Educator

Some may know Damien Flores as the host of KUNM’s “spoken word hour” on Sunday evenings. Others have known him as a teacher and mentor over the past 15 years. As of July 7, he will now be known as Albuquerque’s 7th Poet Laureate.

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.

The federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is on the ballot this year as President Trump runs for reelection in a country that’s seen…