Let's Talk New Mexico

The census is one of the more important events in our democracy. Every 10 years each person is counted so that resources can be allocated, programs created, and a general understanding of the population is had. It should be a clean process. Should be. The 2020 census has proven to be anything but clean. Mud has been thrown on the process, as people and institutions attempt to manipulate the numbers, subsequently stripping power from some and giving it to others. Peppered throughout this episode is an editorial from NoMoNo about why the census matters: The state is counting on us to be counted. If you haven't completed the census form yet, do it now. It only takes a few minutes. Click here to get started.

Let's Talk New Mexico 9/8, 8a: Voting rights are the bedrock of American democracy, yet for many people, that right is not a reality. Voter suppression has a long history in the United States and has largely affected people of color and women. On this week’s call-in show, we will focus on the white supremacist roots of voter suppression and how they affect the COVID-impacted 2020 election. We will explore felon voter laws and the fragile history of voting rights for Black people and Native Americans.

The 2020 Census ends on September 30, a full month earlier than previously announced. Nationally, 15% of households have yet to be counted, and response rates are even lower in New Mexico. This week, we’ll discuss the final Census push amid the dangers of COVID-19, and how an undercount could exacerbate racial and economic inequities in our state.

Let's Talk New Mexico 8/27 8a: School is back in session online, with some districts planning to stay that way all semester and others waiting to see whether it's safe to go back in person later this fall. On this week’s call-in show, we’ll center the thoughts and experiences of New Mexico students as they kick off this unconventional semester. And we want to hear from you!

Let's Talk New Mexico 8/20 8a: Did you know that your kids can get free crafting kits from the Española Public Library? Or that you can take virtual tours of many of the state's museums? Or that several organizations around New Mexico provide free PPE to those in need? On the next Let's Talk New Mexico, it’s the return of our annual free stuff show (2020 COVID edition), and we’re talking about what’s available for no cost during the pandemic.

Let's Talk New Mexico 8/11 8a: The Navajo community of To'Hajiilee faces severe water shortages and has worked with Bernalillo County to find a way to pipe in water from Albuquerque. But a land development company stands in the way. On this week’s Let’s Talk New Mexico, we'll discuss the To'Hajiilee water crisis, plus the aftereffects of the 2015 Gold King Mine spill and this year’s dramatic increase in water use in New Mexico's largest city.

Let's Talk New Mexico THU 8/6, 8a: With federal agents being sent to Albuquerque to fight violent crime as part of Operation Legend, many in the community are pushing back, saying more police officers aren’t what’s needed to make things safer. This week on the call-in show, we’ll look beyond the traditional criminal justice system, and discuss community-led and public health approaches to preventing violence.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/30, 8a: The Trump administration announced last week that it’s sending 35 federal agents to Albuquerque, saying they’ll fight violent crime as part of Operation Legend. But exactly what that means is unclear, and many people fear the agents will crack down on protestors, or target immigrants or low-income, largely Brown and Black communities that have borne the brunt of some past police operations. This week on Let’s Talk New Mexico we’ll talk with elected officials and community organizers about this deployment of federal agents, and we want to hear from you.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/16, 8a: Journalism is changing. All reporters are both living in the pandemic and reporting on it. Local student journalists are calling on newsrooms to acknowledge the racism hidden in how objectivity plays out in newsrooms. On this week's Let's Talk New Mexico, we’re discussing decision-making in news and reckoning with a history of racism in media.

And we want to hear from you!  How do you decide whether you can trust a New Mexican news source? What might make you lose that trust? Join the conversation by emailing letstalk@kunm.org or calling in on the day of the show.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 7/9, 8a: Summer break looks different for youth across New Mexico this year. On this week's Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll talk about the challenges and opportunities for parents working to keep their kids healthy, occupied and engaged this summer despite the pandemic – from in-person COVID-safe programs, to getting outside and continuing to learn.

Let's Talk New Mexico 7/2, 8a: Across the nation, people are calling for the removal of monuments and place names that glorify leaders who brutalized Brown and Black people. On Let’s Talk New Mexico this week, we’ll discuss the long history of resistance to Albuquerque’s Juan de Onate statue, the Santa Fe plaza obelisk, a White-centric mural at the University of New Mexico, and more. What do these monuments mean to you? How do they uphold narratives that contribute to the continued oppression of Native Americans and other people of color? What should be the role of public art in telling the whole truth about complex colonial histories? Join the conversation: email letstalk@kunm.org, use the hashtag #LetsTalkNM on Twitter, or call (505) 277-5866 during the show.

Let's Talk New Mexico 6/18, 8a: With protests against systemic racism and violence continuing around the country, many people are questioning the role of law enforcement and imagining different ways of ensuring public safety. This week on Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll discuss a spectrum of changes to New Mexico’s police forces that folks are calling for, from reform efforts like banning chokeholds and training officers differently, to more radical proposals that seek to eliminate traditional policing altogether. 

Let's Talk New Mexico 6/11, 8a: June is Pride month, and in the midst of mass demonstrations for racial justice and an ongoing pandemic, this year’s celebration will undoubtedly look different. On this week's call-in show, we look at the black roots of Pride, including the 1969 Stonewall uprising that paved the way for LGBTQ rights today. We’ll hear about the contributions of Black and Brown trans and cis women, and trans people of other genders, in the local and global Pride movement. And we'll ask how the Black Lives Matter movement influences this year’s events. We want to hear from you! How do you celebrate Pride? Email letstalk@kunm.org, use the hashtag #LetsTalkNM on Twitter, or call in live during the show at 277-5866.

Police violence takes many forms, and some communities in Albuquerque experience it much more than others. On Let's Talk New Mexico this week, we'll hear about how law enforcement has responded to Black Lives Matter protests over the last week in Albuquerque. How do you see police operating in your community? What needs to happen to end racist police violence in New Mexico? Join the conversation by emailing letstalk@kunm.org, or call in live at 277-5866.

Let's Talk New Mexico 5/28, 8a: Many of the people protesting COVID-related restrictions around New Mexico are white, while the virus has disproportionately impacted Native communities. This week on Let’s Talk New Mexico, we look at how whiteness plays into anti-shutdown responses in towns that border tribal communities.

Let's Talk New Mexico 5/21, 8a: Keeping our communities and public spaces clean is life-saving work as we fight viral spread. On this week's call-in show, we'll hear from those essential workers about the conditions they face during the pandemic. Do you work in sanitation or on a hospital cleaning crew? Do you clean homes or other businesses for a living? Are you a home health care worker? We want to hear from you about how things are going. Or do you have a special story or gratitude shoutout for someone who cleans the spaces you inhabit? Email LetsTalk@kunm.org or call in live during the show.

Lets Talk New Mexico 5/14, 8a: K-12 schools across the state closed in late March and students have been finishing up their last months online. Many youth have had their extracurriculars cancelled and aren’t able to leave the house or see their friends. This week, we hear from the generation of young New Mexicans impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis. As they approach the end of the semester, we’ll hear from middle and high school students about what the shutdown’s been like for them and what they think the future might hold.

Lets Talk New Mexico 4/30, 8a: Some New Mexicans are talking about reopening businesses in defiance of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s stay-at-home order, and mayors of 19 municipalities in the state recently signed on to a letter requesting that the governor allow them to reopen. However, health care workers say that could make things worse for those on the front lines of the COVID pandemic. This week, we’re talking about calls to reopen the economy, what that timeline could look like, and what it might mean for New Mexicans. 

Let's Talk New Mexico 4/23, 8a: More health care workers in New Mexico are testing positive for COVID-19 as the state approaches an expected peak in cases later this spring. Hospitals are laying off workers as the ban on elective surgeries and other procedures slams their bottom lines. On this week’s call-in show, we’ll hear about how prepared the state’s health care system is for a surge of coronavirus patients. Are workers getting the protective equipment they need? How would hospitals handle potential shortages of intensive care beds and ventilators? To join in the conversation, email letstalks@kunm.org or call in live during the show on Thursday morning.

Lets Talk New Mexico 4/9, 8a: Many New Mexicans have been living with the strictures of social distancing for several weeks, and we have to wonder what kind of effect that is having on mental and emotional health. This week on the call-in show, we’ll talk about life in the stay-at-home age and ask how well the practice is working to limit the spread of COVID-19. We want to hear from you! How are you dealing with the ways that social distancing has changed your life?

Let's Talk New Mexico 3/27, 8a: The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply shaken many of our basic systems in just a few weeks. Changes that once seemed unthinkable to many, like releasing prisoners, closing entire school districts, or disallowing evictions, have now come to pass. How are people and institutions adapting to provide necessities during this crisis? What might a post-coronavirus world look like? We want to hear from you. Email LetsTalk@kunm.org or call in live during the show at (505) 277-5866. 

Let's Talk New Mexico 3/26, 8a: Life's normal pace seems to be grinding to a halt for many New Mexicans, but some things never change. Babies are born, loved ones pass away, couples get hitched -- so what do those big, life-changing celebrations and events look like in the time of quarantine? On our next KUNM call-in show, we'll speak with folks who are navigating births, deaths, and marriages during the pandemic, and helping others do the same. And we want to hear from you! Email letstalk@kunm.org or call in during the show at (505) 277-5866. 

Let's Talk New Mexico 3/25, 8a: The coronavirus has now reached 11 counties in New Mexico, with 100 cases of COVID-19 now confirmed mostly in the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces areas. "Non-essential" workers are now staying home. Amid all this fearful uncertainty, it's heartening to hear how communities are building new ways to care for each other. We're spending our mornings this week taking your calls about the coronavirus pandemic, and we want to hear what's happening in your home or neighborhood. How are you coping with the anxieties and sudden lifestyle changes? How are you staying busy and getting creative about keeping up with loved ones from a distance? Email LetsTalk@kunm.org or call in live during the show at 277-5866. 

Let's Talk New Mexico 3/24, 8a: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham went live before tens of thousands of New Mexicans on Monday afternoon with a new public health order in response to the coronavirus outbreak: close all "non-essential businesses," limit public outings to groups of five, and stay at home as much as possible. The order says violators "could lose licenses to operate and face civil or criminal penalties." How does this change life for you and your loved ones? What worries you most about the pandemic in your town, and what kinds of things do you want to hear from your elected leaders? We're continuing our daily call-in shows about COVID-19 in New Mexico, and we want to hear from you. Email letstalk@kunm.org anytime or call in live during the show at (505) 277-5866 or 1-877-899-5866.

Let's Talk New Mexico 3/23, 8a: The coronavirus outbreak has everyone talking and thinking about the same thing, so each morning this week, we'll be coming to you live with special call-in shows all about local responses to COVID-19. We want to hear how you're holding up. What questions or concerns do you have about the way New Mexico agencies are addressing this public health crisis? How are you staying safe and caring for your community during this time of social distancing? Email letstalk@kunm.org, tweet at us with #LetsTalkNM, or call in live during the show at (505) 277-5866. If you're outside of the ABQ Metro area, the number is 1-877-899-5866. 

  Let's Talk NM 3/12, 8a: In 2019, Albuquerque was listed as one of the top ten places for women in technology fields, with nearly 30% of tech jobs here filled by women. This week on Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll speak with women who work in science and technology -- from CNM's coding bootcamp program, to Los Alamos National Labs, to Girls Who Code clubs. What’s the outlook for women who want to get into a tech job, whether straight out of high school or as a mid-career switch?

  Let's Talk New Mexico 3/5 8a: Lobbyists spent more than $195,000 on events, meals and giveaways for state legislators during the 2019 legislative session, working out to more than $6,500 a day. Ethics advocates worry that this kind of spending influences those legislators’ decisions in the Roundhouse, and think the public has a right to know exactly what’s going on.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 2/27 8am: It’s near the end of Black History Month, and we’re going to be talking about the impact of black people on the culture of New Mexico. From historical contributions to the present day, African Americans have been fundamental in the development of the rich traditions of the state. 

  Let's Talk New Mexico 2/20 8a: The 2020 legislative session finishes up Thursday. As those final hours close in, we’ll discuss where high-profile proposals stand – like the red-flag firearm bill, and recreational cannabis – as well as the fate of some important bills that you may have not heard of.

And we want to hear from you. Which proposals were you happy to see pass? Which stalled bills frustrated you? Email LetsTalk@kunm.org, tweet using #LetsTalkNM, or call in live during the show.

NEW: We're partnering with NMPBS to livestream video of the Thursday call-in show. Watch live at New Mexico PBS or KUNM on Facebook, or listen as always on 89.9 FM or KUNM.org.