
Mapping Gay Guides
Wed, Jun 1, 2022, 12:00am
CURRENT WEEKLY PODCAST Imagine . . . the year is 1965. The place is your town. What does it look like to be gay, there, at that time? Where do you go to find people like you? Where is it safe to be you? How does that change as the years pass? Now we can explore this not so ancient history through the lens of Bob Damron's Address Book, an annual guide for gay people in the US.

MANITOS COMMUNITY MEMORY PROJECT: REMEMBER AND REFLECT
1 Dec 2021
Introducing a free resource for classroom teachers, librarians and individuals to reflect on the personal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while exploring archival information about the Spanish Flu pandemic and its impacts in northern New Mexico. The deluxe package includes a boxed set of four issues with stickers and a bookmark with prompts for reflection.

2021 NHD Theme: Communication in History
2022 Theme: Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences
25 Jul 2021
Every year, National History Day frames students' research within a historical theme. The theme is chosen for the broad application to world, national or state history and its relevance to ancient history...

Sean Cardinalli
Juneteenth and Violence, Revisited
Wed, Jun 1, 2022, 8:27am | By Sean Cardinalli
Juneteenth is once again on the horizon. It reminds of emancipation. It is characterized by celebration. It is rooted in Black freedom delayed and so, therefore, denied. Our Black freedom is still delayed...

Credit: Vicente Fernandez in 1965 Wikimedia Commons
El Grito Eterno: Imagining Vicente Fernandez and Remembering My Father
Tue, May 31, 2022, 8:20am | By Matthew Villegas
The mariachi legend, Vicente Fernandez, passed away late last year at 81. Affectionately known by his legions of fans as "Chente," he left a legacy that will likely go unmatched. Chente was Mexico's...

Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Baca Credit: Ultima and Owl, artist Kathy Gidden, oil on canvas.
Burning Última: Rudolfo Anaya and the Impact of Book Bans on Democracy
Tue, May 31, 2022, 8:10am | By Vanessa Baca
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines democracy as a government by the people, especially the rule of the majority, and one that is characterized by free and open elections. As Americans, most of us tend...

The La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, ca. 1930-1940. The La Fonda was built in 1922, and was acquired by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in 1925, who leased it to Fred Harvey. It was a Harvey House from 1926 to 1968. It has been locally own Credit: UNM Library, William A. Keleher Collection http://rmoa.unm.edu/docviewer.php?docId=nmupict000-742.xml
Mapping Queer History in New Mexico
Tue, May 31, 2022, 8:05am | By Ellen Dornan
For this month’s Augmented Humanity podcast, we’re talking with Dr. Amanda Regan, and Dr. Eric Gonzaba, co-creators of Mapping the Gay Guides, which is built around interactive geographic visualizations...

Denise Chávez in front of "Lalo" Chávez's mural in the lobby of La Posta in Las Cruces, NM. Photo by Daniel Zolinsky.
MOTHER’S DAY. 2019. ©2022
Sun, May 1, 2022, 11:42pm | By Denise Chavez
Bendito, Bendito, Bendito Sea Dios Los ángeles cantan y alaban a Dios Yo creo Jesús mío que estás en el altar Oculto en la ostia te vengo a adorar I climbed one bumpy narrow step at a time with a rickety...

Chábáh Davis Watson of the Tl'aashchi'i Clan, Red Bottom People, from Wheatfields, AZ. Photo Courtesy of Ninabah Davis.
Teacher Warrior
Sun, May 1, 2022, 11:40pm | By Ninabah Davis
Just recently I watched a movie on Netflix called Te Ata, the story of Mary Thompson Fisher, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, an actress and storyteller who called herself Te Ata (which is thought...

My friend La Llorona, 2018 Credit: Photo by Rica Maestas
Loving La Llorona
Sun, May 1, 2022, 11:38pm | By Rica Maestas
It has always been easy to see myself in the infamous “crying woman,” La Llorona. Like her, I am brown and femme, a survivor of abuse and mental illness, a child forced into adulthood too soon. A consummate...

NEW MEXICO HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Who we were
Who we are and
Who we aspire to be
We seek out, fund and conduct quality humanities programs for presentation to public audiences throughout the state. We support a wide variety of programs, projects and organizations-- topics can range anywhere from local history and culture to international affairs. Explore our website to learn how we support public programs in New Mexico communities which inspire inclusive conversations that strengthen our civil society and celebrate diverse human experiences.
Statement on Diversity and Inclusion from the New Mexico Humanities Council
1 Jul 2020
“Seeking to understand who we are, who we were, and who we aspire to be.” This statement is more than a pithy tagline for the New Mexico Humanities Council; we actively seek to provide New Mexicans with opportunities to cultivate mutual understanding and respect through its programming and grants.
Over the past weeks and months, our nation has experienced tremendous upheaval, particularly in response to the persistence of individual, institutional, structural, and systemic racism in our society. In the interest of addressing these social barriers, the New Mexico Humanities Council pledges to continue to develop, nurture, and fund programs and grant partnerships that use the tools of history, ethics, literature, and the examination of the arts to bridge gaps of culture, knowledge, and experience between New Mexicans. Our aim is to help each of us determine who we aspire to be both as individuals and members of larger communities. By helping to build these bridges of understanding and respect, we hope to play our part in working towards a more just society.
In the past year, we partnered with representatives from diverse communities to amplify the many voices and perspectives that make up New Mexican society. Some examples of this collaborative work include:
- 400 Years (1619-2019): Knowing our African American Past and Creating our Future, an art exhibit and discussion program that brought together artists and community members to discuss the resiliency of the African American community in the wake of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of ships carrying enslaved Africans to America (with the New Mexico African American Artists Guild).
- Bright Spaces, Welcome Places, a community-created art exhibit and public programs celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, and queer resiliency and health (with Fierce Pride).
- A concert and post-performance discussion led by the members of the Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble, which preserves the ancient Filipino musical tradition of kulintang (with the Filipino American Community Council).
While we are proud of the work we have done, the current moment demands reflection on what more we can do. In addition to continuing the cultivation of community partnerships alongside our funders and collaborators, the New Mexico Humanities Council is committed to creating and supporting opportunities and spaces for dialogue and expression. Please join us as a donor, partner, scholar, or engaged citizen in the important and meaningful work of building a better New Mexico. Don’t hesitate to contact Brandon Johnson (bjohnson@nmhumanities.org; 505-633-7376) to talk about how you’d like to be involved. We look forward to hearing from you!