New Mexico Office of African American Affairs Staff Directory Yvette Kaufman-Bell Executive Director Office: 505-222-9447 Cell: 505-690-4990 [email protected] Vacant Deputy Director Office: 505-222-9443 Office staff members from (l-r), Tanya Montoya-Ramirez, Cell: 505-221-9015 Beverly Jordan, Yvette Kaufman-Bell, Nicole Byrd, and Cecilia Webb Beverly Jordan Executive Assistant Office: 505-222-9476 Cell: 505-221-2863 [email protected] Contact us: Tanya Montoya-Ramirez New Mexico Office of Budget Analyst African American Affairs Office: 505-222-9441 [email protected] Nicole Byrd 1015 Tijeras NW Suite 102 Community Outreach Specialist Office: 505-222-9497 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Cell: 505-221-9171 1-866-747-6935 Toll-Free [email protected] (505) 222-9405 Cecilia Webb (505) 222-9489 Fax Community Outreach Specialist Office: 505-222-9442 website: www.oaaa.state.nm.us Cell: 505-221-9016 [email protected] Vacant Community Outreach Specialist Office: 505-222-9405 www.oaaa.state.nm.us 2 Table of Contents • Director’s Message •••4 • James B. Lewis Retires •••5 • National Association of Auditors, Comptrollers and State Treasurers •••6 Publication Staff • City of Albuquerque and Zambian Officials Sister Cities Signing Ceremony •••7 Publish Layout & Design • Office of African American Affairs Ron Wallace Outstanding Awards Luncheon •••8 • Chantale Riddle A Model of Fortitude •••11 Editor OAAA Staff • Taking the Journey and Discovering a Dream •••12 Cecilia Webb • Doing Business in New Mexico: Jambo Success •••14 • Local NAACP Celebrates 100 Years •••16 Contributors of Articles and • The New Mexico Martin Luther King Jr. Photos for this issue State Commission Ambassadors •••16 • The New Mexico Black Expo •••17-21 Carolyn Peeler - Alamogordo, NM • Celebration Coordinator Shares Passion for King •••22 Leman Taylor - Alamogordo, NM • MLK March in Hobbs, NM •••23 Patrick Mapalo - Albuquerque, NM • Albuquerque Marching Because We Believe In Dr. King •••24 David Hicks (photos) - Albuquerque, NM • Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration at the Kimberley Greene - Albuquerque, NM NM State Capitol Roundhouse •••25 Sunshine Muse - Albuquerque, NM • Dr. Brian Gibbs Joins the University of New Mexico’s Marilyn L. Hill - Albuquerque, NM Health Sciences Center as its First African American Alisa Boswell - Managing Editor, Vice Chancellor for Diversity •••26 Clovis News Journal - Clovis, NM • Dr. Robert Jefferson Named Director of Africana Studies •••27 Joyce Pollard - Clovis, NM • Legacy of Great Athletes Paying Forward •••28 Robert Graham - Portales, NM • Alamogordo Awards and Events •••29 George Geder - Santa Fe, NM • Introducing Dr. Keith Wilks •••30 Dr. Wanda Ross Padilla - Santa Fe, NM • Friends Of Many Cultures Harvest Ball •••31 • Afreeka Santa Fe •••32 College of Santa Fe Special Reunion Left to right: Clarence Watson (La), Scottie Rosetti (NM), Lou Philps (NY), Patricia Watson (Md), Earl Soal (Tx), Cecilia Webb (NM), Connie Richard (NY), Al Fox (In), Lionel Brown (Ca), Harry Greisser (Pa), and George Cook (Tx); the couple on front right are Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brown (parents of Cecilia Webb; and the adopted parents of CSF Reunion) Included is a trip to Santa Fe with dinner hosted by Mike and Jerri Bowen, and joined with Basketball Coach Sweeney, Dean Yvonne Russell, and other students who have remained in touch. The returning students were at CSF 1968-1972. 3 Statewide Focus Magazine ◊ Partnered, for the first time, to offer a County Black Expo in Lea and Santa Fe counties. Each County Black Expo had Director’s Message 400+ in attendance ◊ SB69: African American Infant Mortality Pilot Program passed ◊ SB313: $50,000 general fund appropriation increase to address African American Infant Mortality and Maternal Health ◊ SB313: General fund appropriation for two additional full time staff positions, Executive Administrative Assistant and Health Community Outreach Specialist Reports can be viewed on the new and improved agency website: www.oaaa.state.nm.us Event Participation and Collaboration JULY 2013 Youth Advocacy Program AUGUST 2013 Affordable Care Act Education Common Core State Standard: Parent Packet Review w/PED School Home Visiting Workshop Yvette Kaufman-Bell, Executive Director SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 Albuquerque Public New Mexico Office of African American Affairs Schools Board Meeting; National Black Child Institute; UNM Health Disparity Institute; State of NM Alternative Dispute Brief Highlights of OAAA Activity During Resolution Training NOVEMBER 2013 Hobbs NAACP Event; State NAACP July 1, 2013 — June 30, 2014 Conference; ADR Conference; Black SPACES; Training Safe ◊ Governor Susana Martinez dedicates New Mexico’s Schools Summit by Attorney General Gary King; Partnerships that Improve Outcomes for Children and Families; Community 14th CYFD Heart Gallery housed at the NM Office Networking; AACNM; Governor and 1st Gentleman Reception; of African American Affairs, as the agency joins Sister City: Zambia Meeting CYFD to assist with finding forever families for foster PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP NAACP State Conference; children Grant Chapel AME Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast; ◊ Five Town Hall Meetings conducted in 5 counties (Curry, Southern Christian Leadership Council Dr. Martin Luther King Chaves, Lea, Santa Fe, Bernalillo) to discuss ways leaders Jr. Luncheon; New Mexico Black History Month Committee; in each county can join efforts to decrease disparities in the eREAD SAT/ACT On-Line Prep Courses; Tuskegee Airmen African American community Aviation Youth Summer Camp; Big Red Express Track ◊ Total of 79 New Mexico teachers received lesson plans Club; New Mexico Black History Month Festival Education; on a more in-depth look at US African American history Research Evaluation & Design, Inc.; Hobbs Black History to implement in classrooms, in partnership with PBS. The Month Celebration; University of New Mexico Voices of lesson plans meet state core curriculum standards Inspiration Choir; Santa Fe NAACP; Freedom Work; Folk ◊ A Black Expo Steering Committee was formed to Forms and Variations; National Organization of Black Law plan and implement a two-day statewide showcase of Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E.); Home Circle Club New Mexico’s rich African American culture and provide 100 Year Anniversary; 50th Commemorative Celebration of resources for economics, health care and education the March on Washington ◊ Published 8 county statistical data reports, emphasizing DECEMBER 2013 Links Gala; Faculty of Color disproportionate disparity in the areas of economics, Networking Reception; Community Memorial Honoring the education and health (Dona Ana, Lea, Curry, Chaves, Life of Nelson Mandela; Healthy People—Healthy Places Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Otero, Eddy) Forum ◊ Partnered in 6 community career fairs and economic JANUARY 2014 Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce empowerment sessions to increase employment opportunities Susana Martinez Luncheon; Grant Chapel Martin Luther in minority communities in Lea, Bernalillo and Curry King Jr. Breakfast; Southern Christian Leadership Conference counties Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon; NM Martin Luther King Jr. ◊ Increased Summer Literacy Enrichment Program sites March; Governor’s Prayer Breakfast; Children’s Law Institute to be held at 3 community centers Conference www.oaaa.state.nm.us 4 FEBRUARY 2014 Church of God In Christ Leadership MAY 2014 SBCC John Lewis Celebration; Native Summit Facilitator, New Covenant Worship Center Leadership American Economic Summit; APS Cultural Proficiency Summit Facilitator, Silver Horizons Senior Assistance Fair; Meeting Team Child Brain Alliance; Mohammed Ali Documentary JUNE 2014 Freedom Summer Documentary Facilitation Facilitated Panel Discussion of Panel Discussion; NM Attorney General 2nd Annual Summit APRIL 2014 Suicide Prevention Training; NM Economic on Community Violence; Cultural Proficiency and Equity Summit; UNM Reception for Dr. Gibbs; Working in Indian “Listening Campaign”; Governor Susana Martinez Unveiling Country Training of Digital Heart Gallery For a more in-depth Executive Year End Report visit the agency’s website @ www.oaaa.state.nm.us James B. Lewis Retires An Industrious Career of Service December 31, Director in charge of leading initiatives that impacted 2014, James B. Minority Small Disadvantaged Businesses and Women Lewis retired as the owned Businesses. Treasurer of the State After an unsuccessful bid to become Mayor of of New Mexico, Albuquerque, Lewis was appointed by Mayor Martin politics, and public Chavez as the City’s Chief Operations Officer in service, where he has 2001; he was later elevated to the position of the Chief dedicated over 38 Administrative Officer in 2003. Lewis retired from the years on local, state City of Albuquerque in 2005. and federal levels. Lewis successfully ran again for the office of State He leaves office Treasurer in 2006. His triumphant run landed him in as one of the most the wake of corruption scandals that landed two former effective treasurers to treasurers in prison. He turned the Treasurer’s Office have served the state around and was re-elected again in 2010. of New Mexico. Lewis will be remembered for his honesty and for restoring trust to the Treasurer’s Office. His legacy also James B. Lewis, a veteran of political races, began documents him as the most effective African American his career when he became a candidate for the Bernalillo politician to have lived in New Mexico. Congratulations County Treasurer in 1980, winning election in 1982, and