This week, NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS unveils an exciting new election project, called By the People, for the People. It’s one that we hope brings new perspectives and ieas to the local political dialogue. What we are doing is bringing six Citizen Journalists onboard over the next six weeks. These brave individuals are not trained professionals, just regular “folk” dedicated to furthering the discussion and debate over one of the most important elections in our lifetime.
They come from diverse backgrounds, which reflect the rich and ecelctic nature of this great state of ours. We are asking them to do a lot for us between now and November: everything from blogging to filing their own video reports. We have even set up a special webpage for the Citizen Journalists, a central space where they can do their thing! You can expect to see some of their work in the very near future, but before we see their work, we thought it was important for you to meet them, and find out a little about what being a Citizen Journalist means to them.
David Williams
Born and raised in the south, I came to Albuquerque eighteen years ago and fell in love with New Mexico. Passionate about most forms of motorized transportation, I roll on eighteen wheels to make a living and two wheels whenever I can. Music, Literature and baseball fill whatever time is left. I am 39 years-old and have been married for ten years to my wife Susan, who recently left her arts administration career to grow tomatoes and ponder how next to make the world a better place.
I am concerned that Americans are losing the ability to have a civil discourse. We are entrenched in our positions, with little empathy, locked in an “us” or “them” mentality. I believe we work best when we work together toward our common goals. I hope that as a part of the Citizen Journalist project I can bring diverse voices to the community conversation. I would like to believe it’s still possible for us to remember we’re all Americans and that what we have in common is more important than what divides us.
Rebecca Riley
A proud descendent of Acoma, I have lived both on and on off the reservation. Currently, I and my 4-year-old son call Albuquerque home. A St. Pius X Alumni, I then went on to attend the University of New Mexico. While living on the reservation I realized the many disparities and tremendous need the people were facing, especially due to the lack of health care. So with the support of my family and with the embedded beliefs and values to always give back to my tribe, I am pursuing a degree in Community Health Education with a minor in Native American Studies. My interest in health prevention and Native issues has influenced my support for the continuance of Native people and their sovereignty today. I became involved with the Citizen Journalist Project because of a personal decision I made to take opportunities to be active in Native issues. I attended a screening one evening of a PBS documentary called the Last Conquistador where I had the opportunity to express and dialogue with a variety of New Mexicans about the production of the most recent Don Juan Onate statue. That led to a call from KNME to see if I was interested in participating in the Citizen Journalist Project. When the opportunity presented itself I was not about to let it go. The need to raise the voices of Native people is crucial to our continuance, especially in this time of election when positive change and self-sufficiency is what we strive for. So I head forward with the guidance of the people of KNME and the Citizen Journalist Project to make this happen.
Darryl DeLoach
I have called New Mexico home for most of my life. For the last 5 years I have been involved in the state’s revival of the film industry. As an actor and independent filmmaker I have enjoyed numerous performances on stage and screen. Most recently my film, The Liberation of Taos Ski Valley received the honor of being accepted to the NALIP (National Association of Latin Independent Producers) Producers Academy. Currently I am producing the play, The Exonerated, through a grant received from the McCune Foundation. I feel performance and new media are powerful tools of stimulating change and awareness. The opportunity to be a ‘Citizen Journalist’ for KNME, allows me to passionately engage real issues during these turbulent times. Democracy is supposed to be, a representation of the people and it has been corrupted by corporate influence. It is their greed that has lead to war, climate change, and both the energy and economic crisis. It is time the people take the nation back from the politicians. They are supposed to be public servants, and we want more a more equitable distribution of our nations’ wealth.
Leah Valencia
Born into beautiful New Mexico, in 22 years I have never forgotten that it truly is enchanted. I have lived in several parts of New Mexico during my life, as well as several other states. This has given me the opportunity to discover more about the world around me, and be influenced by many different people. I have a passion for exploring, observing, learning about, and understanding my surroundings.
I am thoroughly excited to be included in the citizen journalist project. I think it is important for people in Albuquerque to be able to voice what is important to them. As a Citizen Journalist, I would like to focus on the young voter, but also compare and contrast the views of the young versus older generations. I hope to define the differences in the generational gap, with the ultimate goal of finding common ground between all people. I plan on bridging this gap by finding where we agree and determining by popular opinion which candidate best represents these views. This is the time when we all need to unite on the issues. The issues I am especially interested in are; Education, and the No Child Left Behind Act’s sustainability. The possibility of oil and gas drilling in ANWR is also of interest to me. I want to know if it is a viable solution to our foreign oil dependency. Then there are the issues of Homeland Security including the Patriot Act, Guantanamo, and torture. I want to know the opinion of other New Mexicans on these specific issues; where we differ and exactly where we do agree. After all, the results of this election will impact our future for years to come.
Kelly Byars
Halito (Hello). My name is Kelly Byars and I am a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Although I grew up in Oklahoma, I moved to New Mexico in 1983 and have lived here ever since. I received an Associates Degree in Three Dimensional Sculpture from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1985 and a BA in Media Arts from the University of New Mexico in 2004. I am currently attaining my Masters Degree in Education from the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies. I am a sculptor, an actor and a filmmaker, most recently producing two documentaries addressing Native issues. The Last Trek (2006) and A Return Home (2008), have been made a part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of the American Indian’s Film Center. When introduced to the thought of being a citizen journalist, a flood of unaddressed problems and widely overlooked concerns rushed through my mind. There are so many Native American issues that need to be addressed, many of them pushed to the side of the growing National issues that inundate the mainstream media. This current election is one of the most important turning points of this nation’s history and I believe that now is the time to include the indigenous perspective. As the original native people of this country, we need to change the direction in which we are headed. Health issues, environmental concerns, educational crisis… these are all problems that concern Native people as well. These voices need to be heard.
Gil Saavedra
I was born in Fresno, California but spent most of life in the Bay Area. Education and strong family values have always been the corner stone of what my parents, even though they differed, emphasized upon my sister and I. With major push from my Father and the financial/emotional backing from my Mom, I moved to Albuquerque during the summer of 2005. I’m currently a junior at the University of New Mexico, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Art History. While I may have my political bias, I believe a reputable journalist ought to report both sides of the story since not everyone is a victim.
My coverage of the 2008 election will be from a students perspective; an inside view of what the current generation feels needs changing. There are many issues which tend to be overlooked because they just don’t generate ratings for the major networks. The daily struggles and cost of a higher education in the contemporary period, for example. Every generation has had its moment for change. 2008 is my generations chance to make or break history, and I’m honored to be given the chance to document and live it.
