Taylor Velazquez

The reversal of Roe v. Wade has already triggered abortion bans throughout the country, including some states not recognizing exceptions for rape or incest. KUNM spoke with Alexandria Taylor, Deputy Secretary at the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs about how the reversal will impact the increasing prevalence of sexual violence.

Democrat John Allen and Republican Paul Pacheco emerged victorious in their respective primary races for Bernalillo County Sheriff.

As schools across the state start their summer vacations, there are concerns about what classrooms will look like when educators and students return for the fall semester. The state is experiencing a teacher shortage crisis, with more than 1,000 licensed educator positions unfilled and 40% of districts reporting severe overall staffing shortages, ranging from educational assistants to bus drivers.

It has now been three months since Russia invaded Ukraine and a Santa Fe-based charity has people on the ground providing badly needed medical services to people under attack. Aaron Mindel, a paramedic with Global Outreach Doctors is on the front lines, about nine miles away from the Russian border in Ukraine where airstrikes have been increasing. He spoke with KUNM by cell phone with air raid sirens in the background.

As wildfires continue to range across the state and folks continue to be evacuated from their homes, everything can be overwhelming. That’s especially true for kids facing the loss of a home and the uncertainty of what comes next. At one evacuation site, counselors are trying to help kids deal with trauma and stress.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 5/5 8am: Being a teen in foster care can be complex. Imagine being taken from home, yearning to belong, or even lacking support when it comes to mental health. For most young adults, turning 18 means new opportunities and experiences. But for kids aging out of the foster care system, coming of age comes with stress and uncertainty of what comes next.

In 2009, Barack Obama became the first president to recognize April as sexual assault awareness month. Since then, numerous initiatives have sought to combat the problem. But one group remains particularly vulnerable. According to the Department of Justice, Native women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault.

Cyber attacks have impacted many New Mexicans recently, with attacks on Albuquerque Public Schools and Bernalillo County. In response University of New Mexico Continuing Education has announced a new Cybersecurity Bootcamp to ramp up local professionals and talent.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed education bills that will increase salaries of school workers, and increase benefits for teachers.These are efforts to address severe staffing shortages at schools amid burnout that has accelerated in the pandemic. However, fixing the issues will require many different solutions.

On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’re talking about teacher burnout. And we want to hear from you! Are you a teacher experiencing burnout and looking to leave your job? Are you a parent who’s worried about the future of your child’s education?