Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Berna Facio ¡Presente!

It is with deep sadness that we inform all of you that community leader and long time SWOP supporter and member, Berna Facio, has passed away. Those who worked with Berna knew her deep passion for social justice as an activist, artist and educator.

SWOP's relationwhip with Berna Facio goes back to the mid 1980s when she helped support the organization through her work with the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church. As she and her family became active members of SWOP, we all benefitted from her wisdom and talent and shared in her love for her family and community. Berna along with her husband, Manuel and their children and grandson made up "La Familia Facio," a very talented musical group. They often played at our Tardeadas, Chile Fiestas and other community events.

She will be deeply missed. For those of you wishing to pay respects to Berna and her family, a rosary will be held in her honor on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 7pm and a funeral mass will be held on Thursday, March 18th at 10:30am. All services will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1860 Griegos NW in Albuquerque.

Summer Internship Program


SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP) is giving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth from the ages of 15-18. Do you want to learn more about your community? Get more involved and help make a difference in this world? Do you want to learn about Community Organizing and Social Justice? Your answer should be YESSS!! Run over here to our office and pick up your application NOW! You will be able to experience new and exciting things that are unforgettable.


Not only will this awesome program get you involved in the community, it will help you set a path for college!! COLLEGE?? That’s right! SWOP is going to help each and every one of you get ready for college, look for scholarships, and help you with all your school work! SWOP will impact your life. Here is what Samantha and Lilian had to say about their experience as summer youth interns:


Last year during our summer internship, Samantha and I (Lilian) got to
experience different work areas like Administration, Youth Radio, Media and
Policy, Mass Based Political Organizing, and Youth Organizing. We took an
Environmental Justice Tour around Albuquerque and learned interesting facts
about our city. We got to participate in many local events and speak in public.
Samantha and I got the chance to make a difference in people’s lives just by
standing up for what we believe is right. As a result of this internship
program, we are leaders and role models in our community. Thanks to the help of
SWOP!


So don’t just sit there, APPLY!! You don’t have to be one of the smartest kids in school, or have the greatest grades. They are looking for potential, people who want to make a difference in their community, who want to be involved, and are willing to give their best for this summer internship program. You can pick-up an application at our main Albuquerque office ( 211 10th St. SW 87102). If unable to find the office please call (505)247-8832. If you want an electronic version of the application email Emma at emma@swop.net.

Remember this is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY! GOOD LUCK!

Applications are due by: Monday, April 12th, 2010

Friday, March 12, 2010

With Climate Justice, NM Leads The Way

SWOP Executive Director Robby Rodriguez takes a look at the dynamic between organizers and lobbyists testifying before the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) in this piece from High Country News. The EIB recently held a forum for public comments on a petition to cap greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico.

"We cannot hold ourselves, our health, the health of our communities, the health of future generations nor the health of our economy hostage to the narrow and greedy interests of the parade of polluters."

Couldn't have said it better myself. (From High Country News).

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Youth Garage Sale...WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

SWOP Youth are holding a Garage Sale April 24th...
Each Youth needs to raise $500 to attend the US Social Forum in Detroit in June
Can you donate some Garage Sale items????
Please contact Emma (353-2941; emma@swop.net) or Tracy (315-7900) if you can, we will arrange pick up

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Support the Census, Stop the Raids!

SWOP signed on to this letter to Pres. Obama. It is critical that we do everything possible to ensure an accurate Census count this year. This is a great way to do that.

____________

Over 200 organizations appeal to President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security to Suspend Immigration Enforcement Activities for Census 2010

Encouraging hard-to count populations to participate in the Census means reducing the climate of fear and distrust in immigrant communities.
Check out the full letter here.

Carlsbad Census and Dr. Seuss Day!



The Carlsbad Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) sponsored Dr. Seuss Day on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at the Carlsbad Mall and they extended an invite to the Carlsbad Community Complete Count Committee (C-5) to participate and set up a table for the Census 2010 campaign. We accepted!

The children were very excited and could barely wait for the table to be set up before the opportunity came for them to receive the various items provided by our Partnership Specialist, Elaine Avina and the SWOP Census campaign. Over 300 backpacks filled with pencils, bubbles, candy, stickers and census material were given out. The census mugs were a big hit with over 260 of those being given out. We gave out census hats and a few T-shirts. Information about the Census was handed out in both English and Spanish. We ran out of things to give away about an hour and a half into the event since our table was the most visited one throughout this event.

Overall it was a lot of fun for C-5 members Garry Adams and Kathy Kelly who hosted the table. We hope the children and their parents enjoyed it just as much!

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Noche Flamenca Tix Available!


SWOP member Jesus Muñoz is performing at El Rey Theater this Saturday and seats are still available. In fact, SWOP is one of the last places in town selling tickets! Five dollars will be donated to SWOP for each ticket we well, so give us a call and get tickets to this amazing show.

WHAT: Noche Flamenca with Jesus Muñoz Flamenco Por Derecho

WHEN: Saturday, March 6th. Doors open at 7:30 PM, show starts at 8:00 PM.

WHERE: El Rey Theater 620 Central Ave.

TICKET PRICES: $25 for table seating
$20 for general admission
$15 for general admission for students with college ID and children 12 and under


To learn more about this show read our post here.

To purchase tickets come to the SWOP office at 211 10th St. SW or call 247-8832 or 400-6403.

ACT Prep Workshop For Youth


The April ACT is just around the corner. Come review the English and Math skills they will be testing. SWOP is offering a fun, encouraging learning environment for youth who want to improve their standarized test skills. We will review grammar and math skills then play group games to test one another. Each student who attends the whole workshop has a chance to win two movie passes. Each student who brings a friend will double their chances to win.

SWOP is offering a skill review for the ACT test this Saturday, March 6th at 10am to 2pm. Any and all youth are encouraged to attend and bring a friend. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP with Alee (505)203-0391, alexandra.ross.raymond@gmail.com

Youth Building of SouthWest Organizing Project
211 10th St SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102

Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Carlsbad Gets New Mayor!

The face of leadership has changed in Carlsbad with the newly elected Mayor Dale Janway. Mr. Janway won by an overwhelming margin getting 45% of the vote, beating six others on the ballot. With an overall low turnout of voters, the majority of registered voters of Carlsbad didn't even bother to cast a vote.

Incumbent City Counselor,Paul Aguilar-Ward 1, secured his place on the city counsel again by 14 votes. Ward 2 was unopposed for Richard Graves (4 year term) and Sandra Nunley (2 year term). Judy Waters sailed by her competition in Ward 3. Dick Doss crushed his opponent Edward Hinojos for the seat in Ward 4 (4 year term) and incumbent Jim Grantner loss out to Fred Woody (2 year term).

We hope that the new political leaders of our fair town will live up to all of their campaign promises and make Carlsbad a safe, clean place to live again. Congrats to all of the winners!

Monday, March 01, 2010

Immigration Training With El Centro

Our ally organization El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos is hosting a very important immigration training on March 13th, with a reception and dialogue with Isabel Garcia of Coalicion de Derechos Humanos to follow. It says that registration ends today, March 1st, but they have extended registration a few more days.

Space is limited and is filling up quickly, so register today! www.elcentro-nm.org


If you are interested in a group rate or a scholarship, e-mail them at information_elcentro@yahoo.com or call at 505-246-1627 to inquire.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


IMMIGRATION TRAINING


MARCH 13TH, 2010


WHEN/CUANDO:


March 13th, 2010- 9-5pm / 13 de marzo de 9-5pm


DONDE/WHERE: First Congregational Church
2801 Lomas Blvd NE
at the corner of Lomas and Girard
/ esquina con Lomas/Girard


TRAINING DESCRIPTION: En español abajo


· Immigration 101- brief overview of the immigration system; learning how to dispel the myths about immigration and immigrants in our community


· Labor issues- immigrant workers' labor rights


· Civil rights, detentions, and deportation- an overview of immigrants' basic rights, document of abuse, and underst and ing the detention system in NM


· Anti-discrimination/immigrant friendly policies in NM- an overview of policies in Albuquerque and New Mexico such as access to drivers licenses, in-state tuition for undocumented students, and local police policies.


· Dialogue about the role we can play in fighting for the passage of just, humane, practical comprehensive immigration reform and in developing a safety net of resources for families impacted by deportation.


· In addition, there will be information tables with information about available community resources available to families in Albuquerque.


AFTER THE TRAINING, FEEL FREE TO JOIN US FOR A RECEPTION AT 5:00 AND FOR "BEYOND BORDERS: HUMAN RIGHTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, A DIALOGUE WITH ISABEL GARCIA, REKNOWNED IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND PIMA COUNTY, AZ PUBLIC DEFENDER AT 6:00


COST: $75.00 (this includes all materials and continental breakfast. Lunch will not be provided ). Reception and "Beyond Borders" with Isabel Garcia are free and open to the public. All donations will benefit El CENTRO .



PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE TRAINING BY MARCH 1ST- www.elcentro-nm.org



For more information, call El CENTRO at (505) 246-1627.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Migración 101 - Información sobre el sistema de migración; como desmantelar los mitos sobre la migración y los inmigrantes de la comunidad.
  • Derechos Laborales - Problemas laborales de los trabajadores inmigrantes.
  • Derechos Civiles, Detenciones, y Deportaciones - Información sobre los derechos básicos de los inmigrantes, documentación y abusos, y el sistema de detenciones de Nuevo México.
  • Políticas en Contra de la Discriminación / Amigables hacia los Inmigrantes en Nuevo México - como licensias de manejar, colegiatura para estudiantes indocumentados, y politicas locales de la policia.
  • Diálogo sobre el papel que jugamos en lograr una reforma migratoria justa, humana y práctica.Y como podemos desarrollar una red de recursos para las familias que son afectadas por la deportación.

  • Habra mesas informativas con informacion sobre recursos disponibles para familias en Albuquerque ..

DESPUES DEL ENTRENAMIENTO ACOMPANANOS A LAS 5 PARA UNA RECEPCION Y DE 6 A 8 DE LA NOCHE EN UN DIALOGO CON ISABEL GARCIA, RENOMBRADA ACTIVISTA DE LOS DERECHOS DE LOS INMIGRANTES DE LA COALICION DE DERECHOS HUMANOS EN TUCSON, ARIZONA.



COSTO: $75.00 (incluye materiales y desayuno. Almuerzo no esta incluido). La Recepción


y el diálogo con Isabel Garcia son abiertos al publico y gratuitos


EL ESPACIO ES LIMITADO ASI QUE POR FAVOR REGISTRESE ANTES DEL 1ro DE MARZO al www.elcentro-nm.org


Para más información llame al El CENTRO al 505-246-1627

Friday, February 26, 2010

SWOP’s Bernalillo County 2010 Census Awareness Campaign

Here’s how you can get involved:


We are looking for volunteers for the remainder of our outreach which is every Monday - Friday 5-8pm and Saturday 10-2pm until March 6th.

What: SWOP 2010 Census Awareness campaign
When: Monday-Thursday 5-8pm, Saturday 10am - 2pm

Where: SWOP Organizing office at 1000 Park Ave

Why: To get our community educated and ready to participate in the 2010 Census

The 2010 U.S. Census is kicking off, with most New Mexico families due to get their census forms in the mail in just a few short weeks. SWOP’s Campaign for a Better New Mexico is currently doing outreach to communities that were undercounted by as much as 60 percent back in 2000—specifically, Albuquerque’s South Valley and the South West Mesa. The Census count every ten years is critical for driving federal resources to our communities. That 2000 undercount of our community resulted in less money from the federal government and unfair political districts. No wonder we have overcrowded schools, crumbling health clinics and politicians that don’t share our values.


Our campaign to “Get Out the Census Count” is focused on the most marginalized families in our communities. We began by becoming official partners of the 2010 Census so that we could officially convene a “Census Complete Count Committee” for the South Valley and South West Mesa.


For several months SWOP outreached to various community organizations, churches, schools, health clinics and neighborhood associations, asking them to become part of the Complete Count Committee. After several months of meeting and strategizing about how we to ensure an accurate count of our community, we came to a very simple conclusion: We have to target hard-to-count households and we have to go directly to them. The answer: A field campaign, complete with direct mail, phone calls, and door knocking.


We knew we had the experience and expertise because we’ve been running broad-based civic engagement campaigns to get people out to vote and to engage their public officials for years with tremendous success. Why not translate that success to the Census? But how were we going to target hard to count households specifically?


We decided to create a target list of 5,000 people that hadn’t voted in the last 2 General Elections or are not registered to vote, and that we believed, through extensive research and modeling are unlikely to be educated about or have an opinion on various socially responsible policy issues.


We had never tried to engage a base with these characteristics. Sure we’ve engaged unlikely voters, but they were the unlikely voters we believed were likely to support socially responsible policy. We’ve even engaged likely voters in communities of color in our board based civic engagement campaigns. But we’ve never tried to engage a base through a broad based civic engagement campaign that is so marginalized and so living in the shadows.


The difference in outcomes has been drastic. The percentage of wrong numbers, moved’s, deceased, and Spanish-speakers has been dramatically higher with this group of people. Conversely, although our actual contact rate, (as a percentage of those we attempted to contact) has been very low, our “yes” rate of the people we actually do contact agreeing to participate in the census is much higher than normal. Lesson: When you engage the forgotten, the oppressed, and the struggling in collective action to ensure 1) that our community receives our fair share of resources from the government and 2) that we have fair political districts for the next 10 years to come, they respond.


Let’s take the lead from the people that our society forgot and make sure that we respond. Let’s all commit to not only fill out the Census form when it comes in the mail in mid March, but also make sure our families, neighbors, co-workers, and friends get counted—because our community counts!




Thursday, February 25, 2010

2010 Census Campaign off to great start in Carlsbad!



Census 2010 is almost here! The census survey cards should start hitting homes within the next three weeks. The Carlsbad Community Complete Count Committee has been hard at work for months now outreaching to Carlsbad residents to participate fully and "be counted"! Recent activity includes putting up banners, handing out flyers and displaying census info on Carlsbad City transit buses.

Several Q & A centers have been established. These centers are staffed with fully trained people and are located at the Carlsbad Public Library, North San Jose Senior Center, Church for Christ and North Mesa Senior Center. If anyone has a question or concern about the census, all questions can be answered at these locations or they can visit the official census website: www.2010Census.gov.

On March 4th, 2010 from 4:30pm-7:00pm the CCCCC will attend Dr. Seuss Day at the Early Childhood Education Center, armed with bags of goodies for the kids and lots of information for the parents surrounding the 2010 Census. We hope to make it a fun and informational event for everyone!

The City of Carlsbad donated $10,000 towards census campaigning on February 23, 2010. The CCCCC will meet with the city's Complete Count Committee and decide how to put the funds to best use within the next week. SWOP member and CCCCC member Linda Ramirez gave the out-going Mayor Bob Forrest and the council members a mouthful when they questioned why the money was needed. She quickly pointed out to them that the city of Roswell had donated $20,000 towards the outreach of their census campaign and Hobbs had donated $50,000 towards theirs. She mentioned that the reason why both these city are so far above Carlsbad in growth was that their "city leaders care and get involved with their entire community." It' time for Carlsbad to step up to the plate for a change!

A photo shoot with the Carlsbad Current Argus was set for February 25th but had to be rescheduled due to several situations that occurred. SWOP Field Organizer, Kathy O. Kelly said "I want to give something back to the CCCCC members who over the last several months have put in lots of work and came up with some fantastic ideas on our campaign, this is a small way of thanking them and acknowledging their great efforts in making Census 2010 a big success"!

Phone-banking and door-knocking will be starting soon. The CCCCC agreed that we wait to start that process just before the survey cards start reaching residences to keep the concept fresh and not waste our time calling or visiting homes 1 or 2 months ahead of the actual time the cards arrive. Our goal is to raise the percentage rate here in Carlsbad by 10%-15% of the previous census numbers in 2000. In 2000 Carlsbad had a return rate of only 64%.

"It's in our hands". Everyone be counted! More to come soon.............!

Carlsbad City Council Forum Hosted by SWOP-Carlsbad



SWOP-Carlsbad along with LULAC, Carlsbad Current Argus and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano y Chicana de Aztlan (MECHA) co-sponsored and hosted the Carlsbad City Council Forum at the Riverwalk Recreation Center PowerHouse on Monday, February 22, 2010 from 7:00pm-9:00pm. With one of the best turnout so far this season, of the city elections, there were approximately 75 concerned local citizens that showed up to voice their questions to the panel of 10 candidates. Those candidates are:

Ward 1: Mark A. Williams-D and Paul C. Aguilar-D (4 year term)
Ward 2: Richard Lloyd Graves Jr.-R (4 year term and running unopposed)
and Sandra K. Nunley-D (2 year term) unable to attend forum due to her job
Ward 3: Judith E. Waters-R, Daniel H. Rempel and Gregory T. Roselle-R (4 year term)
Ward 4: Jim Grantner-R and Fred Woody-R (two year term)
Ward 4: Richard W. Doss-R and Edward Hinojos-D (4 year term)

The event got off to a great start with SWOP Field Organizer Kathy O. Kelly moderating, along with LULAC President Mark Barela. The dominant questions asked centered around jobs, schools, DWI's, beautification of the city, drug use, WIPP acceleration funds, P-flaggers and affordable housing. One question posed was "Why have the WIPP Acceleration funds excluded minorities, since this is Federal money shouldn't everyone have equal access to it?" This question did not go over very well with the candidates. Most stated that as far as they know no minority has been denied access to these funds. (We all know different!)

SWOP provided the audience with census materials as well as "goodies" and mentioned throughout the evening the importance of everyone's participation in Census 2010 by filing out the survey cards and returning them to the Census Bureau as quickly as possible.

Guy Lutman of Channel 23 was gracious enough to tape the forum for us and will broadcast it locally, starting February 25,2010.

Carlsbad City Elections are Tuesday March 2, 2010. The polls will be open from 7:00am-7:00pm. We encouraged everyone to "Get out the vote" and make a real difference in our city leadership!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Reminder: College Discussion Thursday


Are you thinking about going to college? Come to the SWOP Youth Office at 211 10th St. this Thursday from 7-8 PM for a round-table discussion on how to be successful at the next level of your education.

Hear from current students and college graduates and ask them questions about college life. Find resources and make a plan to include college in your future.

Also, it's FREE!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Uranium mining beginning at Grand Canyon

A Canadian company has started uranium mining on the north rim of the Grand Canyon despite the clear demands by the Havasupai and Hualapai Nations that no uranium mining happen in their lands. In a comprehensive article, Klee Benally of Indigenous Action Media, describes the horrendous health impacts experienced by communities from uranium mining, as well as the current political landscape.

Here's an excerpt:

Today there are more than 2,000 abandoned uranium mines in the Southwest. U.S. government agencies have done little or nothing to clean up contaminated sites and abandoned mines. At Rare Metals near Tuba City on the Diné (Navajo) Nation a layer of soil and rock is the only covering over 2.3 million tons of hazardous waste. A rock dam surrounds the radioactive waste to control runoff water that flows into nearby Moenkopi Wash. Throughout the Diné Nation, Diné families have been subject to decades of radioactive contamination ranging from unsafe mining conditions to living in houses built from uranium tailings. Well water is documented by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as undrinkable in at least 22 communities such as Black Falls on the Dine’ Nation. According to the EPA, “Approximately 30 percent of the Navajo population does not have access to a public drinking water system and may be using unregulated water sources with uranium contamination.” Flocks of sheep and other livestock still graze among radioactive tailing piles and ingest radioactive water.

According to the Navajo Nation up to 2.5 million gallons of uranium contaminated water is leaching out of the Shiprock Uranium Mill near Shiprock, New Mexico into the San Juan River every year. At the Church Rock Mine in New Mexico, which is now attempting to re-open, up to 875,000 cubic yards of radioactive waste continue to contaminate the land.

In July 1979 a dirt dam breached on the Navajo Nation at a uranium processing plant releasing more than 1,100 tons of radioactive waste and nearly 100 million gallons of contaminated fluid into the Rio Puerco (which ultimately flows into the Colorado River) near Church Rock, NM. This was the single largest nuclear accident in US history. Thousands of Diné families that live in the region, including those forced to relocate from the Joint Use Area due to coal mining, continue to suffer health impacts resulting from the spill.


Read the entire article on the Indigenous Action Media website:

Uranium Mining Begins Near Grand Canyon

Friday, February 19, 2010

Urban Verbs DVD Release Party

Come support two local, fantastically talented poets in their ode to Hip-Hop. Carlos and Hakim hosted our For the Love of Hip Hop concert with Invincible in January. Come see what they have been working on for the past couple of months...If you love hip hop and/or poetry, don't miss it!

Urban Verbs: "Curbside Classrooms"-A Poetry DVD ft. Carlos Contreras & Hakim Bellamy
Produced By: Mark Archuleta
Music By: Colin "Diles" Hazelbaker.

When: Sunday, February 21st
Where: Chroma Studios-600 1st St NW
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE


International District Town Hall



Join City Councilor Rey Garduño, NM State Senator Tim Keller and Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins to discuss signage and lighting projects in the International District and East central area. There will also be updates on the legislative session and local projects

Light refreshments will be provided. All are welcome

WHAT: Town Hall Meeting for the International District and East Central area in Albuquerque

WHERE: Wilson Middle School's Main Gym
1138 Cardenas Drive SE ABQ

WHEN: Saturday, February 20th 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

For more information, contact City Councilor Rey Garduño's office at 505-768-3152 or 505-803-7056.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

In Memory of Jeanne



Jeanne Gauna
September 26, 1946 - February 17th, 2003

¡Presente!

Amazing Flamenco-Help Raise $$ for SWOP!!



One of our members and supporters, Jesus Muñoz, a local of Albuquerque and an amazingly talented and passionate flamenco dancer, will be holding a performance on Saturday March 6th at the El Rey Theater. Jesus has generously offered to donate $5 of every ticket SWOP sells back to SWOP! Albuquerque is the Flamenco capital of the US…this show is not one to be missed!

There are a limited number of tables available. Contact us today to reserve yours!

If you are interested in attending, you can get your tickets here at SWOP. Call George: 247-8832 ext 122 or email him at George@swop.net to coordinate!

*Though this event is 21+, those under 21 can enter if accompanied by an adult, so it’s fun for everyone!!*

See the info below for more details on the show…

NOCHE FLAMENCA
Date: Saturday, 6 March 2010
Time: Doors open at 7:30 PM. Show starts at 8:00 PM.
Admission: $25.
Performers: Jesus Muñoz (artistic director) will host
Cante: Vicente Griego
Toque: El Maestro Chuscales, Alejandro Pais
Baile: Bianca Rodriguez, Domino Martinez, Jesus Muñoz
Percussion: Enrique Chavez Herrera, Carlos "Curly" Castillo
Palmas: El Maestro Teo Morca, Fabian Sisneros, Marisela Tapia
There will be more surprise special guests, too!
Flamenco dancers and musicians of the highest caliber join together to form the fresh new face of the nation's finest revolutionary talent, Jesus Muñoz Flamenco Por Derecho. The ensemble will perform on the intimate stage of the El Rey Theater with reserved Copa-Cabana-style table seating and additional row seating for general admission. Accompanying the ambient flare will be delectable Spanish tapas and cuisine catered by the renowned Cosmo Tapas Restaurant and emblematic Spanish wines and drinks provided by the El Rey Theater.
Too often emphasis in Flamenco is placed on the virtue of the dance. The music is organized and played around the choreography of dances or dancers. This inherently is an oxymoron of what Flamenco is. Flamenco is cante (song), cante is Flamenco. Choreography is redundant against the art if not done within dynamics of song or music in collaboration. Jesus Muñoz says, "Flamenco dance is not the art of making noise. Flamenco dance is the art of assembler and manipulation of silence. A conductor and his/her orchestra. This is not just another foot-pounding Flamenco repertory company. This is cante's flamenco; an immediate improvisational attack with all the players of the group articulating and interpreting the flamenco deep song."

Jesus Muñoz Flamenco Por Derecho is a relatively new collaborative group in its inception, however the musicians and dancers are all seasoned artists having at one time formed parts of various renowned companies. The artists are international hailing from Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Argentina, Hungary and the USA. The group's mission is to provoke thought and take risks. Whether challenging the accuracy of interpretation or introducing new musical concepts and instruments, Jesus Muñoz Flamenco Por Derecho will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Members of the of the ensemble will begin teaching at the opening of Casa Flamenca: New school of flamenco, beginning February 15th, 2010.
Please be our guests for our Noche flamenca. We have a very limited number of tables available by reservation only.

This is a 21+ event, but because it will be fun for all ages, persons under 21 will be admitted with a parent or legal guardian.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Academic Workshops




Getting into college and surviving the new atmosphere can be difficult and that's why the COIN interns and our academic coordinator Alee have a organized a couple of workshops to help YOU out.

Learn how to write essays, find and apply for scholarships, and get the money you need for college. Learn about how life changes when you go to college and how you can stay focused and enjoy your education.

The workshops will be held at the SWOP Youth Office on February 20th from 10AM to 1PM and February 25th from 7-8PM and they are completely FREE! So if you or anyone you know is interested in going to college and is looking for a little advice and guidance, these are the workshops for you!

Show Your Love For Broadband


New Mexico State Librarian Susan Oberlander


Andrea Quijada of New Mexico Media Literacy Project addresses the crowd.

Thanks everyone who came to our news conference! It's good to see voices in favor of a free and open internet coming together and making a strong statement. Let's see if the FCC is listening.

To see the letter the New Mexico Congressional Delegation sent to the Federal Communications Commission go here.

Show Your Love Today

The "Show Your Love For Broadband" news conference is happening today at the South Valley Economic Development Center. Check out our previous article about it here.

The purpose of the "Show Your Love For Broadband" campaign is to support a free and open internet through Universal Broadband and Net Neutrality.

The news conference is at 12PM Noon today. The South Valley Economic Development Center is located at 318 Isleta Blvd. SW, Albuquerque. Lunch provided by Black Tie Catering.

Tell NM House to take a stand for the poor

February 13, 2010 will be a day that lives in New Mexico infamy. It’s the day the New Mexico State Senate—dominated by Democrats—turned its nose up at a minuscule increases in tax rates for the rich and decided to tax the food of poor people instead.

The tax on food exempts some foods that are deemed by the Senate to be healthy--but this rationale is hard to buy when you see that it includes red meat, and excludes things like honey and red chile powder. In truth, they passed the proposal without even a debate on what is and isn't healthy food. And in the end, a lot of the food eaten by the poorest New Mexicans will be taxed under this proposal.

The immediate problem we’re confronted with isn’t about health—it’s about the economy. And frankly, poor people are the ones who are living on the razor sharp edge of insecurity, many don’t know where their next meal is coming from or whether they’ll have a place to sleep tomorrow. You know that is not an exaggeration, if you’ve been paying attention.

After shunting aside one tax proposal after another that would ensure wealthier citizens shoulder their fair share, the Democrats in the Senate endorsed the food tax without batting an eye. The Republicans split their usual solid anti-tax block on this one, showing that they too have plenty who think taxing poor people is ok.

Here’s the burning question: Can New Mexico count on House Democrats to stop this food tax business in its tracks?

There’s still time. Call your House Representative TODAY and tell them to NOT let the Senate balance the budget on the backs of poor people. They need to stand firm and insist on the more balanced approach they took with their own budget bill--a surtax on wealthy New Mexicans and a slight increase in the gross receipts tax.

FACT:

The poorest New Mexican income earners pay 10.8 percent of their total income in taxes.

The richest New Mexican income earners pay 5.2 percent of their total income in taxes.

From the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy.

Friday, February 12, 2010

NM Senate proposed budget unfair to the poor

“I understand their bitching,” Smith said. “They have a legitimate complaint. We just don’t have the resources to hold them harmless.”

“THEIR BITCHING”
-- it's a phrase tucked in at the very bottom of a report on the legislature, but it speaks volumes. These are the words Sen. John Arthur Smith used in response to outrage over the regressive tax policies and cuts to vital public services he’s presided over in the New Mexico state senate.

If we didn’t know what Sen. John Arthur Smith thought of New Mexico’s working families before, we do now. It’s glaring.

The budget bill he and his committee passed this week stripped a meager progressive tax provision from the FY 2011 New Mexico state budget proposed by the House of Representatives, plus a temporary half cent increase in the gross receipts tax. It added a modified food tax proposed by Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, Senate Bill 10, that would raise only half of the revenue proposed by the House. And then it slashed and burned state programs, services, and public jobs.

But we all know that the resources are there...if only Smith and his buddies in the Senate served all New Mexicans rather than just the wealthy classes--who pay much less in taxes than NM's lowest income earners as a percentage of income.

Let’s talk about that modified food tax proposal for a second.

SWOP is well aware that our communities are dying from a health epidemic, with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease at the top of the list of culprits. For this reason we support tax measures that promote the consumption of food that is fresh, high in fiber and other nutrients over processed JUNK food and sugar sweetened beverages. We also think it is vital to support the use of culturally specific food that strengthens and preserves our New Mexico community traditions.

Unfortunately, the modified food tax sponsored by Sen. Bernadette Sanchez, SB 10, takes a Backwards Approach by taxing all food and then exempting categories that are deemed healthy. The bill exempts foods covered by the state nutritional program for Women, Infants, and Children, plus fresh meats, chicken and poultry. That’s a pretty good chunk of healthy food—but it’s incomplete. It doesn’t include all bread, for instance. What about Rye and Sourdough bread? It doesn’t include all tortillas…just whole wheat tortillas. This is NEW MEXICO! It DOES NOT include RED CHILE POWDER. Again, this is NEW MEXICO.

Like we said, it’s a BACKWARDS Approach, and a very poor substitute for the targeted tax bills introduced but shot down in committees earlier in the session.
The legislature has a little under a week left. The first thing they can do is DROP Senate Bill 10 from the budget bill and ADD a tax targeted explicitly to processed junk foods and sugar sweetened beverages. At the VERY minimum, Senate Bill 10 should be amended to comprehensively exempt all staple New Mexican foods - to narrow this proposed "food tax" and make it more like a "reverse" junk food tax.

Beyond the food tax debate...

The BEST THING the legislature can do is stand up for the vast swath of New Mexicans who are tired of the budget being balanced on their backs while the wealthy class goes about its merry way.

It’s time to change the extremely regressive tax code that Gov. Bill Richardson ushered in, and restore fairness in how we collectively support government.

Please call your Senator and Representative TODAY and tell them you are watching what they do -- it's time to stand up for working New Mexicans, not the rich and wealthy:

1. The budget must include House Bill 9, the surtax on the highest income earners, first and foremost. The Legislature should also GET ON BOARD with raising the top income tax rate in general. House Bill 234 would do that.

2. The budget must protect the jobs of state workers -- our economy can't afford any further increases in unemployment.

3. The budget must hold the line on education -- NO MORE CUTS!

4. The budget must save Medicaid funding -- with its significant match from the federal government, it's the best possible investment we can make in health care.

Show Your Love For Broadband On Monday



New Mexico Media Literacy Project, SWOP and other community allies will hold a "Show Your Love For Broadband" campaign news conference at the South Valley Economic Development Center this Monday, February 15th at 12PM to show support for Universal Broadband and Net Neutrality.

This campaign supports defining broadband as a universal service so that all New Mexicans have quality access, and promoting network neutrality to ensure that communities' interests are protected with open, non-discriminatory networks.

The news conference on Monday will feature speakers from SWOP, Albquerque Partnership, Office of African American Affairs, New Mexico State Librarian Susan Oberlander and various other local organizations. The New Mexico Congressional Delegation has also been invited to unveil its signed letter to the Federal Communications commission in favor of broadband for all.

Monday's event is a part of the Media Action Grassroots Networks Day of Action and similar events will be taking place across the nation to support Universal Broadband and Net Neutrality. The FCC will unveil its national broadband plan next month and it's important that we let them know that democracy, and not private industry, should control our national networks. Come out on Monday and show your support!

Learn more about Universal Broadband and Net Neutrality in our previous article or at the New Mexico Media Literacy Project website. Read the New Mexico Congressional Delegation letter and learn more about the local campaign here. Learn more about the national campaign here.

WHAT: "Show Your Love For Broadband" news conference

WHERE: South Valley Economic Development Center
318 Isleta Blvd. SW Albuquerque

WHEN: Monday, February 15th @ 12PM Noon

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Health Care Rally Next Wednesday at the Roundhouse

We voted for change.
Get it done now. Get it done right.


For more than a year, we’ve fought for health care reform.
We’re tired of waiting. We want the change we voted for, and we want it now!

Join us on February 17th as we rally at the capitol in Santa Fe to demand that Senators Bingaman & Udall stand up to big insurance companies and to the Republicans who do nothing but say “no” to the President’s agenda.

Our message is simple: If the insurance companies and big corporations win, we lose. So we’re going to rally on February 17th at the capitol in Santa Fe to demand action now.

300,000 New Mexicans have no health insurance.

As the State Legislature makes further Medicaid cuts,
we will have even MORE New Mexicans without the protection they need.

We can’t wait any longer. Join us:

Wednesday, February 17, 11:00 a.m.
in Santa Fe in the Rotunda of the Round House

Or hop on our bus to Santa Fe, leaving from the OLÉ office in Albuquerque at 9:00 a.m.
(call us to reserve a seat at 796-6544 or email Henderson@olenm.org).

Someone needs to make Congress move on health care reform.
If we don’t give them a push, who will? Join us on the 17th!

The rally is sponsored by
CIR-SEIU, Health Action New Mexico, Health Care for America Now,
The New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans, OLÉ, & SWOP

Monday, February 08, 2010

$103.39 for SWOP-FREE for you!!








So far, we have made $103.39 from searches and online shopping for SWOP-
so easy to do and it’s FREE!

We have something new and exciting we'd like to share with you! It’s the new SouthWest Organizing Project toolbar – once added to Internet Explorer or Firefox, each time you shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your purchase will automatically be donated to SouthWest Organizing Project – at no cost to you (and you may even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!).

The toolbar also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is donated to SouthWest Organizing Project.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Pajarito Mesa Video


High Country News has posted a video that provides a really nice snapshot of life on Pajarito Mesa. The residents of the Mesa have been struggling for decades to bring adequate services to their community, and SWOP has been fighting along with them. Construction has finally begun on a water filling station which will open later this year.

The video for High Country News was put together by Cally Carswell and focuses on the efforts of Organizer Sandra Montes and her experience in bringing water and other services to Pajarito Mesa.

Illegal dumping is just one of the hardships that burden everyday life on Pajarito Mesa, an unincorporated rural community southwest of Albuquerque. Because it's more than 150 miles from the Mexican border, the community doesn't meet the official federal definition of a colonia. But by all other standards - lack of access to drinking water, electricity, sewage systems and adequate housing - living conditions on the mesa are little different than those found in the hardscrabble settlements near the border.

Check out HCN's Pajarito Mesa video here.

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Combined Reporting Not A Job Killer

Combined Reporting is a proposed tax reform that would close the loophole which allows large, multistate corporations to avoid paying state income taxes. Combined reporting rules can help generate millions of dollars in state revenue. Pop quiz: Can you name the one western state that doesn't require combined reporting? That's right: it's The Land Of Enchantment!

Legislators take a look at combined reporting again this month as they try to balance the state budget. Business groups oppose combined reporting, saying that it will scare off large corporations and the jobs they bring to the state- a myth debunked by a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). The report analyzes 78 multistate companies with more than 250 jobs in New Mexico and finds that 71 of them already conduct business in states that require combined reporting. In fact, many of these companies' headquarters are located in combined reporting states!

The report is authored by Michael Mazerov, senior fellow at the State Fiscal Project, CBPP. From his report:
"The question, however, is whether the dislike that some multistate corporations harbor toward combined reporting will actually result in harm to the economy of a state that adopts it. Would its adoption by New Mexico cause existing corporations to leave the state or... would corporations not presently doing business in New Mexico be dissuaded from doing so by combined reporting?

The data on the facility location decisions of major New Mexico employers discussed above provide significant evidence that the answer to both questions is "no." This conclusion is supported by the job-creation track record of the combined reporting states and by academic studies as well."
If small businesses and families pay their fair share of taxes, shouldn't large companies like Mal-Wart? Or should we continue protecting corporations from the cruel, cruel world while our State services crumble?

Read an article on combined reporting in New Mexico here and read the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report here.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

SWOP Executive Director Robby Rodriguez on Environmental Justice

A key moment in SWOP’s history is highlighted in the current edition of the High Country News. In 1990 we sent a letter to ten large mainstream environmental organizations that challenged them to expand their definition of environmentalism and to look to communities of color for leadership. The letter was signed by a broad cross section of our allies in the environmental justice movement. A briefing paper was written by SWOP back in 1990 explaining the reasons for the letter.


The High Country News article describes the reasons for the letter, along with reflections today from those big 10 organizations about the impact of the letter. We recommend reading that article in light of the 1990 briefing paper.


The focus on what we call “the letter to the group of 10” but is referred to by others as “the SWOP letter” was paired with an article about organizing in Mountainview, a low-income, Chicano community in Albuquerque that is inundated with pollution from industrial facilities. To be honest, we find this article to be an incomplete account if its intent was to represent the achievements of the EJ movement. We also think it does a disservice to the residents of Mountainview who for the last 20 years have remained committed to transforming their community, and who deserve all the credit for keeping the struggle alive.


To follow are the thoughts of SWOP Executive Director Robby Rodriguez about the environmental justice movement. Later this year, look for our own take in our Voces Unidas magazine about how things have changed since the Letter to the Group of 10, and about the EJ movement itself.


Environmental Justice: A Vision for Change

A High Country News Blog, by SWOP Executive Director Robby Rodriguez


“The Environment for us is where we live, work and play.” Jeanne Gauna, SWOP co-founder and longtime co-director crystallized the inspiration and sentiment of the environmental justice movement with this simple yet profound idea. In addition to transforming and reinvigorating the environmental, labor, indigenous and civil rights movements, environmental justice established a vision for change so bold and revolutionary that we are just now beginning to realize both its wisdom and impact.

The genius behind Jeanne’s mantra and the environmental justice movement’s vision is the understanding that the key to shifting public consciousness toward living sustainably and in harmony with Mother Earth was including people and the economy as part of the ‘environment’ conversation. The environment for us is also where we pray and go to school. In other words, the decisions we make to protect the environment need to include and be grounded in our everyday reality.

Like the First People of Color Summit on the Environment held in 1991, the SWOP Letter to the Group of Ten was a landmark event and a galvanizing moment for people of color throughout the United States. The summit and the letter brought us together, and were also our way of of reaching out to the mostly white environmental movement—a necessary challenge to broaden their perspective and deepen their analysis or risk becoming irrelevant and ineffective. Policy solutions needed to include a lens toward racial and economic justice. So, interesting as it may be to learn the perspectives of the recipients of the SWOP letter twenty years later, it would be perverse and one dimensional to measure the environmental justice movements success only through the eyes of those who helped exacerbate the crises of environmental racism in the first place, because the aims of the EJ movement were much larger than transformation of mainstream environmental organizations.

There are obvious successes of the environmental justice movement. Executive Orders on Environmental Justice signed by President Clinton and New Mexico’s Governor Richardson are examples of the environmental justice movement’s influence on policy at the highest levels. The Obama administration’s appointments of EPA Chief Lisa Jackson and Green Jobs Czar Van Jones are examples of the leadership the EJ movement has produced. Additionally, and probably more importantly, grassroots organizations are responsible for countless ordinances and regulations passed within cities, counties , tribes, and states throughout the country that work to protect human health and the environment from the type of pollution that is causing our global ecological crisis.

The not so obvious success of the environmental justice movement is the impact its vision has had on our narrative of how we as people interact with Mother Earth. The Principles of Environmental Justice wove a narrative of social change grounded in the values of equity, justice and sustainability. It is a solution oriented story that is anchored by the notion that a rising tide will lift all boats. Today, concepts like green jobs, a green economy, renewable energy, zero waste, corporate responsibility and triple bottom lines, have all seeped into the mainstream of public consciousness.

And although this expanded definition of the environment is becoming mainstream, we obviously must deepen our work and our challenge to power. Last December in Copenhagen, corporate heads of state failed to make the necessary agreements to save us from ourselves. Our society runs the risk of embracing energy solutions that continue to cause extremely serious localized pollution of low-income communities of color—like nuclear energy and coal, neither of which can ever be green or clean. Every day, our corrupt political system makes it incredibly hard for communities all over the world, including the community of Mountain View, to realize their dream of living in a clean and healthy environment.

The environmental justice movement united urban, struggling suburban and rural communities from every corner of the country under a tent that connected and reframed key and timely concepts like conservation, sustainability, health, workers’ rights, corporate responsibility, indigenous sovereignty, the economy and democracy. It also situated our struggle within a larger international movement for global justice. It hasn’t been easy work and it certainly has had its ups and downs but we did it. And we’re still doing it. The environmental justice vision of change was and still is a road map of how we can transform the greatest crises we’ve ever encountered into our greatest opportunity.