglo rule changed the landscape and modified the local economy, as well as the social and cultural dynamics of the region, but to say that the traditions of the South Valley were lost would be a complete oversimplification of the resilience and resistance that the Atlisqueños, Armijos, Los Padillas and the rest of the families maintained as the new industrial economy swept through. It is true that a lot of other families and individuals capitulated to the “American” way to benefit from their incorporation into that social and political

class, but that is nothing new, and in fact we still see that dynamic today as valley residents fight to protect water and land from getting transferred from agriculture to industrial and residential uses.

One of the big misunderstandings was that the people had given up Acequia culture with the formation of the Middle Río Grande Conservancy District.

As the Atrisco Valley is pushed into modernization and slow gentrification, there has been a concerted effort to maintain its Acequia culture, not only as a symbol of resilience and resistance, but also as a form of cohesion with the rest of the Indo-Hispano communities across the state that are trying to maintain their local traditions and ways of life. As the effort took place to reinstitute Acequias, one of the learning experiences was

the fact that people held several misunderstandings and misconceptions about this community and its traditions. One of the big misunderstandings was that the people had given up Acequia culture as the formation of the Middle Río Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) took place in the 1920s. Another misconception was that “there were no more Acequias in the South Valley.” The community fought hard for several years reestablishing Acequias because everyone else had this idea that the people in the South Valley were crazy to try to restitute Acequias because, in their minds, the establishment of the MRGCD meant that Acequias had ceased to exist. So in a big way, the greatest struggle in restituting Acequias was to understand the real enemies, which were the misconceptions and misunderstandings fueled by the ignorance of people who purposefully made claims that “the Acequia people wanted to take the ditches away from the MRGCD.”These comments were extremely misleading, but before explaining the reason for continued on page 23

Green Fire Times • November 2015

A few of the mural’s segments depicting a historical progression of the South Valley’s history. Top Inset (l-r): Artists Adriana Ortíz, Angel Pavia, Lora Werito, Elijah Chávez, Tarynn Wee

La Corriente del Valle — The Flow of the Valley: A Mural Project Tarynn Weeks

hen I started college two months ago, meeting a lot of new friends and catching up with a lot of old ones, we talked about our summers. From yachting to camping to visiting family, most people seemed to enjoy their vacations. When they asked me what my favorite part of the summer was, my answer came easily: “working, of course!” This summer I had the opportunity of a lifetime–being paid to paint a landmark mural. Since joining the Working Classroom in November 2014, I have participated in a variety of art workshops and formed meaningful relationships with mentors and peers, but the thing I looked forward to most was the mural program that Working Classroom sponsors every summer. I wanted to be on a mural team because I wanted to work with a crew of other dedicated student artists under the guidance of an amazing muralist. Better still, Working Classroom pays student apprentices for their time, talent and work. For the first time, I would be making a living as an artist!

I learned so much about problems that many American history books tend to glaze over. The lead artist of our mural was none other than the renowned Joe Stephenson, longtime South Valley resident and the founder of Working Classroom’s mural program. Joe has painted many of the most recognizable murals in Albuquerque and surpasses everyone I know of in skill, experience and artistic integrity.The mural we painted this summer was Phase II of La Corriente del Valle, a long and brilliantly colored image depicting the history of the South Valley—from the Pueblos’ Emergence Story to the present

Green Fire Times • November 2015

day. Phase II chronologically precedes Phase I; so we painted the story of the emergence of the Pueblos up to the Spanish settlers. Joe Stephenson is an artist who prides himself in accuracy and accountability, so it was not surprising that we spent the first three weeks doing research. Our chief place of research was at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, where we spoke to Native art and history expert Deborah Jojola, who provided us with many primary historical and artistic sources. We also visited Coronado Pueblo and went inside a kiva. Creating a mural of this caliber was made possible by having a talented team. Adriana Ortíz, a gifted artist, was our project manager. With the experience of at least three Working Classroom murals behind her, she painted some of La Corriente del Valle’s most striking features and helped us newbies stay organized. Other team members included Angel Pavia, also a Working Classroom veteran, who painted all of the portraits; and Lora Werito, a first-time muralist like me, who was responsible for painting iconic imagery such as Popay’s warriors and Coronado’s horse. Jonathan Burciaga-Cruz drew Columbus’ ships on-point before we started painting; Elijah Chávez was only 13 years old when we started but also has prior mural experience with Working Classroom. Isabella Ortega, only 12 years old, was possibly the most precise painter of us all. I had the honor to design the storytellers and paint some of their clothes. Joe Stephenson shared at least one fascinating fact every day. The team formed fast friendships. We accumulated so many inside jokes over the summer that we can hardly be in the same room without laughing. The mural did present some tough challenges. Heat and rain were common

factors. For two weeks th surrounded by two feet through Friday, in full su in the afternoon. I tragic these and other trials ma useful work skills.

By the end of the summ end. But not only did I next to the names of my so much about problems over. As someone who us be able to learn about pr anyone can see them. We lives interrupted and how

At this point, the paint ha disassembled. Everyone and added to their resum Stephenson, our team, W else who made this possib

“La Corriente del Valle” i adjacent to the Río Bra

Tarynn Weeks is a freshman in studio art. Tarynn has b past year. She was featured fourth in the final qualifier

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South Valley Marigold Parade

eks, Isabella Ortega, Joe Stephenson

t in the South Valley

he storage pod where we stored our supplies was of water. We painted five hours a day, Monday un— on top of other jobs that several of us had cally dropped my phone in a bucket of paint. But ade it much more rewarding, and we all acquired

mer, we were exhausted but sad for the project to help paint a huge work of art that has my name friends on it; perhaps most significantly, I learned s that many American history books tend to glaze ses art for activism, it was very important to me to roblems of discrimination and paint them where We created with a colorful and powerful narrative of w blending cultures affects those lives today.

as been put away, the brushes cleaned, the scaffolds e involved has taken away something important mes, work skills and life lessons. Thank you to Joe Working Classroom, Bernalillo County and everyone ble.

is located just south of the South Valley Library, avo Skate Park.

n at UNM in the Honors College, where she is majoring been a dedicated student at Working Classroom for the d in the Bernalillo County’s Arts Crawl and also placed r for the Indie World Poetry Slam.

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The annual Marigold Parade in the South Valley celebrates El Día de los Muertos, an ancient tradition rooted in México and Central America. Photos by Mark Anderson

Green Fire Times • November 2015

The Agri-Cultura Network

A farmer-owned cooperative with nine member-owners

raditional and innovative agricultural practices reconnect people with community and environmental stewardship that is part of our region’s agrarian and cultural heritage. The South Valley of Albuquerque is among many communities in need of greater access to local fruits and vegetables, which can improve nutrition and support preventive healthcare. More people are realizing that chronic and fatal diseases can be caused or exacerbated by a poor diet. There is also increasing recognition of the importance of local farms that do not rely on synthetic chemicals or long-range transportation. The Agri-Cultura Network was created to address these needs. Each week, the network has been able to directly provide quality produce that would otherwise not be available to about 300 families. For many, the produce is offered at a subsidized rate. A mobile market rotates among four health clinics, through partnerships with Bernalillo County, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, the Street Food Institute, Storehouse New Mexico and the Bernalillo County Community Health Council.

As a farmer-owned cooperative with nine member-owners, AgriCultura coordinates small farms and operates a wholesale business that sells produce to A l b u q u e r q u e P u b l i c Some of the people who started Agri-Cultura in 2009: Schools, restaurants, hotels Fidel González, Patrick Staib-Flores, Sayrah Namaste, Joseph Alfaro, Jeff Warren and Angelina López and other customers. Agri-Cultura provides support for farms to build their capacity. The past few years have seen an increase in agricultural production and the number of customers. As a result, Agri-Cultura’s farms have been able to employ more people, stimulating the local economy while providing a living wage and proper worksite conditions. This sustainable agricultural economic development in turn provides opportunities to feed, employ, educate, inspire and engage the workers’ families, friends and neighbors. Increased interest in integrated agricultural practices, including resource conser vation, inspires individuals and families to learn to grow effectively and efficiently to provide fruit and vegetables. Cooperation helps rebuild trust and community involvement. i For more information on the Agri-Cultura Network, call 505.217.2461 or visit www.facebook.com/ agriculturanetwork

Resilience in New Mexico Agriculture Regional Meetings

It takes a diverse network of farmers, ranchers, processors, distributors and market organizers to make a difference in the future of agriculture. New Mexico First, a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to build consensus among groups and inspire legislative action, is organizing a series of meetings around New Mexico to discuss ideas for ensuring a robust food and agriculture system in the state. Eleven meetings are scheduled from December through March to bring together agriculture stakeholders to identify industry trends, challenges and solutions. The stakeholders New Mexico First is seeking include farmers and ranchers, commercial producers and marketers (e.g., those that process, store, distribute or market agricultural products), educators and researchers, government employees (e.g., extension agents, those engaged with water and environmental policy, food safety, etc.), financial lenders and grant makers (e.g., bankers or philanthropists), advocates, policymakers and consumers. The meetings will take place in Albuquerque–Jan. 13; Crownpoint (tribal)–March 3; Española (northern pueblos)–Feb. 10; Farmington–March 2; Laguna (southern pueblos)–Jan. 14; Las Cruces–Jan. 7; Roswell–Dec. 2; Shiprock (tribal)–March 4; Silver City–Jan. 15; Taos–Feb. 11; and Tucumcari–March 9. Lunch will be served at each meeting. There is no registration fee, but registration is requested. To learn more, call 505.225.2140, email info@nmfirst.org or visit http:// nmfirst.org/events/resilience-in-new-mexico-agriculture.

Green Fire Times • November 2015

Agritourism Conference Albuquerque, Nov. 12-14

Agricultural businesses looking for alternative ways to diversify their operations and bring in additional income might want to consider agritourism. This industry, which is widespread in the United States, offers activities for agritourists, such as picking fruit and vegetables, riding horses, tasting honey and learning about wine- and cheese-making, as well as shopping in farm gift stores and farm stands for local and regional produce or hand-crafted gifts.    The 2015 New Mexico Agritourism Conference will take place Nov. 12 to 14 at the MCM Hotel Elegante, 2020 Menaul Blvd. in Albuquerque. New Mexico State University’s Small Farm and Ranch Task Force is hosting the conference, which, on Nov. 12, will include tours of several agritourism operations in the Albuquerque area.    A general session will be held the mornings of Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13 and 14, with breakout sessions Friday afternoon. Topics will include successful methods of agritourism and how to build a business brand, how to deal with liability issues, how to build relationships with similar producers to develop festival events, marketing and promotion. Session tracks will include cultural and educational tourism, farm diversification, expanding direct marketing and dude ranch, bed & breakfast and recreational vehicle operations. Registration at the door will be $150. For more information or to register, call 505.983.4615 or 505.852.2668 or visit http://aces.nmsu.edu/agritourism/

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Atrisco Acequias continued from page 19

To do this, let’s go back to 1848, when the American Republic took over this land from México. During this time, the mode of subsistence was based on growing produce and livestock. The economy was based on bartering, and people produced what they needed. Their goods came either from México City via the cities of Zacatecas and Chihuahua, or as Anglos moved westward, from St. Louis, Missouri. In 1848, the U.S. won the MexicanU.S. War and, as a result, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed between the two countries.This stipulated that The second annual CESOSS Acequia Fun Run & Walk the traditions, customs and took place on Oct. 25. property of the Indo-Hispano away the constitutional right that people communities would be respected and had to form Acequias. Today, thanks incorporated into the Anglo-Saxon to provisions under the law, the South judiciary system. That is why the customs Valley has reinstituted the original of the Acequias eventually made it into Acequias of Arenal, Armijo, Atrisco, the U.S. legal system under the provision Los Padillas and Pajarito. of Water Law. So between 1848 and 1912, when New Mexico was finally accepted As we move forward beyond the into the Union as a state, a process began misunderstanding and misconceptions to change the economy from bartering of the past, there are other big fights and agricultural to industrial.Think about looming to protect water and a way that. From 1912 to the 1930s, people of life. But the community of Atrisco, were barely getting into a new economy or the South Valley, continues to fight when the Depression of the 1930s hit. For to ensure that the legacy left behind the people in the South Valley, this was to maintain the land and the water especially difficult because, at that point, together is not destroyed by the elusive they were not only getting used to a new promises that big developments and economy; a lot of the people did not even industrial complexes advertise in their speak English, with the exception of those quest to shift water use to support big who were able to afford sending their kids enterprises at the expense of beautiful to get educated in the Midwest. They did and powerful communities that still not understand the new system of law regard water as a sacred element that and intricate processes that in many ways promises life, not as a commodity that were used to dispossess people from their supports decadence. i land and water. So, to add to the complexity that people had to endure as the new American system came to change the people’s lives and customs, in the 1920s the Middle Río Grande Conservancy District was created to manage the distribution of water in the valley. Over the years people thought that the MRGCD came to displace the Acequias, but in fact it did not, at least not entirely. The MRGCD was created to ensure an efficient distribution of water. The formation of the MRGCD did not take

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this assertion, let’s understand how these misconceptions and misunderstandings developed.

Jorge García is president of the Center for Social Sustainable Systems (www.cesoss. org). He co-founded the nonprof it La Placita Institute and currently serves as vice-president of the South Valley Regional Association of Acequias. He is directly associated with many local, national and international community initiatives. https://unm.academia. edu/JorgeAGarcia

Green Fire Times • November 2015

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

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Gardens de Atrisco

Article and photos by Joseph C. García

he Gardens de Atrisco, a project of the Town of Atrisco Grant, is part of the community momentum that is reclaiming urban and semi-rural lands in Atrisco for healing, education, growing food and saving seed.

Healing and creating community wealth Jesse Anzures, who serves on the town of Atrisco Board of Trustees, and Victor Versace, of the Desert Forge Foundation, share the garden space with veterans for healing and creating community wealth through the growing of chile, corn, tomatoes, mint, garlic and basil. Working the land in the traditional way, communities were able to create their own wealth and livelihood. It is good news that the town is currently creating wealth and opportunity through these gardens. There is a beautiful quote on the Desert Forge Foundation website (www.desertforge.org): “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their

spears into pruning hooks…neither shall they war anymore.” –Isaiah 2:4. Other favorite quotes that have inspired Atrisco gardeners: “La Agua es La Vida” and one from Mahatma Gandhi: “To forget how to dig the Earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”

Jesse Anzures in his chile garden. He saves his blue corn seed.

Many varieties of chile have been grown in the garden. In September and October, chile pods from Chimayó, Jémez and Atrisco were harvested daily. Jesse Anzures says, “We have been successful in building the soil and harvesting food and look forward to planning for next season.” The Gardens de Atrisco are pesticide free. There is an emphasis on educating

young people about the value of New Mexico agriculture, our acequias and the creation of a more socially just, abundant and fertile Atrisco Valley. Students from local high schools, UNM and University of Miami (Alternative Spring Break) have volunteered at the Gardens since it started a few years ago. Town of Atrisco Board of Trustees President Jerome Padilla, Secretary Theresa Gonzales and Trustee Jaime Chávez have also continued to work in

support of the Gardens de Atrisco as a way to build community wealth and of course to pass on the great tradition of growing New Mexico chile. i Joseph C. Gar cía, M.A., is a community capacity builder with the UNM Community Engagement Center. He is also director of garden education at La Plazita Institute. jgarc20@msn.com

Annual Local Food Festival and Field Day at the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House

Presented by Bernalillo County Open Space in cooperation with the Mid-Region Council of Governments Agriculture Collaborative and other community organizations.

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

Eco-Delivery Services • 505.920.6370

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

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The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Ref uge A Hidden Gem

Julia Bernal

The first urban refuge in the Southwest

Currently the refuge is only farm fields. But it’s a perfect nesting, feeding and resting place for migratory birds. Thousands of snow geese, Canada geese and hundreds of sandhill cranes find refuge at Valle de Oro. People connect with nature there through photography, wildlife obser vation and environmental education. As it grows, the refuge will add additional cultural significance when the historic El Camino Real is marked throughout the property.

The gates to Valle de Oro are open to the public Monday through Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm. Boundary signs are posted

and dirt roads weave through the property, allowing access to birding hotspots. Boy Scouts have built benches and an outdoor classroom as sitting areas to enjoy and observe wildlife. Environmental education opportunities are available to any educators who may want to introduce their classes to their new open space. My drive to the refuge is about 40 to 45

minutes, depending on traffic. When I arrive, the sun is rising over the Sandías. When I leave, it makes the landscape gleam like gold. It always takes my breath away. i Julia Bernal is Valle de Oro’s AmeriCorps intern through a BIA-funded program called the Native A m e r i c a n Wa te r Corps. Through that program she was certified as a water resource technician. She heads the water-themed environmental education programs at the refuge. Julia is from Sandia Pueblo and hopes to get accepted into a UNM Masters Program in Water Resources Policy Management.

The refuge sits on about 570 acres of managed alfalfa and hay fields. Residents of the Mountain View community can remember when the refuge was Price’s Dairy Farm. Valley Gold was the name of the milk delivered. While development options were being considered, the neighborhood supported the idea that

the land be used for conservation, and in 2012 the property was finally purchased and converted into the first urban refuge in the Southwest. Since then, it has grown into something unique, not only for the South Valley but for Albuquerque and beyond. Visitors f rom in- and out-of-state all recognize the undeveloped landscape’s beauty.

ucked in between industrial factories and residential homes, the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, restored seasonal wetlands, is a hidden gem of the South Valley. I had never known much about the South Valley because I grew up on the opposite side of Albuquerque. Sandia Pueblo was my front- and back yard for climbing cottonwood trees and going on long walks to the Río Grande. So when I became an AmeriCorps intern at the refuge, Valle de Oro extended my backyard and outdoor classroom.

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Green Fire Times • November 2015

Op-Ed: A Community’s Battle Against the Santolina Master Plan

Dr. Virginia Necochea

antolina chamaecyparissus1 is an herbaceous perennial, originally from the Mediterranean, known as the “workhorse of the drought-tolerant garden2.”

But for many of us who live and work in the South Valley, the plant with the pretty yellow flowers is furthest from our minds when we hear the name. Instead, we now picture a massive housing development looming in our backyards. Santolina... How I have come to dread even hearing the word. Over the past year, thanks to the dedicated work of many organizations, neighborhood associations and concerned community members, Santolina has become known across New Mexico. It has become symbolic of outside corporations and developers pushing their visions onto New Mexican communities.

What is Santolina and why should our entire state be concerned?

The Santolina Master Plan would cover more than 13,700 acres of undeveloped land in the southwest portion of Bernalillo County, specifically on the West Mesa. This plan proposes over 37,000 dwelling units that would house approximately 95,000 people. At build-out, Santolina would require over 14,000 acre-feet of water per year. This amount would be comparable to the water use of a new Río Rancho, 150 percent of Santa Fe’s water supply for a comparable population, or 300 percent of Intel’s water use during record periods. (Gaume, 20153). That is the amount that would be required by this development so ironically named after a drought-resistant, low-water-use plant.

Despite this past summer’s wonderful rains, our geographic region remains abnormally dry and under long-term threat of drought conditions. According to scientists, we are facing the prospect of one of the worst droughts in the last 1,000-year period4. The title of an article featured in Science Advances in February 2015 sums it up best: “Unprecedented 21st Century Drought Risk in the American Southwest and Central Plains” [emphasis added]. If this is the current reality of not only our state but also our Southwest region, consumption of water at this level for a massive development does not make sense. To add to these contradictions, the population of Albuquerque is not significantly increasing. In 2014 the population grew by a mere 0.1 percent5. According to the Census Bureau, more people are leaving the Albuquerque area than arriving. If this is the case, then how can a development of this size be warranted?

1 Image from http://lambley.com.au/garden-notes/lambleys-new-mediterranean-garden 2 See http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/santolina/santolina-plant-information.htm 3 As quoted in http://nmpoliticalreport.com/3965/santolina-water-worries-are-real-concernby-dr-virginia-necochea/ 4 See http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/1/e1400082 for full article 5 See http://www.freeabq.com/?p=1465

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Santolina poses a threat to local South Valley traditions.

The South Valley, the oldest neighborhood in what elders know as the Valle de Atrisco, has gone through numerous cultural and economic changes. More than 40,000 people call the South Valley home and over 80 percent are Hispanic/ Latino. The median household income is $36,821, and it is estimated that over 25 percent live in poverty (2010 Census).

Consumption of water at this level for a massive development does not make sense. Although the South Valley is considered to be one of the poorest communities in the area, many residents possess (or can potentially possess) a precious and valuable resource: water rights. Summed up, a water right is the right to water from a specific source to be used at a specific location for a specific beneficial purpose. According to the New Mexico Constitution, the water belongs to the people. As of now, all water rights have been allocated; there are no new water rights in our state. The next logical question then is: “If we are in a drought and all water has been allocated, then where will the water needed to support Santolina come from?” People who farm and irrigate in the South Valley already know the answer to this question. It would have to come from existing users, mostly acequieras/os and farmers in the Middle Río Grande Valley, as there is no unallocated water in the

basin. The water consumed by the Santolina development will negatively impact water supplies in the South Valley, thus impacting families whose well being and livelihood depend on precious water resources. This is why many South Valley and Albuquerque residents and other concerned community members across the state have unified against Santolina—not because we are anti-growth or anti-development, but because we love our community, the South Valley acequias and our traditions. We have come together because we understand current conditions in New Mexico. We are an informed community that knows that our population growth is not significantly increasing and we understand that drought continues to plague our state. These are all serious factors. Despite the community’s concerns and public outcry, the Santolina Master Plan Level A was approved on a 3-to-2 vote by the Bernalillo County Commission in June 2015 (commissioners Art de la Cruz, Lonnie Talbert and Wayne Johnson voting in favor and commissioners Maggie Hart Stebbins and Debbie O’Malley against). This vote sent a shocking jolt across our communities because it clearly demonstrated how skewed the decision-making process is. If elected and appointed officials had remained true to their responsibility of representing their constituents,

6 Image from an exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum

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South Valley Reflections

Quivira Conference: The Next Wave: Cultivating Abundance, Nov. 11-13

Noah Allaire

am of sacred land and earth; the same mixture of silt, straw, water and clay in which the roots of the plants we grew were used to build the walls of the house in which I was born. I was born on land over which the river used to flood, carrying renewal with nutrients from the north. Before it was called by a colonial name, the river was known to each community differently; mets’ichi chena, said the Keres, posoge, said the Tewa, paslápaane, said the Tiwa, hañapakwa, said the Towa, Tó Ba’áadi, said the Navajo. As a child, I never considered the possibility that people once drank the river’s murky waters. Twice a week my father would lead us to the Culligan water store, where nutrients and renewal came in the form of two blue raspberry snowcones. I arrived in the southern river valley much too late to have seen the ebb and flow of the flood, but the sacred land fostered new types of cyclical movement. I got here just in time to have seen the ebb and flow of pious and patriarchal families, driving to church on Sunday, beautifully dressed for their weekly dose of shame. I got here just in time to have seen the ebb and flow of schoolchildren, walking down a road with no sidewalks, shuddering every time the roar of an oversized truck enveloped them. I got here just in time to have seen the ebb and flow of yesterday’s schoolchildren, trudging down the same road with no sidewalks,

Santolina

on their weekly pilgrimage to receive a type of sacrament only available at the holy methadone clinic. I am of sacred land and earth. My body grew because of the same mixture of milk, blood, mud and honey that were used to build the walls of the house in which I live.

I am of sacred land and earth. Some who are born here are dug out f rom the earth. Like ancient archaeological artifacts, their exact age and function is often unclear, but their otherworldly traits are fascinating to outsiders. Some who are born here are drawn up by irrigation pumps from deep underground wells. Like the water, they arrive cold and pure, with wisdom and energy accumulated over thousands of years spent underground. Some who are born here float down from the sky. Like the countless bits of cotton that fill the wind in spring, their movements are unpredictable, but the intention behind their presence is clear. When I was born here, I was made from a mixture of silt, straw, water and clay. Like an adobe brick, I was laid in an open frame with standard dimensions and baked for years in the high desert sun. i

This year’s conference speakers include ranchers, farmers, scientists, activists and others who are leading the next wave of agrarians. The kick-off event on Nov. 11 is a workshop, Fundamentals of Soil, centered on the work of scientist Christine Jones, whose specialty is soil restoration. Keyline 101 is a workshop is in the afternoon. Leading designers will discuss techniques to address drought, and restoration guru Bill Zeedyk will talk about managing water on western rangelands and degraded wetlands. The New Agrarian Connection, a networking event for prospective employers and aspiring farmers and ranchers will take place prior to the evening’s featured speaker, renowned author and sustainable agriculture advocate Paul Hawken. His talk is open to the public for a $30 ticket.

Bill Zeedyk

On days 2 and 3, twelve accomplished plenary speakers are scheduled. There will be an awards banquet Thursday evening. The conference takes place at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque. For information, call 505.820.2544, ext. 2 or visit http://quiviracoalition.org/2015_Conference/index.html

Noah Allaire is a linguist and a bicycle mechanic who was born and raised in the South Valley. His interests include environmentalism, hip hop culture and localism.

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the Santolina Master Plan would never have made it out of its first vetting phase at the County Planning Commission level. But instead of giving up, the South Valley community is in it for the long haul. Several lawsuits have been filed calling into question possible violations of the Open Meetings Act and raising many more issues with the process and procedures used in the Santolina decision. So despite the realities that we live in an area where developers and corporate greed seem to dictate what happens in our communities, many of us continue our work to protect our communities. Please take a good look at the accompanying aerial image of the Albuquerque and South Valley area and tell me if it’s not obvious where the wealth of water belongs. i Dr. Virginia Necochea is director of the Center for Social Sustainable Systems (CESOSS), a small organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of ways of life and traditions in the South Valley. 505.304.8724, www.cesoss.org

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The Zanjeras continued from page 25

Green Fire Times • November 2015

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Op-Ed: How Zoning Codes Can Drastically Impact Environmental Justice Communities

Juan Reynosa

magine living in an area of your city that the government has long deemed suitable for heavy industrial production. Superfund sites that have polluted your water sources are being cleaned up to this day. Your friends and family are breathing in high concentrations of pollutants, leading to higher instances of cancer, asthma and heart disease, compared to the rest of the city. Yet you are also a member of a proud community, and you continue the fight for your right to the clean air and water that is enjoyed by many other residents. Before industry was allowed to come in and exploit the area, families and workers supported our traditional agricultural system that had long inhabited the corridor along the rail lines. Since its inception in the 1970s, the industrial corridor along the railway in Albuquerque has created terrible living conditions for residents, many of whom have resided in the area for generations. Those most impacted are the San José, Mountain View and greater Gardner communities. Per the City of Albuquerque Zone Code Overview: The M-1 and M-2 zones are standard manufacturing zone categories. The most intense industrial uses are found in the conditional-use portion of the M-2 zone. These uses include manufacturing of products such as explosives, glue and fiberglass, slaughtering of animals and fat-rendering. P e r B e r n a l i l l o C o u n t y ’ s z o n i n g c at e g o r y definitions: M-1 and M-2 zones permit heavy industry manufacturing of acetylene gas, asphalt, bricks and concrete, chemicals, petroleum byproducts, turpentine and tar products (to name just a few). These two zoning designations allow for refineries, concrete plants, chemical facilities, asphalt refineries, salvage yards, etc., to be located within and surrounding actual neighborhoods. This means that people living in these communities are constantly dealing with pollution from these facilities and the associated health impacts. These residents have to deal with city and county governments that hide behind these zoning regulations to justify prioritizing industry growth over community health.

Since its inception in the 1970s, the industrial corridor along the railway in Albuquerque has created terrible living conditions for residents.

I’ve sat at Albuquerque Air Quality Board meetings, City Council meetings, County Commission meetings and zoning meetings with community members calling for zoning changes and air-permit denials, yet we are almost always told that the officials’ hands are tied because of the M-1 and M-2 zoning designations. It’s an unfortunate and unjust situation that needs to be changed as soon as possible. In conversations with community members from San José I’ve learned that there has been a big community push from them and from Mountain View residents to change the zoning in the area and decrease the amount of polluting industry. Esther Abeyta from San José had this to say: “In order to protect the most vulnerable communities from being overburdened with polluting industries, cumulative impacts need to be included in the permitting process and stricter land use regulations put in place where heavy polluting industries are located in close proximity to low-income communities, residential homes, schools and parks.” It makes no sense at all to have oil refineries operating within a couple of blocks of where people live and children play. There was no foresight in locating a chlorine manufacturing plant next to a huge salvage yard that has multiple fires every year. Or how about having two large concrete plants located right next to each other, spewing concrete dust all over the houses located behind them, day after day? There’s also the ongoing situation of cleaning up multiple Superfund sites

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Oil tankers being unloaded at the end of a neighborhood street in the San José community.

that have contaminated multiple water sources in the area. This is what Esther Abeyta means when she talks about “cumulative impacts”—a high concentration of polluting industry in a relatively small area, which leads to intense health problems. What I listed above is just a small example of the industry located in these communities and the impacts they have on the families who live there. There is no justice in forcing certain communities (with much of their population being lowincome people of color) to live with a lower quality of life and lower life expectancy as a result of bad zoning laws and the desire to create industrial corridors right next to communities that have been chronically burdened by environmental injustices. What needs to happen, and what community members have been demanding for years, is a change in the zoning codes. More affluent neighborhoods in Albuquerque never have to fight new fertilizer plants or asphalt refineries that are applying to locate in their area, and the industry burden shouldn’t be placed on environmental justice (EJ) communities. In fact, irresponsible zoning has played a major role in these communities being designated as EJ communities. Elected officials from Bernalillo County and the city of Albuquerque need to step up and do the right thing and stop prioritizing industry growth over community health. There is no acceptable trade-off for a community member getting cancer or a child getting asthma in return for supposed economic development. The zoning in these areas has always given these officials an excuse and something to hide behind as they neglect the community and walk side by side with industry. Enough is enough. The time is now for a real change to give these communities the right to clean air and water and a good quality of life. i Juan Reynosa is an organizer with the Southwest Organizing Project, which focuses on environmental justice and air quality issues. He has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from UNM. His hometown is Hobbs, New Mexico. www.swop.net

Environmental Justice Environmental Justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin or income, with respect to development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. EJ is about people confronting local environmental and/or public health problems by working collaboratively with local government agencies, impacted community groups and the responsible state and federal agencies. EJ promotes environmental and public health protection within the context of sustainable development.

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Precursors of Albuquerque

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16 of these families were mestizos, and most of the servants were genízaros, captives from the Apachis, Comanchis and Apachis de Nabajú who were Christianized and acculturated into Spanish society.

Map of Bernalillo Land Grants from Private Land Claims of the Southwest, J.J. Bowden

When the descendants of the founding families who first resettled the town of Atrisco’s extended grant of 1768 came to prove their ownership before U. S. Surveyor General Henry M. Atkinson on March 19, 1881, they first filed a petition seeking confirmation of the grant known as the lands of the Río Puerco. Included was a copy of the expediente (pertinent documents relating to the land grant) showing that on April 28, 1768, Governor Mendinueta gave the grant to José Hurtado and 14 others. A supplemental petition was filed almost five years later by the inhabitants of the town of Atrisco near the Río Grande in U.S. Surveyor General George W. Julian’s office on Dec. 31, 1885 on behalf of the founders of the town of Atrisco. Although the grant papers were lost, the heirs were able to show that through deeds, church and census records that they were in possession of the land throughout the 18th and 19th centuries (Recompilación de las Leyes de Las Indias, 1680, gave title to community/individual settlers with continued/ uninterrupted possession for 40 years.) U.S. Surveyor Julian on Jan. 28, 1886 was

finally convinced to report to the U.S. Congress that the evidence by the claimants warranted the presumption that a grant was made to them in or about 1700 and the grant papers of the 1768 concession for additional grazing and wood gathering lands were genuine. Despite this favorable report, Congress did not survey nor pass judgment upon the grant. ( J.J. Bowden, Private Land Claims of the Southwest, M.A. Thesis SMU 1969, p. 1703, available at the Fray Angelico Library, Museum of NM)

Seven years later, on Feb. 26, 1892, over 225 claimants petitioned the District Court of Bernalillo County, asking the court to incorporate their interests by creating a body politic and corporation under the name of the town of Atrisco. (Based

on an act of the Territory of New Mexico, Chapter 86 Laws of NM, 162-174 (1891).

Cerro Colorado, northwest border of the Atrisco Land Grant

the south, by the lands of Antonio Baca; and on the west, by the ceja (edge) of the Río Puerco” (Town of Atrisco Grant, No. 145, Misc. Records of the Surveyor General of New Mexico.) Once the settlers built their houses, dug the acequia and planted their fields, they probably built La Capilla de San Andrés de los Ranchos de Atrisco, as later documented in the 1750 NM census. The town of Atrisco prospered and grew and in 1750, there were four plazas, each containing extended families that eventually outgrew their common areas for grazing and firewood gathering. As a result, in 1768, a group of 15 men, led by José Hurtado de Mendoza, petitioned Gov. Pedro Fermín de Mendinueta for lands to the west of their town boundary, from north to south. On April 28, 1768, a granting decree was issued for land with the following boundaries: “On the north, by the Cerro Colorado, which is located two leagues south of the town of San Francisco del Río Puerco; on the east, by the ceja of the Río Puerco Mountain; on the south, by a point three leagues south of the Cerro Colorado; and on the west, by the Río Puerco.” The governor directed the Alcalde of Alburquerque, Francisco Trébol Navarro, to deliver royal possession of the land to the grantees. (Town of Atriaco Grant, No. 145, SGNM) On the southern boundary of the extended Atrisco Grant the settlers “were especially cautioned against introducing new settlers without prior consent of the inhabitants of the town of Atrisco.” On or near a landmark called the “Alamo Gacho” there was an abandoned rancho that was formerly owned by Pedro Durán y Chaves. The governor gave it to José Hurtado de Mendoza, brother-in-law of Efigenia Durán y Chaves. (Town of Atrisco Grant, No, 145, SGNM) The people of both grants prospered, and by the 1790 census of New Mexico, there were four plazas totaling 225 individuals, the first with 11 extended families and their servants, the second with 17 families and servants, the third with nine families and fewer servants, and the fourth with 16 families and the fewest servants. (SANM, Censo de Nuevo México, 1790, NMSRCA) Many

Green Fire Times • November 2015

The District Court granted their request and declared the petitioners and their successors to be a body politic. Eight months later, the town of Atrisco filed suit in the Court of Private Land Claims against the United States of North America and the city of Albuquerque requesting confirmation of the two grants, in trust, for its inhabitants. The first grant was estimated to be 41,500 acres and the second about 26,000 acres. It was also alleged that a portion of the 1700 grant was overlapped by the town of Albuquerque, even though the town of Atrisco was the senior grant and thus should prevail. The Court of Private Land Claims, in its decision on Sept. 4, 1894, held that under Spanish and Mexican customs a grant covering a large tract of land to a large number of heads of families was understood to be a community grant. (Journal 180-182 (Misc. Records of the Court of Private Land Claims) Regarding the conflict between the grants of the towns of Atrisco and Albuquerque, the court held that there was no evidence that Albuquerque had a corporate existence prior to 1788 and, therefore, there could be no presumption that is was entitled to four square leagues of land by operation of law until that date (United States Supreme Court, US vs. City of Albuquerque, 171 U.S. 685 (1898)

Pajarito Land Grant

Although an original land grant document for El Sitio de San Ysidro de Pajarito does not exist, Josefa Baca, daughter of Manuel Baca of Bernalillo, owned land in Pajarito in 1733. Josefa had six children: Antonio, the oldest, followed by José, Diego Domingo, Manuel Rosa and Isabel. (Fray Angélico Chávez: Origins of NM Families, pp. 144–145) The boundaries for this land were clear: “On the north by the Town of Atrisco Grant; on the east, by the Río Grande; on the south, by the sitio or place called Los Padillas; on the west by the [Ceja del] Río Puerco.” (J.J. Bowden, Private Land Claims of the Southwest, 1969 (Southern Methodist Univ. unpublished Master’s Thesis p. 1708) Using these boundaries as a base, they run

approximately 13 miles from east to west and four miles from north to south, encompassing 33,280 acres.

Antonio Baca, son of Josefa, acquired an undivided interest in the grant in 1746 as a devisee under his mother’s will and purchased the balance of the grant from his siblings. (Spanish Archives of NM, Twitchell Document #94, 1746) The land grant had three villages living within its boundaries when the 1750 census of New Mexico continued on page 34

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Precursors of Albuquerque

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was recorded. They were: Pajarito, Ranchos de Padilla and Sitio de Gutiérrez, and living within them were a few Spaniards, many mestizos and genízaro servants (SANM, Censo de Nuevo Méjico, 1750, NMSRCA) For the next decade, some of the Baca family resided on the grant. Josefa Apolonia Baca, Antonio’s daughter, married Clemente Gutiérrez, who was a successful trader on the Chihuahua trail, on the 13th of October of 1755 (Diligencias Matrimonales, San Agustín de Ysleta Pueblo, 1755) Clemente Gutiérrez purchased the Padilla Grant for sheep grazing in 1768. The settlers expanded sheep grazing onto the lands west but suffered from raids by the Nabajú and Apachis from 1770 to 1800. Shortly before his death, Clemente Gutiérrez purchased the Pajarito Grant from Antonio Baca, on May 10, 1785. (Senate Executive Document No. 89, 50th Congress, 2nd Session 43-44, 1889) Their son, Lorenzo Gutiérrez, would later inherit the grant from his mother, Apolonia.

32 complete history of these land grants, see Joseph P. Sánchez’s Between Two Rivers: The Atrisco Land Grant in Albuquerque History, 1692-1968 and Elaine Patricia Luján’s article “The Pajarito Land Grant: A Contextual Analysis of Its Confirmation by the U.S. Government,” fall 2008, Natural Resources Journal. i Hilario E. Romero, a New Mexican mestizo (Spanish/Basque/Jicarilla Apache/Ute), is a former New Mexico state historian. He has spent the past 40 years in higher education, as an administrator and professor of history, education and Spanish at Northern New Mexico College, and adjunct at New Mexico Highlands University and University of New Mexico.

Two part- or full-time, ad sales persons needed for Green Fire Times, northern New Mexico’s largest distribution newspaper: One to work the Santa Fe area and one to work the Albuquerque / Río Rancho area. Send résumé to: Skip@ GreenFireTimes.com

General Land Office Map, Territory of New Mexico, 1908

Almost a century later, the descendants of Clemente and Josefa Apolonia Gutiérrez testified before U.S. Surveyor General George W. Julian in 1877, claiming their undisputed possession of the Pajarito Grant by demonstrating complete ownership in their oral testimony, which was consistent with the documentary evidence. They testified that, since the turn of the 17th century, they built houses, fences, planted orchards, vineyards, dug the acequia system and cultivated the lands until the present without anyone questioning their right or title to the tract. (J.J. Bowden, pp. 1707–12) After waiting over 10 years, the heirs of Josefa Baca, Antonio Baca and Clemente Gutiérrez finally heard back from the U.S. Surveyor General Julian in 1887 stating that the confirmation of the claim by Congress “would not only be a matter of justice to the claimants but would tend to preserve the peace and the town of Pajarito, primarily inhabited by the claimants and their peons.” On Feb. 7, 1893, the claimants filed suit in the Court of Private Land Claims seeking confirmation of the grant, which they estimated at 40,000 acres. On Sept. 8, 1894, the court, by decree, held there was a presumption that a grant had been made to Josefa Baca and the tract had been acquired by prescription. A survey was made between September 1897 and April 1898 for 28,724.22 acres. The grant was finally patented on Nov. 27, 1914. (Miscellaneous Records of the Court of Private

Retail Monthly rent and square footage open

Land Claims, Journal, pp. 186–188)

The families of long-settled Ysleta Pueblo, and the Atrisco and Pajarito land grants and villages that evolved in the South Valley between Albuquerque and Peralta were blessed by rich land and an abundance of water. But without their ancestors’ ability to fight off disease, Navajo, Apachi and Commanchi raids from 1770 to 1800, and hard work and determination, they would not have continued occupation to this day. This general look at the early history of the South Valley throughout the onslaught of change during its early period is only part of the story. For a more

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Green Fire Times is available at many locations in the metropolitan Albuquerque / Río Rancho area! For the location nearest you, call Nick García at 505.203.4613 www.GreenFireTimes.com

NEWSBITEs New Mexico Ranks High for Energy-Efficiency

Energy is one of the main household expenses for American consumers. About half of energy bills are for heating and cooling. According to a new study, New Mexico is one of the top states in the U.S. when it comes to energy efficiency, with an overall ranking of 13th. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Climatic Data Center, the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Federal Highway Administration, WalletHub.com’s “Most and Least Energy Efficient” list calculates the efficiency of car- and home-energy consumption. Car efficiency is calculated as annual vehicle miles driven divided by gallons of gasoline used. Home-energy efficiency is calculated as the ratio between total residential energy consumption and degree-days. Factors in New Mexico’s high score include energy rebates from utilities and government agencies, as well as energy-efficient lighting, appliances and products such as solar panels.

Copper Rule Brief Filed With State Supreme Court

On Oct. 19, water-quality advocates filed a brief with the state Supreme Court, outlining why they think the state’s Copper Mine Rule should be set aside. The brief, filed by the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) on behalf of Gila Resources Information Project, Amigos Bravos and Turner Ranch Properties, L.P., alleges that the Rule violates the Water Quality Act because “it imposes no limit on the magnitude, extent or duration of pollution discharged by copper mines.” A NMELC press release says that Freeport McMoRan, the world’s largest publiclyowned copper mining company, worked closely with the New Mexico Environment Department to draft the Rule, which was adopted in 2013. The NMED has argued that the regulations strike a balance between protecting water and allowing for economic development. In 2015 the Court of Appeals upheld the state’s adoption of the Rule. The state attorney general and a former state Groundwater Bureau chief have also filed briefs with the Supreme Court requesting that the Rule be thrown out.

Environmental Justice Grants Awarded

In 1994, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Environmental Justice established the Environmental Justice (EJ) Small Grants Program to assist community-based/grassroots organizations and tribal governments that work on local solutions to local environmental problems. In 2015, EJ grants have been awarded to Tewa Women United, based in Española, New Mexico, and The Friends of Valle de Oro, based in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Tewa Women United was selected for a project entitled “Adapting to Climate Change: Española Edible Food Forest.” The project will educate tribal and rural communities in northern New Mexico about environmental, public health and climate change issues related to water. This will include a focus on local strategies to maintain clean water supplies by demonstrating how traditional dry-land farming techniques can be combined with contemporary strategies to improve water use efficiency. The project is a collaborative effort among local schools, organizations and government. TWU is partnering with the city of Española for an Edible Food Forest terrace garden project to demonstrate wise use of water and water harvesting and to educate the community on sustainable gardening methods. The EJ grant to The Friends of Valle de Oro is to help support the development of an environmental and EJ strategic plan for the Southwest’s first urban wildlife refuge. A major known problem for the refuge and Mountain View neighborhood is stormwater impacts that have long plagued Albuquerque’s South Valley. The refuge will be used as part of a plan to manage stormwater under a new pilot watershedbased Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit and a new project of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority to install stormwater management facilities, which will include use of the refuge for end-point collection and treatment. The funded project will include canvassing and outreach to community leaders to research baseline community understanding of the refuge, identify community needs and issues, and to identify potential negative environmental and economic impacts of the development of the refuge and formulate recommendations to minimize or eliminate such impacts.

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Carbon Economy Series Hemp Workshop Santa Fe, Nov. 13, 14

Seventy-seven years of prohibition of one of humanity’s longest-utilized and most useful plants appears to be ending. Hemp is back in the soil in 26 U.S. states, including Colorado, which has now completed its third growing season. (In 2015, a bipartisan bill passed the New Mexico Legislature but was vetoed by the governor.) The industry is growing 24 percent annually and will cross the billon-dollar mark this year in North America. Kicking off the fifth season of the Carbon Economy Workshop series, Doug Fine, author of Hemp Bound, and First Legal Harvest: Hemp Returns to Humanity, will give a presentation on the subject on Nov. 13 from 7 to 9 pm, and a workshop the next day from 9 am to 5 pm. Both events will take place in Room 487 of Santa Fe Community College. Fine, who has researched hemp farms and processors around the world, will explain techniques and applications that are part of an industry he considers a huge economic opportunity for New Mexico. Hemp, a drought-resistant plant, can provide energy, food, medicine, textiles and building materials, among many other things. It is a natural, fiber-based replacement for petro- and chemical plastics, GMO-based food and fossil fuel-based energy. Admission to the Friday evening lecture is $10. The cost for the lecture with the workshop is $99. Admission is free for Santa Fe Community College students. For more information, call 469.554.9202 or visit Dougfine.com and www. carboneconomyseries.com

Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival Nov. 20-22

The country’s oldest and largest recycled art market, the Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, kicks off at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on Nov. 20 with its popular Trash Fashion and Costume Contest, then continues with a market showcasing art created from discarded materials. All of the art consists of a minimum of 75 percent recycled materials—everything from vintage tin cans turned into earrings to scrap metal sculptures. There will also be adult and student juried exhibits and make-andtake art opportunities. Many of the resourceful artists travel from across the state and country to participate, and make their living selling original pieces. They upcycle trash into treasure, combining recycling and innovation, while making one-of-a-kind art. Friday general admission is $5. Children under 12 are free. Tickets for the Friday night recycle fashion show at 7pm are $15-20 and may be purchased ahead of time through www.ticketssantafe.org or by calling 505.988.1234. Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday. www.recyclesantefe.org

NM Recycling Coalition Awarded Grant to Assist Tribes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program awarded $40,000 to the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) as part of the Solid Waste Management grant program. The “Tribal Recycling Program Assistance and Training” project launched a one-year grant program in October 2015 to provide technical assistance and trainings to 20 eligible New Mexico tribes, including Taos Pueblo and Picuris Pueblo. NMRC found that many challenges hinder how tribes are able to launch or expand their diversion programs. One challenge has been the transition of how federal funds are able to assist tribes in their solid waste management programs. Another is the rural nature of the state. Approaches outlined in this project include providing on-site trainings, developing and sharing resources for tribes to use for self-sustaining solid-waste funding mechanisms and conducting waste audits to better understand the tribal waste stream,” said Sarah Pierpont, NMRC interim executive director. The project will initially reach out to the targeted communities to introduce the program and offer technical assistance. One to two waste audits will be conducted to better understand the solid waste stream generated in these tribal communities.

Green Fire Times • November 2015

What's Going On! Events / Announcements Nov. 11, 7 pm An Evening with Paul Hawken Embassy Suites, 1000 Woodward Pl.

ALBUQUERQUE

Nov. 4, 5:30-7 pm Green Drinks Hotel Andaluz, 125 Second St. NW

Network with people interested in doing business locally, clean energy alternatives and creating sustainable opportunities in our communities. Presented the first Wednesday of each month by the ABQ and Río Rancho Green Chamber. info@nmgree nchamber.com, www.greendrinks.org

Nov. 6 Submission Deadline; Nov. 13 event InnovateHer Challenge Matanza Craft Beer Kitchen 3225 Central NE

New Mexico entrepreneurs with an idea or product to improve the lives of women and families can compete. Hosted by NM Community Capital and the Central NM Community College STEMulus Center. The top three finalists will show off their winning products or services and win cash prizes on Nov. 13, 3:30-6 pm. The top winner will go on to compete for one of the 10 slots nationwide.

Nov. 7, 9-11 am Backyard Farming Series Gutiérrez-Hubbell House 6029 Isleta Blvd. SW

Holistic Garden and Gardener forum and discussion for thinking about our connections to nature and how gardens play a role in wildlife habitat and local environment. A panel of speakers will present. http://sust. unm.edu/events/2015/11/byf.html

Nov. 7, 9 am-12:30 pm ABQ Public Banking Symposium First Unitarian Church 3701 Carlisle Blvd. NE

It’s our money: investing in public banking. Speakers: State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, ABQ City Planning Director Vern Hagen, Sharon Henderson from Prosperity Works, Elaine Sullivan from Banking on NM, Public Banking Institute board member Nichoe Lichen, former chair of the So. Dakota Investment Council Curt Johnson, ABQ City Councilor Diane Gibson and CLNkids executive dir. Angela Merkert. No charge. Registration requested. 971.570.2922 or 505.603.8400

Nov. 7, 8, 1 pm No Impact Man The Guild Cinema 3405 Central Ave. NE

Film documentary about a man who drastically tried to curb his environmental impact. 505.255.1848, www.guildcinema.com

Nov. 8 The Story of Comanche Activist LaDonna Harris 151 Edmund Rd., Bernalillo, NM

Presented by the Sandoval Historical Society. 505.867.5872, www.Sandovalhistory.org/

Internationally renowned author/sustainable agriculture advocate Hawken will discuss Project Drawdown, solutions that can forge a path toward carbon decline in the atmosphere. $30. http://quiviracoalition.org

Nov. 11-13 Quivira Conference Embassy Suites, 1000 Woodward Pl.

“The Next Wave: Cultivating Abundance” Hear from ranchers, farmers, scientists, activists and others. Speakers include Paul Hawken, Christine Jones and many more. 505.820.2544, cbaca@quiviracoalition.org. Tickets: http://quiviracoalition.org/2015_ Quivira_Conference

Nov. 12, 7:30-9:30 am NM Energy Outlook Summit Sandia Resort

Energy insights for business leaders. Panelists from Center for Energy Policy, ConocoPhilips, PNM Resources, Positive Energy. Presented by ABQ Business First. 505.348.8326, tfenstermaker@bizjournals.com

Nov. 12, 6 pm The Global Quest For Water: Cultural Perspectives National Hispanic Cultural Center Wells Fargo Theater, 1701 4th St. SW

Talk by Rubén Arvizu on how climate change is affecting Hispanics. 505.242.1445, www.516arts.org

Nov. 12-14 NM Agritourism Conference MCM Hotel Elegante, 2020 Menaul

Hosted by the NMSU Small Farm and Ranch Task Force to provide ideas and options for agricultural producers. Registration: $150. 505.983.4615 or 505.852.2668, aces.nmsu.edu/agritourism/

Nov. 14, 9 am-5 pm Desert Composting Workshop ABQ Garden Center, 10120 Lomas NE

an opportunity to use projection and their imaginations to visualize and communicate climate change solutions. 505.224.8341, www.explora.us

Dec. 12, 6-10 pm Peace Center Holiday Gala First Unitarian Church corner of Carlisle & Comanche

Reggae music by Native Roots and songs from the Raging Grannies. Posole, dancing, silent auction, information tables. 505.268.9557

Daily Our Land, Our Culture, Our Story Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

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

“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 Nov. 3, 3-5 pm Recycle Fun Eldorado Library

Composting and art demonstrations, new recycling opportunities. Challenge your recycling I.Q. Sponsored by Eldorado 285 Recycles. 805.341.3278

Nov. 4, 11:30 am-1 pm Green Lunch SFAHBA, 1409 Luisa St.

5 classes: Composting basics, soil amending, compost tea, composting with worms, bucket composting with Bokashi. $25. Registration required by Nov. 7. NMcomposters.org

What is going on upstream where we get 40% of our water? Presentation by Eileen Everett, education dir., SF Watershed Assn. $20/$15. Reservations: 505.982.1774. Presented by the SF Green Chamber of Commerce.

Nov. 14, 2 pm Climate Change in Theatre Action Trilock Performance Laboratory 110 Gold Ave. SW

Nov. 5, 8:30 am Admissions Open House Río Grande School

Readings/performances intended to bring awareness and discussion around climate change in support of the upcoming UN Conference on Climate Change in Paris (COP 21). Free. 505.414.3728, www.trilock.com

Nov. 21 Congreso de las Acequias National Hispanic Cultural Center

Annual membership meeting. Co-hosted by the New Mexico Acequia Association and the South Valley Regional Association of Acequias. Registration fee. 505.995.9644, www.lasacequias.org/congreso

Dec. 9, 4-8 pm Agnes Chávez: Projecting Climate Change Explora, 1701 Mountain Rd. NW

Hands-on youth workshop offering students

Green Fire Times • November 2015

Preschool-6th Grade. Riograndeschool.org/ openhouse

Nov. 5, 10 am-2 pm Veterans Resource & Career Fair SFCC Jemez Rooms, 6401 Richards Ave. 505.428.1000, www.sfcc.edu/veterans

Nov. 6, 10 am-1 pm Free Civil Legal Clinic 1st Floor Jury Room, 1st Judicial Court, 225 Montezuma Ave.

Attorneys will be available to provide free legal advice on civil legal matter except family law. First come, first served. Bring relevant paperwork for the attorney to review. 1.877.266.9861. Sponsored by the First Judicial District Court Access to Justice Committee.

Nov. 7, 9 am-12 pm Simple Graywater Systems

Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center, Cerrillos, NM

Learn how to safely make use of your household water, which can be safely used for gardens and wildlife habitats. $35. 505.780.0535, Ampersandproject.org

Nov. 7, 10 am-12 pm Citizens Climate Lobby La Montanita Co-op, 913 W. Alameda

Monthly meeting. Focus your climate activism and enact the politically palatable and effective solution. santafe@citizensclim atelobby.org

Nov. 7, 11 am-9 pm American Dreams/Border Realities CCA, 1050 Old Pecos Trail

Film series with prominent directors and statewide premier of Kingdom of Shadows. Reception and conversation with filmmakers Gregory Nava, Bernardo Ruiz and Alex Rivera. $20 per film, $50 reception or $75 for all 3 films plus the reception. 505.982.1338, www.ccasantafe.org

Nov. 9, 14, 18 SF Waldorf School Visitor Days 26 Puesta del Sol

Parents and families of prospective students are invited to visit. 11/9, 8 am-4:30 pm: parents of students entering grades 9-12; 11/14, 10:30 am-12:30 pm: families of students Pre-K through 8th Grade; 11/18, 8 am-3 pm: families with students entering 7th grade not currently at SFWS. 505.467.6427, jwerner@ santafewaldorf.org

Nov. 11, 5:30-7 pm Green Drinks

Monthly event (2nd Wednesday) held by the SF Green Chamber of Commerce. Speakers have included business people, political candidates and innovative leaders committed to a more sustainable world. glenn@nmgreen chamber.com

Nov. 12, 5:30-6:30 pm Cañada Rincón Trail Meeting Zocalo Community Room 1301 Avenida Rincón

Meeting for the public to provide input on trail alignment and design. chorn@dodesignoffice.com

Nov. 13, 2-6 pm IAIA Open House 83 Avan Nu Po Road

Explore the Institute of American Indian Arts campus and programs. Meet students, faculty and staff. Live art demos, mini campus tours, student readings, art sale, bronze pour and more. 505.424.2300, www.iaia.edu

Nov. 13, 7-9 pm; Nov. 14, 9 am-5 pm First Legal Harvest: Bringing Hemp Back to NM SF Community College

Carbon Economy Series lecture/workshop by Doug Fine. Talk: $10, Workshop: $99. 505.819.3828, www.carboneconomyseries. com

Nov. 14, 11:30 am-2:30 pm SF Teachers’ Visit to Turkey Jemez Room, SFCC, 6401 Richards Ave.

Following an authentic Turkish buffet, 3 SF teachers will speak about their experience. Presented by the Council on Intl. Relations. $18. Reserve by Nov. 10. 505.982.4931, sfcir.org

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Nov. 14, 5:30-6:30 pm Healthy Travel Presentation The Travel Bug, 839 Paseo de Peralta

Dr. Robyn Benson, author of The Healthy Conscious Traveler, will discuss how to stay healthy on domestic or international trips. 505.474.8555, RSVP: https://www.facebook. com/events/1096285657048505/

Nov. 14, 7 pm The Rumi Concert The Lensic

“Open Secret,” A multidimensional feast of poetry, music, dance and story performed by Coleman Barks, Zuleikha and Jai Uttal. Tickets: $30/$75/$100. 505.988.1234, Tick etssantafe.org. Benefits the Storydancer Project (thestorydancerproject.org)

Nov. 17, 10 am-2 pm America Recycles Resource Fair SFCC Main Hallway, 6401 Richards Ave.

Local organizations, hands-on demonstrations, exhibits and workshops. 505.428.1000, www.sfcc.edu

Nov. 18, 8 am-2 pm Opportunity Santa Fe SF Convention Center

A community summit for collective impact. Expanding opportunities for SF’s children and youth. Free. www.santafecf.org

Nov. 18, 7-9 pm SFAI 140 SFUAD Campus, 1600 St. Michaels Dr.

An evening of creativity and conversation at the SF Art Institute featuring twenty 140-second talks by some of the area’s most innovative thinkers and practitioners. 505.424.5050, sfai.org

Nov. 18, 7 pm Awakening in Taos Film Premiere The Lensic, 211 W. San Francisco St.

The Mabel Dodge LujEan Story. Locally produced film. 5-6:30 pm: pre-screening party at Blue Rain Gallery (130 Lincoln Ave.) $25 screening, $75 for party and premiere. 505.988.1234, AwakeninginTaos.com/premiere

Nov. 19, 6 pm Heirloom Food & Story Private Home

Honoring Hunting & Gathering Cultures With Pueblo elder/storyteller/author Larry Littlebird and guest storytellers. Farm and field dinner. Info/tickets: heirloomstorydinner. brownpapertickets.com, www.hamaatsa.org

Nov. 19, 6:30-7:30 pm Bike Share in SF? Iconik Coffee Care, 1600 Lena St.

A panel and public discussion on an innovative way for communities to provide access to diverse and underserved populations at a reasonable cost. 505.955.6664, ejaune@ santafenm.gov, www.santafempo.org

Nov. 20, 10 am NM Acequia Commission Meeting Old Senate Chambers (Rm. 238), Bataan Memorial Bldg., Corner Don Gaspar & South Capital

Agendas: 505.827.4983 or www.nmacequia commission.state.nm.us; Info: 505.603.2879 or molinodelaisla@gmail.com

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Nov. 20, 5-7 pm Opening IAIA Graduating Seniors Exhibition Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery, Academic Bldg., 83 Avan Nu Po Rd.

Final projects of studio arts and museum studies seniors. Through Dec. 8. 505.424.2300, www.iaia.edu

Nov. 20-22 Recycle SF Art Festival SF Convention Center 201 W. Marcy St.

Green holiday gifts. Gallery-style exhibit, juried art exhibit, Friday night trash fashion and costume contest (separate cost). $5 General admission, free Sat. & Sun. Tickets: 505.988.1234, www.recyclesantafe.org

Nov. 22, 6:30 pm Healing Our World: A Deeper Look at Food SF Unity, 1212 Unity Way

Author Will Tuttle will talk about the food we choose, where it comes from, and how it affects us physically, culturally and spiritually. Learn how to make positive changes that minimize your eco-footprint. Meetup.com/ Santa-Fe-Veg

Nov. 24, 6-7:30 Is Your Cell Phone Making You Sick? La Montañita Co-op Community Room, 913 W. Alameda

Learn about patented products that help neutralize the effects of wi-fi technology and simple ways to decrease exposure. Free. 505.780.8283

Nov. 25, 12 pm “Taco Bell They Ain’t” NM History Museum Washington St. entrance

Short histories of TexMex, Mexican and New Mexican cuisines. Presented by journalist Dale Rice. Free. 505.476.5200

Dec. 3-4 Acting Out: A Symposium on Indigenous Performing Art 12/4, 6-8 pm: The Lensic

Symposium, performances, workshops and video screenings. Presented by the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, and the Lensic. Symposium and workshops at the museums no charge. Lensic performance: $25/$10. 505.428.5907, iaia.edu/museum/ news-events/upcoming-events

Dec. 4, 5:30-7:30 pm What Does It Take to Boost Student Graduation? SF Higher Education Center 1950 Siringo Rd.

Community forum presented by the Interfaith Coalition for Public Education and the SF Higher Education Center. www.tinyurl. com/interfaithcoalition

Dec. 4, 6 pm Somos un Pueblo Unido Anniversary Gala The Lensic

Somos is a statewide community-based and immigrant-led organization that promotes worker and racial justice. Keynote talk/discussion by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. $20/$25. 505.424.7832, www.somos unpueblounido.org

Dec. 7, 4-6 pm The Shift to Social Entrepreneurship

SF Community Foundation 501 Halona St.

A community discussion for nonprofits with the SFCF. No charge. Registration: 505.988.9715, www.santafecf.org

Dec. 10, 2-5 pm Inbound Marketing SF Community Foundation 501 Halona St.

The latest techniques to attract more donors, volunteers and others. A nonprofit technical assistance workshop with Allan Pressel and the SFCF. No charge. Registration: 505.988.9715, www.santafecf.org

Dec. 12, 4-7 pm Kindred Spirits Christmas Celebration

Tree lighting, meditation and tour of animal sanctuary at 4:30 pm. Refreshments. 505.471.5366, kindredspirits@earthlink.net, www.kindredspiritsnm.org

Sundays, 10 am-4 pm New Mexico Artisan Market Farmers’ Market Pavilion www.artmarketsantafe.com

Tuesdays and Saturdays, 8 am-1 pm Santa Fe 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

Tuesdays, 4:15-5:45 pm Design Lab for Sustainable Neighborhoods Higher Education Center 1950 Siringo Rd., Rm. 139

Bring your ideas, passion and perseverance and join in to design and build mixed-use Santa Fe infill. To RSVP, google Meetup Santa Fe and find the Design Lab.

Santa Fe Recycling

Make 2015 the year to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as you can. City residential curbside customers can recycle at no additional cost and drop by 1142 Siler Road, Building A, to pick up free recycling bins. At least 50 percent of curbside residential customers recycle now. Let’s take that number to 100 percent. 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 $20, CDs $2. Contact Melissa Holmes, 505.995.2717 or msholmes@santafe county.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.

HERE & THERE

Nov. 7, 8:15 am Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Tour North of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo

Visit the largest petroglyph site in NM. Advance registration required. $30/$38. 505.662.0460, www.losalamosnature.org

Nov. 7-8, 9 am-5 pm Dixon Studio Tour Dixon, NM

Nov. 6, 5-7 pm at the Community Center: meet the artists and see their work. Show continues through the weekend at 29 loca-

tions. A fall tradition presented by the Embudo Valley Arts Association. www.dixonarts.org

Nov. 12, 5:30-7 pm NM Solar Energy Association Chapter Meeting Little Toad Pub backroom 200 N. Bullard St., Silver City, NM

575.538.1337, scgreenchamber@gmail.com

Nov. 13, 7 pm Planetarium Film Premiere/Presentation Los Alamos Nature Center Los Alamos, NM

Local paleontologist Ralph Chapman will introduce different types of animals featured in Sea Monsters, a new full-dome film. Afterward, watch fossil hunters in remote locations. Suitable for ages 6 and up. $6/$4. www. losalamosnature.org

Nov. 13-15 Statewide Startup Weekend Albuquerque: Fat Pipe Farmington: Quality Center for Business at San Juan College Las Cruces: Arrowhead Center Santa Fe: SF Business Incubator

Collaborative and connected with a shared opening speaker, two shared Saturday workshops, a common closing speaker and a final pitch competition between the four communities. Business people, engineers, creatives, coders and anyone interested in working on a team and building a startup from scratch may benefit. Registration: http://newmex ico.startupweekend.org/

Nov. 19, 6-7:30 pm NM Solar Energy Assn. Chapter Meeting Alamogordo Public Library, Oregon Ave. at 10th St., Alamogordo, NM ronoffley@gmail.com

Nov. 20, 1-4 pm Open House and Artist Show Poeh Cultural Center and Museum, 78 Cities of Gold Rd., 15 miles north of Santa Fe.

Winter art show featuring work of instructors and students. Pueblo pottery, silverwork, sculpture, etc. 505.455.5041

Tuesday-Friday, 10 am-1 pm and Saturday Pajarito Environmental Education Center 3540 Orange St., 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. Tuesday-Saturday. Free. 505.662.0460, Programs@Pajarito EEC.org, www.pajaritoeec.org

Thursdays, 7 am–12:30 pm Los Alamos Farmers’ Market Library parking lot

talacook@windstream.net, lamainstreet. com/farmers-market.htm Library parking lot, Los Alamos, NM talacook@windstream. net, lamainstreet.com/farmers-market.htm

Río Grande Return Gifts from the River

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.riogrande return.com

Green Fire Times • November 2015

ÂŠ Cisco Whitson Brown

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.) 40

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ October 2015