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Contents 6
Creating a brighter future
The power of women’s votes effect real and positive change
BY DENA MILLER
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Health is more than health care
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Las Cumbres
Making a difference for children when a parent is incarcerated
BY CINDY BROWN
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In memoriam: Esther García She fought the good fight
BY SCOTT GERDES
A panel of Taos women health care leaders expands on outdated definitions of well-being
BY VIRGINIA L. CLARK
TAOSEÑA AWARDS:
Honoring eight women of impact 16 Debbie Lujan, Community/nonprofit leadership 18 Michele Hunt, Education 40 Jacquelene McHorse, Entrepreneur 44 Yvette Ortega, Restaurateur 48 Catherine Strisik, Literary artist 52 Ernestina Córdova, Community volunteer 56 Lisa Abeyta-Valerio, Athletics 60 Nikki Ross, Children’s creative opportunities
ON THE COVER DEBBIE LUJAN, PHOTO BY MORGAN TIMMS
From the editor What is it about Taos that either creates or draws remarkable women here? That’s the question asked in 2012, the year the Remarkable Women of Taos campaign, and the book of the same name, was published. “One of the reasons that I think, overall, most women like it here is that they are able to do what they need to do, what they want to do, how they want to do it,” producer Peter Walker of Swashbuckler Media was quoted saying in The Remarkable Women of Taos 2012 publication, regarding his promotional videos of Taos women for the town of Taos. “They can paint how they want; they can run a business how they want … they inspire new ideas and living their dream, creating community and breaking the stereotype of the macho world.” Since then, the Taos News has published this annual special section, Taos Woman, in an effort to do justice to the feminine spirit in Taos that predominates in every area of Taos life. This year we celebrate 100 years that women in the United States won the right to vote. Dena Miller honors this rite of passage in “Creating a brighter future,” showing how the gender gap is now key for politicians who want to win elections. Las Cumbres support for children of incarcerated parents is highlighted in Cindy Brown’s coverage of a stellar organization mitigating the so-called “shared sentence” children with jailed parents experience.
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Fixing “broken health care” in Taos and the United States is the subject of a February 2020 panel of female health care leaders of Taos. Taoseña Awards: Honoring Eight Women of Impact, returns again and will be awarded Friday, March 27, 5:30 p.m., at El Monte Sagrado, at 317 Kit Carson Road in Taos. Hosted by Taos News, the honorees are: for athletics, Taos High School assistant principal and cheer coach Lisa Abeyta-Valerio; well-known community volunteer, multi-tasking Ernestina Córdova; outstanding educator Anansi Charter School director and co-founder Michele Hunt; for community/nonprofit leadership,Taos Pueblo Powwow coordinator/volunteer Debbie Lujan; for entrepreneurial excellence, Jacquelene McHorse, co-creator of Bison Star Naturals on Taos Pueblo; notable restaurateur Yvette Ortega, Orlando’s restaurant co-founder; for children’s outreach, Twirl Play and Discovery Space executive director and co-founder Nikki Ross; and for her art, Catherine Strisik, the second nominated poet laureate of Taos. Come along and enjoy this wild ride with these exceptional people, women keeping Taos and New Mexico ahead of the pack, showing the nation and the world what women will do in this new era of progressive enlightenment.
VIRGINIA L. CLARK, interim editor
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STAFF ROBIN MARTIN, OWNER CHRIS BAKER, PUBLISHER SCOTT GERDES, SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR VIRGINIA L. CLARK, INTERIM EDITOR LAURIE SMITH, MAGAZINE EDITOR STACI MATLOCK, MANAGING EDITOR KARIN EBERHARDT, CREATIVE DIRECTOR CHRIS WOOD, ADVERTISING DIRECTOR SEAN RATLIFF, PRODUCTION MANAGER AMY BOAZ, CHIEF COPY EDITOR MORGAN TIMMS, PHOTOGRAPHER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CINDY BROWN, VIRGINIA L. CLARK, DENA MILLER
226 ALBRIGHT STREET • TAOS, NEW MEXICO (575) 758-2241 • TAOSNEWS.COM
Love. Hope. Success. Family. Security.
.
Some things we all have in common. There’s nobody like me to protect the things we all value. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Ž
Wanda Lucero 575.737.5433 wanda@wandalucero.com
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SHUTTERSTOCK
Creating a brighter future
The power of women’s votes effect real and positive change BY DENA MILLER
American woman votes, ca. 1920. That year’s election was the first time all American female citizens over 21 were able to vote for a United States president. SHUTTERSTOCK
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On Feb. 21, 1920, New Mexico voted to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution. By August of that year the required number of 36 states had likewise ratified the amendment, legislating that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,” and became the law of the land. We’re now celebrating the centennial of this most important chapter in women’s history. And even though women have had the right to vote for 100 years it is only within recent years that women’s voices have gained traction to effect real and positive change.
Changes such as One Billion Rising, founded in 2012 by Eve Ensler, to march against violence toward women and girls; the 2016 Democratic candidacy of Hillary Clinton for president of the United States; the first Women’s March of 2017; the #MeToo movement; the 2018 midterm elections, which saw a record number of women running for political office – and winning; the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate field with its representation of powerful women. Each of these changes would have been unlikely even 20 years ago.
WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU, TAOS.
The census impacts us all for the next 10 years. It helps our communities across New Mexico get funding for important things like schools; supplemental nutrition for women, infants, and children; and health care. This is our one chance in a decade to get it right. We’re all counting on you. Complete your census online, by phone, or by mail starting March 12th.
BE COUNTED. 2020census.gov Taos Community Foundation is a NM Census 2020 Funding Partner
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Three suffragists casting votes in New York City, ca. 1917. National Women’s Party demonstration in front of the White House in 1918. The banner protests President Woodrow Wilson’s failure to support women’s suffrage.
SHUTTERSTOCK
The 2020 Taos Women Rising event marked 100 years since women earned the right to vote.
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SHUTTERSTOCK
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
conGratulations taosEĂąa aWarD WinnErs from thE 330+ womEn of taos ski vallEY!
Women representing Taos Ski Valley are (from left to right): Johana Fernanda Martinez (Food and Beverage), Sylvia Kaeck (Lift Operations), Juliana Vargas (Central Reservations), Kim Cope (IT), Madeleine Kelty (Marketing), Melanie Powell (Food and Beverage), Leatrice Lujan (Food & Beverage), Dawn Boulware (Administration), Connie Gallegos (Food & Beverage), Sarah Carver (Food & Beverage), Marie Eggly (Food & Beverage), Sarah Fondaw (Lift Operations), Vicki Rose (Food & Beverage), Colleen McConvill (IT), Kaela Hawari (Events), Suzie Benton (Human Resources), and Leslie Campbell (Real Estate)
SKITAOS.COM taosnews.com/taos-woman
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Men looking in the window of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage headquarters in New York City, ca. 1911. In 1918, the NAOWS moved its headquarters to Washington, D.C., where it operated until its disbandment following the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. SHUTTERSTOCK
S
USAN J. CARROLL, professor of political science and women’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, and senior scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, authored “How and Why the Gender Gap Matters,” noting that prior to 1980 it was assumed gender didn’t play into voting preferences. Today, she said, it clearly does.
“The gender gap is now viewed as an enduring part of the political landscape, and candidates, parties and politicians must pay specific attention to women voters if they want to win elections,” she wrote. The women voters of our tricultural population are in a unique position to use their voices to create a better world for today and for generations to come, and the statistics bear that out. Across the state our percentage of female elected officials exceeds the national average by 38 percent. Even more striking, CAWP statistics show that New Mexico leads the nation in women of color in statewide executive offices, as reported by FiveThirtyEight.com. At the local level, women’s voter registration in Taos County outnumbers men’s by almost 1,500, according to Taos County Clerk Anna Martínez. This indicates a powerful tool that can be used to construct not only the future of our community but of our country as well.
“Women are more than half of our population so if we all voted we could literally change the world,” said Laurie Mitchell Dunn, board emeritus member of the Taos Community Foundation and a community volunteer. “We went more than half the time since the birth of this country without the right to vote. Now having it – and recognizing that there are women in the world who can’t exercise a similar right – it’s incumbent upon women to seize it. Otherwise, we’ve missed the opportunity to shape the future.”
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Six-year-old Littlebird Backwater, of Taos, raises her fist with her family Jan. 18 during Taos Women Rising on Taos Plaza. Above: Paula Sisneros completes her ballot for the Nov. 6, 2018 general election at the Taos County Administrative Complex. MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave We cherish the lives nor of our ancestors their perseverance, its warriors, how strong for their weapons. Through their valor we, as a people, have a place–in this world. Cheyenne proverb
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NJANETTE BRUSH, board chair of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps and a primary candidate for the Taos County Commission District 4 seat, agreed. “Women’s voices had traditionally been marginalized but there’s a real empowerment happening now. And the diversity of Taos makes us a barometer of what women across America are feeling.
“There are so many factors as to why women are stepping up,” Brush continued. “More women are single parents or heads of households due to things like divorce and longer life spans. And more women are in professional and managerial positions, so are able to support themselves.
“But they also remain the majority of caretakers: as nurses, teachers, day care and social workers. It is what makes women particularly sensitive to the basic issues facing our region and the country, such as equal pay, decent health care, investments in education, the future of the environment, affordable housing and sustainable economic development.”
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‘I have not ever missed an election,’ said Stephanie Owens, who brought her 6-year-old son, Asa Hutchison, to vote with her in Questa in 2018. Below, lifelong Taos resident JoJo Ortiz states, ‘Honestly, [I'm here] because there’s not that many young people voting, so I figured I might as well take my voice and put it to some good use.’ MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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RUSH IS AN ALUMNA of the 2019 class of Emerge New Mexico, a state branch of the nationwide nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and networks Democratic women who wish to run for public office at the local, state or federal level. Since 2012, Emerge New Mexico has trained almost 300 women; with a strong showing in 2018, 42 Emerge alumnae ran for office in our state, and 37 of them were successfully elected.
“It’s a fantastic training program that empowers women,” Brush said, but noted that, even for those not pursuing a life in public service, it’s the power of women’s votes that is transformative. “If you aren’t registered to vote, please do so. Participate in primaries, which can be more consequential than general elections. This is our power in today’s world.” Longtime activist Mary Mascareñas of Peñasco applauds candidates such as Brush. “Over the years I’ve seen women getting more involved with a we-can-get-it-done attitude.” But, she said, “I don’t see this as a men versus women issue; I see it as gaining equality. We are all equal.”
The gender gap is now viewed as an enduring part of the political landscape and candidates parties and politicians must pay specific attention to women voters if they want to win elections.
Mascareñas, who was named the first female Democratic Taos County chairperson after working to successfully elect former governor Toney Anaya in the 1980s, received the 2018 School Board Member of the Year award from the New Mexico School Board Association. She served on the Planning and Zoning Commission for over 20 years, and has been active in census counting and water rights.
,
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“The issues I hear about the most are equal pay, better health programs, SUSAN J. CARROLL protecting Social Security, Professor of political science and women’s and gender studies, Rutgers University; education that treats the senior scholar, Center for American Women whole child, and land and and Politics (CAWP) of the Eagleton water issues,” she said, Institute of Politics “and the best way to have a louder voice is to get out and participate in your chosen party. It’s important that women of any age believe they can do anything they want, and that they can make change happen.” County clerk Anna Martínez said her office has a pool of registrars that visit the University of New Mexico and other schools to register voters. However, “getting young women registered is easy. Then they need to be instructed in the power of their vote so they follow through.” “We’re a nation of all people and all colors,” said Mascareñas. “And we have to be fair and impartial with our votes. We want flowers, not weeds.” To register to vote or to change your party affiliation, contact the Taos County clerk at (575) 737-6381 for further information.
KATHARINE EGLI/TAOS NEWS FILE PHOTO
A voter casts her ballot at the Head Start in San Cristobal on Election Day in 2014.
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Left to right:
Ellen Lerner, Sally Torres, Katheryn Pate, Kelly Haukebo, center: Paula Madappa, Qualifying Broker
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | DEBBIE LUJAN |
Community / nonprofit leadership
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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I have been co-coordinator of the Taos Pueblo Powwow for 11 years. Prior to that, I was a volunteer for several years doing a variety of tasks before, during and after the powwow and learning on the job with every year. I have a gallery at the pueblo where I sell my landscape photography of Taos Pueblo. Being self-employed enables me to dedicate the long hours that are needed to get the Taos Pueblo Powwow up and running administratively
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
health and well-being. Living and working at Taos Pueblo enables me to be fully ensconced in my community and culture, which is essential to who I am and keeps me grounded. I go to High Altitude Health & Fitness several times a week to lift weights in addition to running. I started running a few miles every week a couple years ago because I was looking for a challenge. Thankfully, I discovered that running helps to alleviate stress and clear my head. My life and work revolve around the Taos Pueblo Powwow for a portion of the year, but I am also a photographer.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? Knowing that I have deadlines and this huge task of getting all these people in one spot at the same time is a huge motivator. If I get the opportunity, I like to attend other powwows to see how they function. In fact, any large event is fascinating to me.
Community / nonprofit leadership
Richard Archuleta, who helped to create the Taos Pueblo Powwow in 1985, is the primary coordinator of the celebration. He has taught me a lot, especially about diplomacy and staying positive no matter the situation. After being a volunteer for a few years and seeing how things were laid out, I felt I had a varied enough skill set to help administratively with the powwow. We make a great team and can very nearly anticipate each other’s thoughts as to what needs to be done. My parents are also a huge influence. I am so fortunate that my parents live close by, and I consider them to be my foundation in so many ways. They know how limited my time can be on that last stretch to the powwow weekend. They do not hesitate to come out to the powwow grounds to help pick up trash or help with the physical labor since sometimes we lack volunteers.
EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | DEBBIE LUJAN |
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS?
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? I am proud of the success of the Taos Pueblo Powwow and the awards I have accumulated for my photography from the various juried Native American art shows that I do nationwide. Oddly enough, I never have enough time to photograph at the powwow!
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? Volunteers are always needed to keep our community activities active and afloat!
I would tell my 18-year-old self that there is no time table to achieve your life’s goals. Expand your skill set, but do something that makes you happy.
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
‘Blue Door at Taos Pueblo.’
Work life balance is based entirely on family, the importance of my cultural life here at Taos Pueblo, and taking care of my
Viv Atcitty (left) and Sharon Brokeshoulder at the 2019 Taos Pueblo Powwow. COURTESY DEBBIE LUJAN
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | MICHELE HUNT |
Education
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | MICHELE HUNT |
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
Education
First and foremost, dogged determination and a whole lot of hard work! In my first years in Taos, I met two teachers (Tracy Jaramillo and Ellary Simms) who also believed in creating a school model that would be studentcentered and run by teachers. That was the start of our vision of the Anansi Day School and later the Anansi Charter School. I have spent all of my working years in Taos envisioning, cultivating, and collaborating with many, many people to create a unique public school where MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS children develop their social emotional skills alongside of their academic skills; they learn to communicate, problem-solve, self-advocate and believe they make a difference. I have had many mentors who helped me develop the vision for my work in education and the direction I took in my leadership at the Anansi Charter School. The success of Anansi is far from mine alone; I have been fortunate to work with a very dedicated and committed professional teaching staff, and build relationships with parents in our community who have worked hard to support the vision of our school and have helped to grow it to the size it is today. Through collaboration with other school leaders and their teachers, we have been working to bring the importance of education to the forefront of our community. In my personal life, I have been fortunate to have a supportive husband, son and extended family who have joined in on the hard work of school development, supported me when I have been discouraged or tired and understood when I put the school ahead of our life at home.
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? Hmm. This is tough! As a mother, I am most proud of my son, who recently graduated from college and is now beginning his life as an adult. It is exciting to see your child become a person with values and goals. In my career and life’s work, I have a hard time resting on laurels; there is so much work still to be done in the world of advocating for and educating children. There are many bright moments in my years as director at Anansi, and a couple exceptional milestones. We took 14 years to develop the school we are today, serving kindergarten through eighth-grade children, building the beautiful and unique campus that we offer our students and families. It was challenging to find the funding to accomplish this. I’m proud that we have been able to develop a campus that supports our vision by giving children a place that feels safe and welcoming, and consistently offers them opportunities to try their best and feel valued. In addition, we went through a rigorous vetting process to be awarded the status of an international Ashoka Changemaker School. The educational model of Anansi Charter School has been studied through the Ashoka Network and been presented at an international conference for its work in the development of emotional intelligence. Finally, in 2018 Anansi Charter School was one of three New Mexico Public Schools awarded a National Blue Ribbon for our work in closing the achievement gap for “at-risk” students.
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? Visualize and focus upon what you hope to accomplish rather than the obstacles or fears that might get in the way. Take time to reflect, see mistakes or missteps as opportunities to learn and grow and use your next opportunities to improve upon your efforts.
Michele Hunt, Anansi Charter School director and co-founder, in an Anansi classrooms, serving kindergarten through eighth grade.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Trust yourself, listen to your inner voice and go for what gives you joy — both in work and life.
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE? Not sure, that I have yet; however, my motto for most of my adult life has been “work hard, play harder.” I attempt to maintain 100 percent presence wherever I am. At work, I strive to give my undivided attention to my staff, students and families, while I also juggle the many tasks that I must accomplish each day to keep the school on track. In my personal life, I prioritize my health through rest, diet, exercise and a healthy dose of play (skiing, biking, hiking, dancing and laughing).
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? I am most motivated by the children we serve in our school. The excitement I see in them as they discover and understand a new concept, the smile of pride when they feel a sense of accomplishment and their ability to start each day with fresh optimism. If I am having a tough day, I take time to observe and work with the children; I gain perspective through my interactions with them. They help me remember why I chose the tough work of school leadership. I am an eternal optimist. I believe in the possibility, and then I work to achieve it. If a door closes, I look for a window or another door to open. I don’t give up easily.
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is more than health care’
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
A panel of Taos women health care leaders expands on outdated definitions of well-being BY VIRGINIA L. CLARK
FIXING THE BROKEN HEALTH CARE system in the United States was a big part of a discussion by four health care providers and public health managers on Feb. 10, 2020, in a panel hosted by Taos Women’s Leadership Collective. The standing-room-only crowd in Manzanita Market on Taos Plaza included social workers, massage therapists, primary care providers,
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an ACLU worker, administrators, public health managers and non-health care community members, all avid to improve health in Taos, and ultimately the world. The predominant message was, “Health is more than health care,” a sophisticated, almost New Age statement about the well-being possible for nearly all people when certain attitudes toward life are incorporated into individual and community values.
We honor and thank the outstanding women within our organization who strive for excellence and make a difference in our community. -Mayor, Council and Manager
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MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
Juliana Anastasoff (center), director of the northern Health Extension Rural Office (HERO) of the University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center, where she is faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, in a panel hosted by Taos Women’s Leadership Collective.
Audience members attending health care panel in Taos hosted by Taos Women’s Leadership Collective on Feb. 10, 2020, at Manzanita Market.
M
ODERATED BY Aurora Valdez, the community wellness manager for the Taos Pueblo Division of Health and Community Services, panelists included: Juliana Anastasoff, director of the northern Health Extension Rural Office (HERO) of the University of New MexicoHealth Sciences Center, where she is faculty in the Department of Family and Community
Medicine; Dr. Lilly-Marie Blecher, co-medical director of Taos Whole Health Integrative Care, who serves on the executive committee of the New Mexico Association of Naturopathic Physicians; and Dr. Geilan Ismail, a cardiologist and currently a member of the board of directors of Holy Cross Medical Center in Taos. “What’s the one thing that would dramatically improve your health or life expectancy?” Anastasoff posed rhetorically to the crowd, which roared in laughter at her response – “Move to Finland! Your zip code may be more important than your genetic code.” Where there is a high degree of social accountability and education, a community’s health care expectations and delivery are typically also of a higher caliber – thus the analogy of a zip code being more important in health outcomes than one’s genetic code.
COURTESY PHOTO
Aurora Valdez, Taos Pueblo, Health and Community Services community wellness manager
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Lily-Marie Blecher, Taos Whole Health Integrative Care
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Juliana Anastasoff, Health Extension Rural Offices, University of New Mexico Sciences Center
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COURTESY PHOTO
Geilan Ismail, MD, Holy Cross Medical Center
Anastasoff said she probably would have helped improve more health by being a third-grade reading teacher than all the clinical care she’s given over the decades. “It’s the conditions we live in – how we grow, play and age – that have way more to do with our health,” Anastasoff said. She suggested that simply getting a few more high schoolers to graduate per year would plummet health morbidity and mortality rates.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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The benefits of yoga for women who are pregnant and postpartum are manifold. Research has shown yoga to decrease the perception of pain during labor, reduce physical discomfort during pregnancy and labor, significantly reduce stress and sleep disturbance, as well as improve overall quality of life. Yoga classes are plentiful in Taos.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
Women are guided through après-ski yoga on Jan. 11 as part of the Femme de Freeride workshop at Taos Ski Valley.
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Luminous Labyrinth Center for Peace Sedona, Arizona
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EOPLE ACT ON THE choices they have in their given environments, panelists said. When choices are limited or shaped by income, gender, race, age, religion, education or politics, health outcomes are better or worse accordingly. Just reinstating physical education in schools would profoundly turn childhood obesity and Type II diabetes rates around, both of which have become national emergencies, not just Taos County problems.
All of the panelists stressed that health needs to be framed as a human right, a moral imperative that everyone have access to what they need. Blecher discussed an emotional “safety net” she experienced during an 11-year mentorship she participated in at Outside In, an Oregon health
care organization. “This safety net is a physical and emotional sense that instantly uplifts general life and health indicators,” she said. Knowing where help will come from, whether mandated by legislators or coming from family, neighbors, volunteers and the like, does indeed increase overall well-being dramatically. “The psychological well-being is different than others who don’t have that safety net,” Blecher said. Similarly, during her first eight years of clinical practice, Ismail said she finally helped a persistently ill man start to get well once she discovered he could not read. He originally showed up at the clinic frequently and was hospitalized often for his health problems. Upon discovering he couldn’t read, she realized he could not take medicines and treatments as written out. Once his reading issues were handled, his health steadily improved and hospitalizations dropped accordingly.
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Hillary Thieben, a personal trainer at High Altitude Health and Fitness teaches the Silver Sneakers class in December 2018.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
According to Juliana Anastasoff, ‘It’s the conditions we live in – how we grow, play and age – that have way more to do with our health.’ Above, Emilio Chavez, of Taos, dances to Michael Jackson's ‘Thriller’ with his 1-year-old daughter, Estelle Chavez, on Oct. 26 during the 37th annual Taos Mountain Balloon Rally.
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A Tribute to the Legacy of Questa’s Esther García Esther García was recognized as one of the Remarkable Women of Taos (2012), a book published by Nighthawk Press honoring outstanding historic and contemporary women of Taos. Esther García, 1946-2020
Mover & Shaker of Questa & Northern New Mexico
Courtesy Photo President Barack Obama shakes the hand of Esther García after signing into law the designation of the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument in 2013. Questa’s first female Mayor, García, was instrumental in this effort and worked tirelessly to establish the National Monument.
Photo by C. Jim Cox Artworks Studio Creating a legacy for future generations, García successfully advocated for the restoration of the San Antonio Del Rio Colorado Land Grant, designation of the Columbine Hondo Wilderness area, revitalization of Red River, and the rebuilding of Cabresto Dam.
Photo by Carrie Leven “Life is a learning experience, so explore, read, and learn, because they can’t take knowledge away from you.” Esther lived by her own words by serving on the Questa School Board, establishing the Questa public library and dedicating her time to the Questa Elementary Reading Program.
Courtesy Photo Esther is pictured with the Twelve Historic Churches Quilt, created by the Questa Quilt Guild (which she co-founded) created as a fundraiser to benefit the restoration of Questa’s 1880’s St. Anthony Catholic Church.
“Esther was a tireless champion for the people of northern New Mexico and played a key role in protecting the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Columbine Hondo Wilderness, land grants, acequias, and other treasures in our state. We join her family, friends, and community in mourning her passing and honoring her legacy.” —U.S. Senator Tom Udall
In appreciation to the Questa Del Rio News for gathering and sharing their research for this Legacy Tribute. Lynn Skall, New Director of Questa Economic Development Fund This ad sponsored by Chevron Environmental Management Company
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SMAIL REALIZED, also, that she was turned off by the big city medical industrial complex and preferred to work within underserved communities. Hence, she and her husband’s decision to move to Taos, 19 years ago.
The panel stressed getting involved in health policy – write legislators, join school boards, mentor youth, help with voter registration. Specifically, the local grassroots nonprofit
organization for social/political activists, Taos United/Taoseños Unidos and Taos County Democratic party, are educating and doing voter registrations for students and the general public May 4 and 5, 2020 (see
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
Dr. Geilan Ismail, cardiologist and current member of the board of directors of Holy Cross Medical Center in Taos.
Anastasoff spoke of New Mexico First’s free Community Conversation events about building and sustaining healthy communities, the last one called “Healthcare: Body, Mind and Spirit” held February 2020 at UNM-Taos Bataan Hall, 121 Civic Plaza Drive in Taos. Free child care and a light meal are often offered during their community conversation events. For more information or to volunteer, call (505) 225-2140 or visit nmfirst.org. “Taos Women’s Leadership Collective seeks to improve connectedness, community involvement and opportunities for women in Taos, through business and technology, government, health care, education, the arts and the environment by providing increased access to professional networks for women in the Taos community,” according to a press release. “By bringing women together to meet, connect and learn from each other in the engagement of conversations relevant to the com-
taosunited.org
for more information.)
munity, they seek to inform, inspire, support and empower,” said TWLC co-organizer Trisha Fong. TWLC co-organizer Karina Armijo, director of marketing & tourism for Taos, said in a press release that the February health care panel was created “to provide an opportunity for women in Taos to have a conversation with women who have made an impact in our health care community.” The panel was the second in a series of discussions hosted by TWLC. Their first event in September 2019 focused on informing and supporting Taos women running for local office. “The response from participants was overwhelmingly positive,” added event co-organizer Dawn Boulware, chief administrator officer for Taos Ski Valley Inc., about helping women running for local office. “We want to build upon that engagement and focus on this very important [health care] topic in our community.” Editors note: Parts of this story appeared in Taos News, Feb. 13, 2020 MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
Top: Juliana Anastasoff, director of the northern Health Extension Rural Office (HERO) of the University of New Mexico-Health Sciences Center.
For more information about Taos Women’s Leadership Collective contact Trisha Fong at Taoswomenleaders@gmail.com or (802) 917-3074.
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Bottom: Health care panel moderator, Aurora Valdez, community wellness manager, Taos Pueblo, Health and Community Services.
Saluting women for their vision, dedication and leadership.
We’re committed to the programs and organizations that inspire personal achievement, teamwork and empowerment. With a good plan and a supportive team, you have what it takes to achieve your goals. usbank.com/community U.S. Bank is proud to support Women of Taos and women everywhere.
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Las Cumbres
Making a difference for children when a parent is incarcerated BY CINDY BROWN
W
HEN A FAMILY member is in jail, the children in the family can experience trauma as a result. In New Mexico, 10 percent of all children will have a parent incarcerated at some point in their lives; that’s higher than the national average of 7 percent, according to a recent study called “A Shared Sentence,” conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In Taos, there is now more support for children and families impacted by incarceration. Las Cumbres Community Services is providing support groups for kids at school and also offering assistance to their parents. In doing so, Las Cumbres is building strong relationships with other service providers in the community. Las Cumbres has been helping fill gaps in social services in Northern New Mexico for 50 years and currently has offices in Española, Taos, Chama, Los Alamos and Santa Fe. Siena Sanderson, a family navigator with the Las Cumbres Nurturing Center at Enos Garcia Elementary School works with families throughout Taos County and is the
Women Give Fund Award (funded by the Taos Community Foundation) presented to Las Cumbres Community Services at the Taos Chamber of Commerce 2019 Women’s Expo. Pictured: Laurie Mitchell Dunn, Siena Sanderson and Alexsis Blake.
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point person for this program in Taos. “I went to court recently to support two family members,” says Sanderson. “When I got there, I knew six families on the docket. Then I realized that there were 30 children being impacted by what happened in the courtroom on just that morning.” She points out that when a family member becomes involved in the criminal justice system, the impact on their children is profound and there is not a lot of coordinated effort to address these impacts. “Whose responsibility is it to support these children?” asks Sanderson. “I think it the responsibility of the whole community to more intentionally support them.”
Women’s Giving Circle Much of this support work is being made possible through a 2019 grant from Women Give Taos. Helen Forte, director of community outreach at the Taos Community Foundations explains, “Women Give Taos is a Women’s Giving Circle, in which members pool their giving to have deeper impact in community. The fund is held at the Taos Community Foundation and we support and host the circle.” Members of the group meet quarterly, as well as volunteer, learn from speakers, network and allocate COURTESY KATHRYN A. HAYDEN, CHICKS WITH CLICKS an annual $30,000 grant to a nonprofit organization working to support women and girls in the communities of Taos and western Colfax counties. There is a grants committee made up of Women Give Taos members, which reviews all applications and selects the finalists. Then each Women Give Taos adviser participates in voting for the final winning organization at a special voting event, says Forte.
WHEN
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GET YOUR FUN ON
RICK ROMANCITO/TAOS NEWS FILE PHOTO
Artist Helen Gene Nichols shows ‘Industrial Paisley’ at the Harwood Museum of Art in 2018.
TAOSNEWS.COM/CALENDAR photo by Marjorie
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TAOS WOMEN’S WEEKEND
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or 2019, the grantee was Las Cumbres Community Services for this project to bolster the impact of incarceration on mothers and their children. Funds were requested to support parenting programs for incarcerated women and girls’ support groups.
“The Women Give Taos members wanted our grant to have a significant positive impact on women and girls in our community,” says Laurie Mitchell Dunn, chair of the Giving Circle. “Las Cumbres was able to use our funding to create new programs that wouldn’t have existed otherwise.”
Supporting kids and their families With the grant funds, Las Cumbres has been running two after-school programs for girls at Enos Garcia Elementary School – one for students in first and second grades and the other for third, fourth and fifth grades. The girls work with art, learn cooking and attend special programs run by Twirl and other community organizations. Last fall, Mini Manes brought mini-ponies for therapeutic work to both Enos Garcia and Taos Middle School. In another collaboration, Las Cumbres worked with the Field Institute of Taos (FIT) last summer to create weekly adventures locally, including an overnight camping trip at the yurt at Bullof-the-Woods meadow in the Carson National Forest near the Taos Ski Valley. Las Cumbres staff says that this was an incredible adventure for these girls, most of whom had never backpacked into the wilderness. Sanderson points out that Las Cumbres pulls resources from the community and in return those community connections become stronger and allows the girls to know their community better. “Much of what we do is helping the girls build positive relationships with each other and with other adults,” she says.
COURTESY LAS CUMBRES TAOS
Las Cumbres Girls Group hiking with Field Institute of Taos (FIT) , summer 2019.
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The grant has helped fund parenting support at the adult detention center and other locations. Las Cumbres is seeing which programs seem to have the greatest benefit and hopes to continue to cooperate with the Taos Education and Career Center to support people who have been involved in the criminal justice system who want to return to school. “Being in jail is not all these women are. They have educational or vocational goals,” says Sanderson. “One woman who had been in jail completed her GED and community health worker training. She is a stellar student who made the dean’s list. Parents like this are a great inspiration to their children.”
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COURTESY PHOTO
Jasmin Hastings and Andra Maddox of Women Give Taos enjoying a recent event at the Fechin Studio.
Helping kids find their spark and achieve When a family member is incarcerated it can create a burden on the family’s finances and they may not be able to cover basic needs like food and housing. “We are beginning to better understand how the financial burden of the judicial system impacts a family’s income,” reports Las Cumbres staff. There can be mandated treatment in or out of town that lasts for months. Other expenses can include court fees, probation costs and things like an interlock system in a car and there is often a loss of income from the parent’s time away from work. With these additional expenses and loss of income, parents often don’t have the money to provide lessons or other special experiences for their kids. “The grant funding helps us connect kids to their spark,” explains Sanderson. “It might be gymnastics, singing or art lessons; we help the kids to connect to things they love to do and also get to know more people in the community.”
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When children experience trauma from the incarceration of a family member, they bring their stress to school which interferes with their ability to learn. “We need to build trauma-informed care into the schools to build the student’s capacity academically,” says Sanderson. “We are seeing that social and emotional skills are equal to academic education. We want kids to feel competent to access everything that school has to offer.”
Future goals Las Cumbres plans to keep running the support groups for girls at the elementary school and would like to find a way to add a group for girls at the middle school and one for boys. One boy who had a family member that had been in jail said that boys have a lot of hurt, too. “We appreciate the funding for the girls’ groups, and we are looking for ways to work with all students to help them build positive relationships,” says Sanderson. “We want to help prevent the next generation from getting involved in substance abuse, so they don’t end up in a similar situation. This is our task. We believe it is everyone’s responsibility.”
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COURTESY PHOTOS
How you can help If you would like to help and have time or money to contribute, contact Siena Sanderson at (575) 770-6343 or email sienasanderson@gmail.com. To find out more, visit lascumbres-nm.org. Contributions can be made on the website – designate the Nurturing Center as the purpose for your donation. Top to bottom: A Women Give Taos meeting at Taos Community Foundation. / Florence Miera, Homeless student liaison, shares information about her program with Women Give Taos Advisors. / Helen Forte (left) and Ursula Berkowitz at a Women Give Taos event in 2019.
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | JACQUELENE MCHORSE |
Entrepreneur
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | JACQUELENE MCHORSE |
WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS? I am one of the creators of Bison Star Naturals, along with my husband, Angelo. My daily work includes wholesale account management, product design, website maintenance, social media marketing, direct sales and a lot of tasks behind the scenes. I began my work in January 2018, when we opened Bison Star, although I have been making soap as a hobby since 2013.
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY? Before opening Bison Star I worked in various jobs including in the Taos Ski Valley, at dental offices, animal feed stores and even doing an internship starting and training horses. I made and sold soaps for a few seasons, but I simply did not have the focus that I do now. After giving birth to our daughter at home, my husband and I realized that we wanted to create something that would sustain our family because having a child really puts things into perspective. We opened the business when our daughter was about 9 months old, so without even knowing it, she has been critical in the creation and growth of Bison Star. Angelo and I make a great team and I really thank him for supporting me in so very many ways. Our family, on both sides, has been incredibly supportive of our journey and I feel so much love and gratitude to them as well. MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? I’m really proud of the workshop we’re building because we are doing it ourselves from the ground up without taking out any business loans. In 2019, we were able to complete the foundation before winter and this spring we will resume construction. We’re choosing to go slow and steady, and fund this project through our sales in order to create a business that sustains itself. Putting in all of the hard work is so satisfying, especially because I know it is setting a good example for our daughter.
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? I encourage you to have the confidence and drive to go after what you really want. I believe that you can absolutely make anything happen for yourself as long as you have the will, discipline and energy to get there. Don’t get discouraged by others not believing in you because if you truly believe in your vision, nobody but yourself can stop you.
Co-creator Jacquelene McHorse of Bison Star Naturals in 2018 on Taos Pueblo. She does wholesale account management, product design, website maintenance, social media marketing, direct sales and more behind the scenes.
I would tell myself to enjoy the journey and focus on the present moment. I think it’s important to fully enjoy where you are, even when you have a long road ahead. If there is something that is not bringing you happiness, you have the power to make changes in your life — don’t wait for anyone to do it for you or give you permission.
Entrepreneur
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE? Bison Star takes up a huge amount of my energy, so I find that cooking and sharing meals with others really helps me stay balanced. I love to go out picking wild foods such as mushrooms, fruit or herbs so it’s rewarding to prepare dishes containing those ingredients. I also love gardening and getting out, shed hunting (looking for deer and elk antlers) where I can just focus on what I’m doing and not think about work.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? Motivation comes relatively easy to me because I believe wholeheartedly in our vision. We have a lot of goals to work on, both short-term and long-term, which is super helpful. I feel that having daily goals as well as five-year or even 20-year goals allows me to stay motivated without overthinking one particular aspect of my work. I like to write out to-do lists daily and weekly plans – I make a vision board at least once a year. It’s very helpful to me to hold myself accountable for what I need to do.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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TAOS WOMEN
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | YVETTE ORTEGA |
Restaurateur
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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Celebrating women who volunteer at the Talpa Community Center S H A R E D TA B L E F O O D PA N T R Y
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | YVETTE ORTEGA |
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATION?
Restaurateur
I was born and raised in Taos – such an amazing place to call home. I learned from a very young age that hard work is what it would take to be successful. I worked many random jobs since I was 12: babysat, cleaned windows, worked in a restaurant. I graduated Taos High and then lived in Albuquerque for two years. I never went to college — it wasn’t for me. I came back to Taos looking for work to figure out my next move. My career story begins on Bent Street. I went door-to-door looking for retail work. I had noticed Orlando Ortega [now her husband], but was too MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS shy to say, hello. A week passed before I went back to check in with all places I applied. This time, Orlando actually ran up to me and said, “I have to know who you are.” We began connecting. He actually hired me to sling hot dogs that summer in 1991 when he was running the cart for T.K. [Kennedy] and Charlene [Dulong], then owners of Bent Street Café & Deli. That was the most fun job ever. I loved being outside in a great spot. I met so many people. We fell in love. Orlando, who was born in Embudo, and I bought the business that following year. That included two carts Orlando ran — the burrito cart in front of Cabot Plaza and another on Bent Street. We worked many events as well, such as powwows, San Geronimo, fiestas — you name it. It was fun but a lot of work. The carts were seasonal, so during the winter Orlando and I both worked two jobs and had one car. Whoever needed to get to work first got the car and the other one had to hitch. Thank goodness at that time I worked at Taos Ski Valley, so hitching was easy. At night I worked at the Chili Connection. After our daughter was born in 1995, she was 4 months old, in July of that summer we were hit head on while enjoying a Sunday drive toward Pilar. Orlando shattered a knee cap and I broke an arm. Luckily, my baby didn’t get hurt. But that changed things. Orlando and I were out of commission. We moved in with his parents to recuperate. After about six months, we were heading to a doctor’s appointment when we noticed the for rent sign on a building and thought, “We don’t have anything to lose, let’s do it.” Everyone thought we were crazy, but we believed we could make it happen. We took the chance and Orlando’s was born in 1996.
Time has definitely gone by so fast these last 24 years. We have an incredible staff, some who have been with us for many years. The entire kitchen staff is the backbone. Felisha Rascon manages the floor and oversees the restaurant while we are gone. We thank our locals near and far who have been loyal and supportive all these years. Without our customers, none of this would have been possible.
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE? It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been an incredible journey. We learned that we had to take time off to keep sane, so we started RV-ing for short amounts of time with our kids and it made things easier having family to help us.
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? I’m thankful for an amazing journey and proud of the family we raised. We tried our best to make happy memories and even though the restaurant was a commitment, we learned how to juggle it all. All of the hard work allowed us to surf and enjoy Mexico — a dream come true. It proves that hard work does pay off.
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? Don’t be afraid to take chances. The biggest piece of advice is start small, enjoy what you do and believe in yourself.
Yvette Ortega, co-owner/ founder with husband Orlando Ortega, opened Orlando’s 24 years ago and says it is the staff and loyal customers who make it all possible.
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY? Orlando’s mom and grandmother helped with the recipes. His grandma thought we were crazy wanting vegetarian chiles, being that traditionally chiles have meat, but she helped perfect them. Unfortunately, she had cancer and didn’t get to see the restaurant grow. So in 1999, our son Orazio was born and Roberta, Orlando’s sister, started working with us and is still here. She has been an amazing asset as the front-of-house person — not to mention her avocado pie is phenomenal. The help of Orlando’s momma doing apple pies up until five years ago and my momma as a line cook for about 19 to 20 years have been huge assets.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | CATHERINE STRISIK |
Literary artist
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | CATHERINE STRISIK |
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT PROFESSION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS? What started as a beloved avocation in the midst of so many professions in Taos, at some point I realized as a young writer/poet that everything I was doing, all the education I was receiving, was being funneled into my life as a poet. The language of gemstones, the language of the dyslexic brain, the language of the body and the language of my gardens all became the rich language of my poetry. Slowly, my avocation became my profession, for as a poet I also work as a poetry workshop teacher for children and MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS adults, co-founder/co-editor/consulting editor of “Taos Journal of International Poetry and Art,” and offer private editorial services. So, if I combine all of the years of avocation and profession … it’s over 35 years.
Literary artist
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
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As a poet I’m always working because consciously and unconsciously I am observing the finite and gross nuances and changes of nuances – for example, the way a breeze might suddenly strike my cheek, the squareness with another or lack of, and what subtleties reflect. This is not work though, this is love of life that I put into language. Poetry.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? I love the process. I love free writing, stream of consciousness writing and all the steps, meaning days, weeks, months, years it might take to create a poem … from the blank sheet of paper (which can be intimidating) to the finished poem, that creativity. I simply thrive in this place. I might spend years trying to find the “right” word. I might say my poem aloud 500 times in search of its essence until it “feels” and “sounds” right in my ear and body. Poetry is 100 percent visceral for me. Also, other poets’ poems motivate me as there are those times of despair as a poet when the blank sheet of paper stays blank. We hold each other as poets.
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUD OF?
I’m here today overlooking as far as I can see into and through Taos Valley because of my early fascination with language, with words and sounds. But I’m here also because of the encouragement of a few teachers and professors in my early life who said, “Observe through your senses the world around you and then write, and keep writing and keep writing. Write everything you see, smell, hear, taste, touch.” I’m here also because when I moved to Taos in 1983, young, shy and wide-eyed, I was almost immediately held and carried by those then-new writer friends in writing groups, and then later in poetry workshops, conferences and residencies throughout the country. The emergence of myself as a poet was like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Patience. Time. Deep breathing. Meditation.
I’ve been writing as a poet for decades now and that I have not given up writing is my greatest accomplishment, because though there are poem and book publications, readings, awards, incredible students, there continues to be those rejected poems and manuscripts, the long days and nights where I feel I might go mad if the poem I am working on does not soon speak its truth, its voice to me. Certainly winning the New Mexico/AZ Book Award a couple of years ago for my second poetry collection, “The Mistress,” published by the incredible 3: A Taos Press was amazing, and also the recent recognition within Taos community to be honored as the second poet laureate, where in the next two years my poetry project of bringing poetry into outdoor natural settings comes alive. Humbling and reflective.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS?
Surround yourself with only those who offer encouragement. As a poet, and as one who loved to write at an early age, I listened when teachers said, “You write well.” Those voices are the ones that helped build my foundation and confidence years before I realized “being a poet” could be real in my life.
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Read, read, read, study and discuss the poetry of others because we have much to learn from one another as poets. And write until you have ink stains on your fingers.
Named the second poet laureate of Taos, in 2019, over the past 35 years, Catherine Strisik holds poetry workshops for children and adults, is co-founder/co-editor/ consulting editor of ‘Taos Journal of International Poetry and Art’ and does private editorial services.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | ERNESTINA CÓRDOVA |
Community volunteer
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | ERNESTINA CÓRDOVA |
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS?
Community volunteer
I am a pre-needs counselor at DeVargas Funeral Home. Prior to that, I have been involved in many community events and organizations. In my early years, I was very involved with Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and liturgy, and the Pilgrimage for Vocations. I was also a banker for many years. In 1996, I became an insurance agent. I have been involved with Taos Feeds Taos since 1995, when Alice Trujillo recruited me as the coordinator for the basket recipient program. Prior to that, I have supported my husband’s (Francis)
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT TIME AND TELL YOUR HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY? 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? My family instilled in me an overriding belief in dedication and commitment.
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Being able to make a difference in someone’s life will always bring you great joy.
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work with Taos Feeds Taos since 1986. I take pride in saying that we help 1,150 to 1,200 people throughout Taos County. I became involved with Taos Historical Society in 2003 with Corina Santistevan. I became secretary in 2005 and [handled] membership recruitment. When I became president in 2009, I continued to recruit members. During my tenure, I’m proud to say that we have come a long way. Our memberships have increased tremendously. We have a full year of monthly lectures, which are held the first Saturday of every month at 2 p.m. at the Kit Carson Cooperative boardroom. We
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE YOU PROUDEST OF?
My family has always helped support my activities.
My family and grandchildren.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED?
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS?
I strive to live my life with purpose and in making a difference.
It is nice to be important, but it is important to be nice.
Ernestina Córdova stands in front of Molino de los Duranes in Ranchos de Taos, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in February 2020. have luncheons in May and December each year, honoring various respected community members. In 2013, we published our long-awaited history book, “Taos, a Topical History.” This book took 17 years to get published. I strongly urge friends and families to sit down with your loved ones and tell the stories that will preserve your family’s history. Traditions are passed on by being able to talk of one’s past so they stay alive with our future generations.
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | LISA ABEYTA-VALERIO |
Athletics
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | LISA ABEYTA-VALERIO |
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS? Currently, I am the assistant principal at Taos High School. I have been an educator in Taos Municipal Schools for 27 years. I’ve been in my current position for 11 years. I am also the Taos High School Varsity Cheerleading coach and head coach of Taos Xtreme All-Star Cheer. I began coaching in 1993 at Taos Middle School, was the high school coach from 1997-2003 and returned to coaching in the fall of 2012.
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
My family, my husband, Gilbert, my children, Analise, 23, Cristóval, 20, Estévan, 19, and Felíz, 14. My parents, Anna and Eddie Abeyta, extended family, friends, coaching staff Leanne Etzel, Valerie Trujillo, Melecia Ortega and Rosa Flores, Taos High Athletic Director Nicki McCarty, team parents, school administrators and staff, High Altitude Athletics … the list is endless. The support that so many people provide the teams is always key to our success.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would tell myself to enjoy the moments, to laugh a lot and not to rush. I’d tell myself to work hard in everything and to believe that all things are possible if you believe in yourself and your God. To cherish the people in your life in every stage of life and, lastly, that at times life is hard but it is always worth it.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? The teams motivate me. I have the privilege of working with most of these athletes since they were young girls on the all-star team. I have been able to form a relationship with them and their families. It is so exciting to see them get better, stronger and more confident in their abilities as athletes and people. They are fierce and amazing athletes. They push themselves from April through the following March, and to see them grow as athletes and as a team is so amazing and rewarding. They sacrifice more than anyone can imagine participating in their sport. So, I always want to give them every opportunity to be the best that they can be.
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? My four children will always be my greatest personal accomplishment. In cheerleading, I have had the privilege of working with so many wonderful athletes – I have won six state championships, a few runnerups and many third-place trophies. But, most important, my greatest coaching accomplishment is the relationships I have with so many strong, amazing young women. I love seeing them accomplish their milestones: graduation, college, marriage, children, careers. They come visit me and it makes all of the time and work worth it. Their successes are mine.
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? Build relationships, enjoy every moment, listen, work hard and believe in your power. Always accept help from others. People always have so much to offer you in areas that really enhance a program. We are not all-knowing, so networking and collaborating are essential.
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
Athletics
My husband and I have both coached. He understands the demands and sacrifices. My daughters are cheerleaders and participate(d) on my teams. Our sons were wrestlers/football players and learned at a young age about commitment and sacrifice. It is a definite balancing act, and at times can get very hectic. The love and support at home and from the team parents and kids make it all possible.
Lisa Abeyta-Valerio has been assistant principal of Taos High School for the past 11 years. She is also THS Varsity Cheerleading coach and head coach of Taos Xtreme All-Star Cheer. MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | NIKKI ROSS |
Children’s creative opportunities
MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
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EIGHT WOMEN OF IMPACT | NIKKI ROSS |
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS? I am currently the executive director of Twirl Play and Discovery Space and one of its founding members, so I’ve been with the organization for 14 years, also the age of my oldest daughter. I started out as a consultant, helping develop the business plan when Twirl launched as a for-profit toy store and play space, before becoming the marketing and playspace manager. In 2014, Twirl became a 501(c)3 play-based learning nonprofit to reflect its expanded mission and I became the executive director.
HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, AND WHO/WHAT HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
Children’s creative opportunities
I fell in love with a man and the mountains! I met my husband, Jake Caldwell, in Chamonix, France, where I had moved from England at the tender age of 37 to become a ski bum. Prior to that, I had skied a total of 20 days in my life, period. The first time I put on a pair of skis, I was 34 years old and I was completely smitten. I knew I wouldn’t be able to ski much if I remained in the UK, so I moved to France, leaving a MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS lucrative career in advertising behind me, and never looked back. I never imagined I’d end up in a small quirky ski town in North America. Prior to Chamonix, I worked in London in a global advertising agency for 10 years. I also worked in Hong Kong for two years as communications manager for a regional sports federation and in a Manchester marketing firm for four years after leaving college. In 2005, I moved to Taos, got married and had my first daughter, Anabelle, in 2006. Shortly after, Jake introduced me to Molly McMullin, Twirl’s original operations director, who was looking for someone with marketing experience to help launch Twirl.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND TELL YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? My 18-year-old self was actually at university studying to be a dentist. My 53-year-old self would have laughed at how ill-suited that career choice was and would have introduced me to the concept of ikigai. The Japanese believe that your true purpose in life can only be found when you combine what you’re good at with what you love, what you can make a living at and what fulfills a need in the larger world. I wish someone had told me back then how important it is to find a way to do what you love and to love what you do.
HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE? Hmm, I hope my work colleagues don’t read this … they might dispute that I have one. It can be very hard when you are an organizational leader to switch off, especially as you have most of your eureka moments in the middle of the night when you’re not dealing with day-to-day stuff. But I have a great team whom I love dearly and they make going to work fun, so that helps with the balance.
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Outside of work, my family and the outdoors remind me that all work and no play is simply not an option in Taos. I love getting outside skiing, hiking, walking the dog, playing tennis and doing all of those things with my family. I love to read and I have been in a book club with the same group of women for over 10 years, which is soulquenching. I also love watching soccer. I am lucky to have my husband’s family here in Taos and they help me achieve that balance, by being very present in my kids’ lives and also supporting me in my work.
HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF AND STAY MOTIVATED? Giving back to a community that has given me so much is motivation enough. I am passionate about Twirl and the work we do because I know we provide many opportunities for kids and families to play and be creative together that wouldn’t otherwise exist in Taos. I am deeply indebted to the original founder and visionary behind Twirl, Amy Wyss, and her husband, Ed Jaramillo, who continue to support Twirl’s mission and programs, and in doing so, continue to demonstrate their trust in me. Making the most of that gift and opportunity is a huge motivation for me. Traveling fuels my desire for new adventures and keeps me inspired. I love going to museums and art galleries and conferences and coming back brimming with ideas that I can turn into opportunities and programs for kids here in Taos. Just because they live in a small town doesn’t mean Taos kids shouldn’t have access to big-city experiences.
WHAT’S AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU ARE PROUDEST OF? After my two daughters, I would have to say Twirl. I have invested 14 years of my life in it and I feel that it’s been a worthwhile use of my time. I think Twirl has made a visible difference to the landscape of Taos and to the lives of a lot of families who live here.
AS AN INVISIBLE MENTOR, WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO READERS? Do the right thing, even when people aren’t looking. You can’t really go wrong if you act with integrity, it’s a win-win situation.
Nikki Ross (center, foreground), executive director and cofounder of Twirl Play and Discovery Space for 14 years, pictured with her management team (from left): Nina Silfverberg (community programs,) Anais Rumfelt (marketing/ playspace) and Laura Evelyn (retail). Ross started as a business consultant, and then marketing and playspace manager before becoming executive director of the nonprofit enterprise. MORGAN TIMMS/TAOS NEWS
YOUR WEEKEND PLANNER
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IN MEMORIAM
Esther García
W Shethefought good fight BY SCOTT GERDES
TINA LARKIN/TAOS NEWS FILE PHOTO
HEN ESTHER GARCÍA was young, her grandfather, J.P. Rael, told her there would be fights over water. And at some point in the near future, water would be worth more than gold. She didn’t get it at the time. But as García got older, she understood that he was urging her to “go out there and work to protect our water and land.”
And that’s exactly what García did. From behind the scenes, she built an inspirational conservation and civil service legacy that will stand the test of time. Northern New Mexicans mourned the unexpected passing of the lifelong, multigenerational Questeña on Jan. 5. She was 74 years old.
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Much of García’s life was spent in the public eye as a staunch protector of water and wildlife. She was an advocate for public land grants, an unofficial lobbyist at the state Legislature and former mayor of Questa. Her efforts included serving as a cultural voice that helped secure the designation of both the Río Grande del Norte National Monument and the Columbine Hondo Wilderness. She served on the board of directors at New Mexico Wild and the Questa School Board. During her term as Questa mayor, she successfully fought the Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s recommendation that the village’s historic St. Anthony Catholic Church be torn down instead of resurrected — “It was a big, big challenge. I had to threaten [the archdiocese] with eminent domain,” she told the Taos News in 2017.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 TAOSEÑA AWARDS SPONSORS Wanda Lucero For your very generous contribution to our 2nd annual Taoseña awards event, we want to send warm thanks and appreciation and hope you know how much you are valued..
TAOS WOMEN’S WEEKEND taosnews.com/taos-woman
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In 2011, thenMayor Esther García talks with second-graders over hot chocolate at the Page by Page Book Exchange about what sort of recreational sources they would like to have in Questa. TAOS NEWS FILE PHOTO
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RIVEN BY LOVE of community and nature, volunteerism was something that — in a sense — came naturally to García.
In a Taos News interview in 2010 after being named a Tradiciones Unsung Hero, she said that her father, Max Ortega (an original investor in Centinel Bank), and grandfather instilled in her that, “If you don’t help the people, you don’t exist and nothing happens. My whole family has tended to public service. I have my degree in volunteering; I’ve been doing it all my life.”
From getting Questa a public library, volunteering with the Questa 4-H for 23 years while raising three children to ensuring clean water in the valley, García was always up for the fight through tenacity, patience and excellent negotiating skills — and a smile. She relished strategizing, the give-and-take and the chance for a small town to stand toe to toe with the bigger fish in a bigger pond. And as if she didn’t have enough to take on, García took time every spring for at least the past 10 years to participate in the Taos News’ Unsung Hero Selection Committee for Tradiciones.
“Whenever I called Esther to serve on the Tradiciones focus group she always said, ‘Yes,’ ” shared Taos News Publisher Chris Baker. “She was the first one to arrive at the event and always the most prepared. She had meticulous notes on various Unsung Hero candidates throughout the community — especially people from Questa and the northern part of Taos County. She was quiet but forceful, and when she spoke the other participants took notice. I especially enjoyed hearing about Claire Coté and her work with Wild Rivers in Questa and Max Ortega (Esther’s brother), the former Questa fire chief. Over the years, Esther introduced us to the wonderful volunteers and stewards who protect our public lands. She was a strong voice for those who have devoted their lives to make Questa a better place to live. She will be missed in our Tradiciones focus group this year.” New Mexico Wild Executive Director Mark Allison expressed in a statement after García’s passing that he will remember her as a “powerful force for her community and for the protection of public lands and wild places. She was involved and instrumental in essentially every conservation gain in Taos County over the course of the last decade … Esther’s kind heart, warm smile and steadfast commitment to public service will be missed by all who were lucky enough to meet her.” García’s public service is beyond reproach and her tireless efforts will not be forgotten.
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From left, then-Questa Mayor Esther García, Ruth Rael, Cynthia Rael-Vigil and Aaron Rael stand in front of the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Questa. Reflecting upon winning the battle with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to restore the historic church as opposed to tearing it down, García told the Taos News, ‘That church means a lot to the people. It really does. We see it as a connection that maybe not everybody understands, but there’s a connection to that church that everybody has. It’s not a building. Not just a building. It’s something that holds these people to this church. And everyone has it. And it’s not a church vs. state issue because if you look at the separation of church and state, if we were creating a religion, it would be an issue. But we’re not. The church is the people. We’re not creating this. It’s already been there for many centuries. Certainly, this struggle will make Questa a stronger community. I think we’ll have to work on some of the divisions in the community and it’s going to have to be all of us working toward the best interest of the community. To me, my connection with the church is that my ancestors had something to do with it. I look at everything around me and everything that was left here for us to continue to work with was left by our ancestors. As I get older, I have a deep, deep affection for my ancestors and what they left for me and the history they left me.’ TINA LARKIN/TAOS NEWS FILE PHOTO