>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> Jeff: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, STUDYING AND STRUGGLING.

AUTHORS OF A RECENT REPORT EXPLAIN DATA THAT SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF NEW MEXICO COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE HAD TROUBLE FEEDING THEMSELVES, OR FINDING A PLACE TO SLEEP.

>> Cargas: WHEN WE GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND PEOPLE OUR AGE SAY, OH, YEAH, YOU KNOW IT'S OKAY TO BE BROKE IN COLLEGE, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

IT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS.

A, IT'S NOT OKAY.

AND B, IT'S REALLY DIFFERENT.

>> Jeff: AND SEEKING JUSTICE.

URANIUM MINING HAS CAUSED DECADES OF SUFFERING FOR THE RED WATER POND ROAD COMMUNITY.

HEAR FROM TWO PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE, HOPING FOR A PATH TO RECLAIM THEIR HOME.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK, I'M EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFF PROCTOR.

A SO-CALLED CLEANUP PLAN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD MOVE URANIUM WASTE FROM THE NAVAJO NATION COMMUNITY TO A TOWN JUST OUTSIDE OF TRIBAL LANDS.

BUT THOREAU, THE FOUND THAT STANDS TO RECEIVE THE WASTE, IS ALSO 80% NAVAJO.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, SENIOR PRODUCER LAURA PASKUS SPOKE WITH THREE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THOREAU WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THAT PLAN.

THIS WEEK SHE SITS DOWN WITH TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM RED WATER POND ROAD WHERE THE WASTE SITS NOW, TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE SO DESPERATE TO GET IT WAY FROM THEIR HOME.

LATER, WE ZERO IN ON ONE OF THE STATE'S MOST INFLUENTIAL INDUSTRIES, HORSE RACING.

A RECENT SERIES FROM SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO EXAMINES THE MONEY AND POWER AT STATE RACETRACKS, AND THE PEOPLE IN A POSITION TO WIELD IT.

IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW, SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DiVIZIO SPEAKS WITH JOURNALIST JOSHUA BOWLING TO FIND OUT IF HE UNCOVERED ANYTHING ILLEGAL AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE LARGER STATE ECONOMY.

BUT FIRST, WE EXPLORE TROUBLING DATA ABOUT THE STRUGGLES FACING A MAJORITY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN OUR STATE.

A RECENT REPORT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO SHOWS NEARLY THREE OUT OF FIVE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE STATE ARE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.

RESEARCHERS ALSO FOUND 62% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE STATE WERE HOUSING INSECURE.

WITH 14% HAVING EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

NOW, THOSE ARE STAGGERING NUMBERS ALL BY THEMSELVES, BUT WE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHY THEY'RE SO HIGH IN OUR STATE, THE CHALLENGES THOSE STUDENT FACE EACH DAY, AND THE SUPPORT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM.

IN THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART INTERVIEW, LOU DiVIZIO SPEAKS WITH TWO PEOPLE WHO PLAYED KEY ROLES IN THE REPORT.

UNM'S BASIC NEEDS PROJECT FOUNDER SARITA CARGAS, AND PATRICIA TRUJILLO, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE STATE'S HIGHER ED DEPARTMENT.

HERE'S LOU.

>>Lou: SARITA CARGAS, AND DEPUTY SECRETARY PATRICIA TRUJILLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Cargas: WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> Lou: I JUST LAID OUT SOME OF THE NUMBERS FROM THE STUDY THAT YOU BOTH PUT TOGETHER.

SHOWING MORE THAN HALF OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN NEW MEXICO HAVE EXPERIENCED EITHER FOOD OR HOUSING INSECURITY IN THE PAST YEAR.

SARITA, CAN YOU START BY EXPLAINING EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.

WHAT QUALIFIES AS INSECURITY IN THESE CASES?

>> Cargas: THE USDA HAS FOUR LEVELS OF FOOD SECURITY.

HIGH FOOD SECURITY, MARGINAL, LOW, AND VERY LOW.

AND SO, IF YOU PUT THE TWO BOTTOM CATEGORIES TOGETHER, LOW AND VERY LOW, THAT EQUALS FOOD INSECURITY.

>> Lou: OKAY.

AND WHAT ABOUT HOUSING?

>> Cargas: HOUSING INSECURITY IS MORE OF A RANGE.

AND IT CAN RANGE FROM TEMPORARY HOUSING WITH TOO MANY PEOPLE IN A LOCATION, COUCH SURFING, HAVING A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD, TO NOT HAVING A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD AND SLEEPING IN YOUR CAR, OR SOME OTHER INAPPROPRIATE PLACE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY FIRST, ARE THOSE HARSHER DESIGNATIONS, DID YOU FIND ANY DATA THAT -- ON STUDENTS IN THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS?

>> Cargas: VERY MUCH SO.

SO, THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE VERY LOW FOOD SECURITY.

LOW FOOD SECURITY, YOU MIGHT BE GETTING ENOUGH CALORIES, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY HEALTHY CALORIES AND LEAD TO TODAY'S MODERN DISEASES OF OBESITY AND DIABETES, PERHAPS.

VERY LOW FOOD SECURITY MEANS YOU'RE SKIPPING MEALS.

AND MAYBE EXPERIENCING HUNGER.

AND ALL OUR COHORTS OF STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT RACE, ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, ALL OF THEM HAD MORE LOW -- VERY LOW FOOD SECURITY, THAN LOW.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW THE DATA THAT YOU FOUND HERE IN NEW MEXICO OUTPACES NATIONAL AVERAGES WITH LESS THAN ONE IN FOUR STUDENTS NATIONWIDE FACING FOOD INSECURITY.

LESS THAN 10% OF STUDENTS NATIONWIDE HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS.

THAT IS A HARSHER BENCHMARK THAN HOUSING INSECURITY.

NONETHELESS, NEW MEXICO IS FAR BEHIND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

DEPUTY SECRETARY, WHAT MAKES STUDENTS IN OUR STATE MORE VULNERABLE THAN OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY?

>> Trujillo: YEAH, I GUESS I WOULD REFRAME THE CONCEPT OF BEING BEHIND.

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT SOCIAL CONTEXTS.

STUDENTS IN NEW MEXICO ARE COMING FROM COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE ARE DIFFERENT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

SO, THEY MIGHT BE COMING FROM A HIGH POVERTY CONTEXT TO A COLLEGE OR A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, AND MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE SCAFFOLDS AND SUPPORTS THAT OTHER STUDENTS WHO MIGHT -- FOR INSTANCE SOME OF THE RURAL STUDENTS COMING TO URBAN AREAS MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME SUPPORTS, OR IF YOU'RE A FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT, WHICH THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS IN NEW MEXICO ARE, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT TO ANTICIPATE IN TERMS OF HOW YOU COME TO A CAMPUS AND ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS.

HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WE'RE SO PROUD THAT WE HAVE THE NEW MEXICO OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF BASIC NEEDS WORK.

BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING COLLEGE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE.

AND THEN NOW IN DOING THE BASIC NEEDS WORK, IT'S REALLY ADDRESSING THOSE OTHER ISSUES.

HOUSING, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT?

ALL OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL COSTS THAT, WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER, ARE THE TRUE COST OF COLLEGE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

ARE THERE ANY SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT LEAD TO THESE INSECURITIES WITH HOUSING AND WITH FOOD?

>> Trujillo: YEAH, I MEAN A LOT OF THE ISSUES WE'RE SEEING WITH OUR STUDENT POPULATIONS REPLICATE THE ISSUES THAT PERHAPS FAMILIES WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM ARE HAVING, RIGHT?

WE KNOW HOUSING IS AN ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE.

WE KNOW THAT FOOD SECURITY IS A BIG ISSUE ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, THIS ADMINISTRATION WITH GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM HAS BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO ADDRESS THAT AT THE K-12 LEVEL WITH HEALTHY UNIVERSAL FREE LUNCHES.

REALLY, THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THROUGH PUBLIC ED, ARE MANY OF THE STUDENTS WHO LAND UP ON OUR PUBLIC AND TRIBAL CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE.

SO, REALLY, TAKING A LOOK AT THE CONTEXTS OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS HAVE A WHOLE STUDENT EXPERIENCE.

THAT THEY'RE BRINGING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE FROM THEIR HOME CONTEXTS TO CAMPUSES.

AND INSTEAD OF SEEING THAT AS A DETRIMENT, RIGHT, THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, TO COME TO CAMPUSES AND TO FIRST OF ALL, MEET THEIR NEEDS.

BUT THAT'S ALSO PREPARING THEM TO DO THE FUTURE WORK IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

TO HELP US CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT, AS YOU'RE MENTIONING, ARE ENDEMIC TO US ALL.

>> Lou: SURE.

OKAY.

>> Cargas: COULD I ADD TO THAT?

>> Lou: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Cargas: ASK YOU TO ADD TO THAT, THAT STATISTIC ABOUT HOW HIGHER ED WAS REALLY CREATED FOR THE FIRST QUINTILE OF WEALTH, AND THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW -- >> Trujillo: YEAH, YEAH.

AND I ACTUALLY HEARD -- I WAS WITH THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HIGHER ED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL SPEAK AT A CONFERENCE, AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WERE DESIGNED TO SERVE THE FIRST TWO QUINTILES OF WEALTH.

AND SO, NOW IN THE CONTEMPORARY MOMENT THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES LIKE BASIC NEEDS ISSUES, DO STUDENTS HAVE HOUSING, DO THEY HAVE FOOD ON A DAILY BASIS, AND PEOPLE ARE KIND OF SHRIEKING AND CLUTCHING THEIR PEARLS.

LIKE, WHAT'S HAPPENING?

WELL, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE BECOME MORE EQUITABLE.

AND WE'RE SERVING OTHER QUINTILES OF WEALTH NOW, AND SO OFTENTIMES LIKE THE STRUCTURES AND THE DESIGNS THAT SERVED THAT WEALTHIER CLASS OF STUDENT IN THE PAST NO LONGER SERVES US IN THE CONTEMPORARY MOMENT, RIGHT?

WE HAVE TO RETHINK.

SO, WITH THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE BASIC NEEDS REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO TALKING ABOUT THE BASIC NEEDS CONSORTIUM, IS REALLY KIND OF TAKING ON THAT ISSUE TOO.

BASIC NEEDS IS ALWAYS THAT BALANCE OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE TO ADDRESS PERSISTENT AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS, AT THE SAME TIME OF BEING AUDACIOUS AND USING THE STRATEGIC IMAGINATION TO REALLY THINK ABOUT LIKE WHAT CAN WE DO, HOW DO WE RECREATE OR REDESIGN SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS SO THAT WE'RE SERVING ALL STUDENTS WHO ATTEND A CAMPUS OR UNIVERSITY.

>> Lou: SARITA, DID THE STUDY IDENTIFY ANY DISPARITIES BETWEEN SPECIFIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, OR ARE THESE PROBLEMS FAIRLY SPREAD ACROSS THOSE?

>> Cargas: IT DID REVEAL SOME DISPARITIES.

WE COMPARED THREE TYPES OF SCHOOLS, THE THREE TYPES OF SCHOOLS IN NEW MEXICO.

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, THE TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, THE TWO-YEAR COLLEGES, OF WHICH THERE ARE 17.

AND SEVEN FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES.

>> Trujillo: YES.

>> Cargas: AND THE TRIBAL COLLEGES, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE THE HIGHEST PREVALENCES OF BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY.

WHEN WE WERE LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL DATA IT WAS LITERALLY OFF THE CHARTS.

I LEARNED WHERE THAT EXPRESSION IS, IT WAS OFF MY PAPER.

70% FOOD INSECURITY AT THE TRIBAL COLLEGES.

AND TWO-YEAR COLLEGES, IN MOST RESEARCH, HAVE SLIGHTLY MORE INSECURITIES THAN FOUR-YEARS.

BUT OURS WAS PRETTY CLOSE.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.

>> Lou: OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT AMONG STUDENT GROUPS?

WHO AMONG THOSE STUDENT BODIES ARE EXPERIENCING THOSE HARDSHIPS MORE THAN OTHERS?

>> Cargas: SO, NATIVE AMERICANS HAD THE HIGHEST PREVALENCE OF NEEDS INSECURITY, AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAD THE NEXT HIGHEST.

I THINK IT WAS THEN ALSO OUR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS HAD HIGH INCIDENTS OF NEEDS INSECURITY.

BUT ALL OF OUR GROUPS, THE WHITE COHORT, ALL HAD OVER 50% FOOD INSECURITY AND OVER 60% HOUSING INSECURITY.

>> Lou: OKAY.

WHAT SUPPORT CAN INDIVIDUAL UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE PRIORITIES OTHER THAN JUST COURSE WORK?

>> Cargas: THEY'RE DOING IT ALL THE TIME.

ALL THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE PROVIDING SUPPORTS.

I THINK THERE'S A NEW CATEGORY OF SUPPORT NEEDED, BUT EVEN THERE THERE ARE -- WE HAVE EMERGENCY HOUSING.

DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS DO DIFFERENT THINGS TO TRY TO HOUSE STUDENTS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

OF COURSE, FOOD PANTRIES ARE PRETTY PREVALENT.

SO ARE FOOD CUPBOARDS IN DIFFERENT COLLEGE, AND THE HONORS COLLEGE WE HAVE A FREE FOOD CUPBOARD.

AND EVERYONE IS WORKING ON DE-STIGMATIZING THE PROBLEM.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FACULTY CAN DO AND SYLLABUS STATEMENTS -- I HATE TO SAY NORMALIZE IT, BUT STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING PRETTY MUCH IN SILENCE.

MAYBE THINKING IT'S THEIR FAULT OR THEIR FAMILY FAULTS.

AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE.

AND I THINK THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE DOING THAT.

AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE INVESTING IN THIS WORK.

AND PARTICIPATING IN OUR CONSORTIUM.

>> Lou: OKAY.

>> Trujillo: CAN I ADD TO THAT?

>> Lou: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Trujillo: IF I CAN HOP IN TO GIVE A SPOTLIGHT TO ONE OF OUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY COLLEGES, SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RIGHT NOW IS REALLY INVESTED IN STUDENT-PARENT WORK.

SO WHEN THEY DID SOME OF THEIR OWN SURVEYS AT THEIR INSTITUTION THEY FOUND THAT, I BELIEVE IT WAS A MAJORITY OF THEIR STUDENTS, WERE ALSO HAD DEPENDENTS.

AND WHAT THEY REALIZED WHEN THEY LOOKED AROUND THEIR CAMPUS IS JUST ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE THIS IS CAMPUS FAMILY-FRIENDLY.

IF YOU'RE A MOM THAT HAS TO TAKE A CLASS AND DO GROUP WORK AND MEET WITH YOUR CLASSMATES, IS THERE A PLACE THAT WE CAN DO THAT AND BRING TODDLERS WITH US.

AND SO, THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN GOING -- WHEN I TALK ABOUT THINKING ABOUT FROM A DESIGN LOGIC, PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO WE REDESIGN SOME OF THESE PLACES.

SO LITTLE THINGS, MAKING TWEAKS LIKE HAVING HIGHCHAIRS IN THEIR CAFE AREA.

THEY HAVE DESIGNATED -- THEY'VE REALLY WORKED WITH THEIR FACILITIES TO DESIGNATE STUDENT-PARENT PARKING AREAS, SO THAT IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE DOWN A STROLLER AND YOUR BOOKBAG AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THE -- OF GOING COLLEGE, IT'S EASIER -- BUT ALSO WORKING -- THEY'VE ADDED, I BELIEVE TWO OR THREE QUESTIONS TO THEIR APPLICATION THAT BASICALLY ASKS IF YOU'RE A STUDENT-PARENT, AND IF YOU ARE IT AUTOMATICALLY TRIGGERS A SECONDARY CALL FROM THE STUDENT-PARENT OFFICE TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER KINDS OF SUPPORTS THAT ARE NEEDED.

BECAUSE IN REALITY, OFTENTIMES THE REASON WHY STUDENTS STOP OUT AREN'T NECESSARILY THE ACADEMICS, IT IS THESE OTHER KINDS OF CHALLENGES.

AND SO, WHEN WE RETHINK THE STRUCTURES TO INCLUDE THOSE KINDS OF SUPPORTS, THEN IT'S MORE LIKELY THAT STUDENT-PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE SUPPORTED.

SO, RIGHT NOW, I JUST REALLY SEE SFCC BECOMING LIKE ALMOST LIKE A DESTINATION SCHOOL FOR STUDENT-PARENTS BECAUSE OF HOW THEY'RE BEING SO DELIBERATE ABOUT HOW THEY THINK ABOUT IT.

>> Jeff: WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM PROFESSOR SARITA CARGAS AND DEPUTY SECRETARY OF HIGHER ED PATRICIA TRUJILLO IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

THAT'S WHEN LOU ASKS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL BURDENS COLLEGE STUDENTS FACE IN 2024 COMPARED TO A GENERATION AGO.

>> Bowling: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE COME WITH SOME SORT OF PRECONCEIVED NOTION ABOUT WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS ABOUT GAMBLING AND HORSE RACING.

THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THIS INDUSTRY BRINGS IN FOR THE STATE ACTUALLY RIVALS THAT OF THE FILM INDUSTRY.

AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT A BIG DEAL NETFLIX IS AND EVERY FILM COMPANY THAT'S HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY HEAR AS MUCH ABOUT THIS SORT OF THING.

AND TO ME THAT WAS A STORY THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN TOLD.

>> Jeff: LOU DiVIZIO'S CONVERSATION WITH SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO'S JOSHUA BOWLING ABOUT HIS STORY ON POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN THE STATE'S HORSE RACING INDUSTRY IS COMING UP IN JUST ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

RIGHT NOW, BACK TO A STORY OUR LAND'S LAURA PASKUS HAS BEEN FOLLOWING FOR MONTHS.

A FEDERAL PLAN TO MOVE URANIUM WASTE FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER IN WESTERN NEW MEXICO.

AS MOST THINGS ARE, IT'S A COMPLICATED SITUATION.

AND THE PEOPLE OF THE RED WATER POND ROAD COMMUNITY ARE LOOKING FOR HELP.

HELP CLEANING UP AN AREA RAVAGED BY DECADES OF URANIUM MINING.

EVEN THOUGH THE MINES WERE SHUTTERED IN 1983, CONTAMINATION REMAINS.

AND AS LAURA'S GUESTS THIS WEEK EXPLAIN, THEY WANT JUSTICE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND A RETURN HOME.

AS ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER, EDITH HOOD, POINTS OUT SHE WISHES THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NAVAJO NATION COULD FIND SOLUTIONS THAT DON'T PIT DINE COMMUNITIES AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

>> Laura: EDITH, TERACITA, WELCOME TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ALL THE WAY TO ALBUQUERQUE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

SO, EDITH, I THOUGHT WE WOULD START WITH YOU.

BEFORE WE GET INTO URANIUM MINING, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE RED WATER POND ROAD COMMUNITY.

WHERE IT IS, WHAT THE LANDSCAPE IS LIKE, HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE THERE, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT PLACE IS FOR YOU.

>> Hood: OKAY, FOR ME MY NAME IS EDITH HOOD AND I GREW UP IN THE RED WATER POND AREA.

WELL, WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A NAME UNTIL WE GOT INTO THESE ISSUES.

BUT WE GREW UP THERE.

WE WERE HERDING SHEEP OUT IN THE MEADOWS WHEN THE DRILLERS STARTED COMING IN AND, OF COURSE, AS KIDS WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THEN PRETTY SOON WE HAD THE MINING COMPANIES COMING IN AND BUILDING STRUCTURES.

STILL, NOBODY CAME TO TELL US WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND NOT UNTIL AFTER THE CHURCH ROCK SPILL, WHICH I KNOW PEOPLE ARE -- I HOPE THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT.

WHERE IT SPILLED LIKE 94 MILLION GALLONS OF TOXIC WASTE ON DOWN THROUGH GALLUP AND INTO THE EAST SIDE OF ARIZONA.

MOST PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WAY BACK ABOUT A MILE BACK IS WHERE WE LIVE.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE LIVING IN AND ON THE CONTAMINATED AREA.

THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND OUT.

WE ACTUALLY TALKED TO THE NAVAJO NATION, THE GOVERNMENT, AND OTHER PEOPLE TO LOOK INTO THESE ISSUES, BUT NOBODY LISTENED TO US AT THE TIME.

>> Laura: SO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU REMEMBER THIS LANDSCAPE, THIS PLACE, BEFORE THE URANIUM MINES?

>> Hood: YES.

>> Laura: AND SO THEY CAME IN, THESE COMPANIES, THESE PRIVATE CORPORATIONS, MINED FOR DECADES.

AND THEN CLOSED IN 1983, LEAVING BEHIND RADIOACTIVE WASTE.

FOR YOU, TERACITA, HOW HAVE THE -- CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THESE MINES, HOW THEY'VE AFFECTED THE LANDS, THE WATERS, THE PEOPLE?

>> Keyanna: YEAH, THE URANIUM MINES IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT BY CAUSING AIR POLLUTION.

LEAKAGE FROM THEIR -- WHAT THEY CONSIDERED THE MINED AREAS, THERE WAS STILL URANIUM AND RADIATION LEAKING THROUGH THE GROUND AND IMPACTING THE GROUNDWATER.

SO THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MONITORED NOW BY THE EPA WHERE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT WELLS.

THEY CALL THEM WELLS, BUT BUT IT'S JUST MONITORING DRILL HOLES WHERE THEY MONITOR HOW MUCH OF THAT, THE GROUNDWATER, IS BEING IMPACTED.

AND IF IT'S ACTUALLY MIGRATING TOWARDS THE NAVAJO NATION BOUNDARY LINE.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY FACE BECAUSE IF IT KEEPS MIGRATING TOWARDS THE NAVAJO NATION, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AND SO, RIGHT NOW THEY JUST MONITOR IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE WATER AND THE AIR.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE IMPACT, IT'S IMPACTING THE HEALTH AND JUST THE WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY IN ITSELF.

WE'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO GATHER HERBS BECAUSE OF THE WATER INTAKE OF THE RADIATION AND IT IMPACTS THE HERBS AS WELL.

AND IT'S IMPACTED OUR LIVESTOCK, SO WE NO LONGER HAVE LIVESTOCK.

A LOT OF -- MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY NO LONGER ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE HAVING THEIR LIVESTOCK.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OUR ECONOMIC WAY OF LIFE AS WELL.

SO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED.

SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE URANIUM INDUSTRY HAS IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

AND IT'S ECONOMIC, IT'S PHYSICAL, IT'S CULTURAL.

WE'RE LONGER ABLE TO GATHER THE HERBS LIKE I SAID, AND WE'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO PRACTICE OUR TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TRADITIONALLY IS TO PRAY IN THE MORNING TO THE EAST.

AND FOR THE COMMUNITY THERE'S A WASTE PILE THAT SITS THERE.

AND THE COMMUNITY JUST FEELS REALLY AWKWARD ABOUT PRAYING TO THE EAST.

IT ALMOST FEELS AS IF THEY'RE SENDING PRAYERS TO THE WASTE PILE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING.

AND IT'S IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY.

SO, IT REALLY HAS BEEN DISRUPTIVE OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY'S ENTIRE LIFE AND NOT JUST THEIR PHYSICAL, BUT IN EVERY ASPECT OF A HUMAN BEING AND THAT TAKES AWAY OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS OF HAVING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO LIVE IN.

SO THAT'S HOW THE URANIUM INDUSTRY HAS IMPACTED THE COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE.

>> Laura: YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

ERIC JANTZ, WHO'S BEEN ON THE SHOW BEFORE AND WITH THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER, REPRESENTS THE RED WATER POND ROAD COMMUNITY.

HE WROTE IN A RECENT OP-ED THAT LIVING WITHIN TWO MILES OF AN ABANDONED URANIUM MINE INCREASES THE RISK OF KIDNEY DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART DISEASE, AUTOIMMUNE DYSFUNCTION, AND BIRTH DEFECTS.

ARE THESE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR COMMUNITY ACROSS GENERATIONS?

>> Hood: WELL, FOR ME, WHAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE -- THAT SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE WAS CHILDREN GETTING SICK.

AND THEY HAD BREATHING ISSUES, ALLERGIES.

>> Keyanna: THE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IMPACTED WITH THEIR RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES, ASTHMA, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ASTHMA BEFORE.

MY SON WAS BORN WITH A HOLE IN HIS HEART, AND SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SEEN.

EVEN WITH MY GENERATION, I HAVE A COUSIN WHO HAS THYROID ISSUES AND ONE OF MY OTHER COUSINS HAS A CHILD WHO HAD A DEFECT WHERE HE JUST DIDN'T FORM PROPERLY.

AND SO, WITH MY SON AS WELL, SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE AND MORE AS LONG AS THE GENERATIONS CONTINUE.

SO, THAT'S ONE OF THE IMPACTS THAT'S NOT JUST STAYING WITH THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED IN THE MINES, BUT IT'S MOVING DOWN TOWARD INTO THE GENERATIONS.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE NOW.

>> Laura: THESE MINES CLOSED IN 1983.

MORE THAN 40 YEARS AGO.

AND THIS WASTE HAS REMAINED IN THE COMMUNITY.

THERE'S BEEN SOME DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLEANUP, RIGHT?

BUT CERTAINLY, NOT A COMPREHENSIVE CLEANUP.

AND NOW THE EPA'S RECOMMENDING THAT MORE THAN A MILLION CUBIC YARDS OF LOW-LEVEL MINE WASTE BE MOVED FROM THE QUIVIRA MINES TO A PRIVATE FACILITY IN THOREAU.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY THAT WASTE NEEDS TO BE MOVED, AND HOW THAT WILL HELP YOUR COMMUNITY?

>> Keyanna: FOR ME, I JUST BELIEVE THAT WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE WASTE IT WILL BRING BACK THAT LIVELIHOOD THAT OUR COMMUNITY USED TO HAVE.

AND EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER MOVING INTO A CITY OR A TOWN FROM A RURAL AREA AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR MY KIDS, IT'S TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE.

THEY MISS HOME.

THEY KNOW WHAT HOME IS, AND SO THEY DO MISS THAT.

SO, WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE WASTE THEY GET TO MOVE BACK HOME.

AND WE SUPPORT THAT MOVE BECAUSE THIS IS A PRIVATE COMPANY AND PRIVATE LAND THAT OFFERED.

IT WASN'T A SUGGESTION FROM THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS THIS -- THE WASTE MANAGEMENT, PEOPLE WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY, THEY WANTED TO HELP.

THEY WANTED TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY OF CREATING A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT SURROUND THE AREA.

AND SO WHEN THAT BECAME AN OPTION THAT THE EPA COULD LOOK AT, THE COMMUNITY WAS MORE BEHIND IT BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE BUILT TO HELP THE REGIONAL AREA.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE NAVAJO NATION HAS NOT LOOKED INTO.

WE HAD OUR PREVIOUS NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT NEZ, WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT MADE THE SUGGESTION, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PROBABLY HALFHEARTEDLY, HE WASN'T SURE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE HAD SAID THAT MAYBE THE NAVAJO NEEDS TO GO INTO BUYING PROPERTY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT JUST IN OUR EASTERN AGENCY, BUT IT'S IN ALL AGENCIES OF THE NAVAJO NATION.

THERE'S PEOPLE IN ARIZONA THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS AS WELL.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT TO PROTECT OUR WHOLE NAVAJO NATION.

BUT NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MAYBE CREATE A FRAMEWORK THAT CAN BE USED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY SOMEDAY.

>> Hood: I FEEL THAT, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NAVAJO NATION, THEY NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE URANIUM ITSELF AND WHAT IT DOES.

AND I HAVE NOT SEEN EVEN THE NAVAJO LEADERSHIP TURN AROUND AND SAY LET'S DO THIS.

FIGURE OUT SOMETHING BETWEEN THE PEOPLES INSTEAD OF PITTING THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER.

AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT THESE LEADERS NEED TO BE EDUCATED.

IF THEY ARE TRULY LEADERS, THEY NEED TO SET UP SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND TALK ABOUT IT.

NOT JUST PUT PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER IS THE WAY I THINK ABOUT IT.

BUT SOMETHING HAS BEEN SAID.

THEY HAVE NOT APPROACHED US.

ALL WE HEAR ARE THEIR ISSUES, HOW THEY STAND AGAINST IT.

I SAID HOW COME YOU JUST TURN THIS AROUND AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY HERE.

LET'S DO THIS.

BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT.

>> Laura: I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD EACH, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HOPE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY A HUNDRED YEARS IN THE FUTURE.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT IT'S LIKE?

WHO DO YOU HOPE IS THERE?

WE'LL START WITH YOU, TERACITA.

>> Keyanna: MY HOPE IS THAT WE'RE BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ARE THERE HAPPY AND SAFE AND THRIVING.

AND BEING ABLE TO GET THE LIVESTOCK BACK.

AND CONTINUE THE TRADITIONS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEFORE REALLY KNOWING THE IMPACTS OF THE RADIATION THAT WAS HAPPENING ON THEIR BODIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY LIVED AND WERE HAPPY.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE GETTING SICK, BUT IT WAS A LIFE THAT THEY ENJOYED.

SO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT FOR MY COMMUNITY IS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE AND ENJOY LIFE, AND BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR TRADITIONAL WAYS AND HAVE SHEEP AND BE ABLE TO WEAVE AND PRODUCE THAT KIND OF ARTWORK AND HAPPINESS, AND TRADITION, AND CULTURE ALL BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S MY WISH AND HOPE FOR MY COMMUNITY AND MY FAMILY.

>> Laura: YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE THE MINES.

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW?

>> Hood: I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN CLEAN UP WHAT THEY DID.

BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO GO BACK TO BEING A PRISTINE LAND LIKE WE HAD WHEN WE GREW UP.

WE COULD WANDER ANYWHERE WITH OUR SHEEP.

GO ANYWHERE UP IN THE HILLS AND MOUNTAINS AND NEVER BE AFRAID OF WHAT MIGHT BE THERE.

AND THAT IS WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT TO US WITH THE SIGNING OF A PIECE OF PAPER BY THE NAVAJO NATION.

AND STILL YET, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO BE THERE AND FIX THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF JUST AVOIDING IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WISH THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY GET THIS DONE AND HAVE OUR PEOPLE COME BACK TO WHERE THEY GREW UP.

OR WHERE THE YOUNG CHILDREN CAN EXPLORE AND PLAY AGAIN AND HEAR THEIR LAUGHTER IN THE HILLS, YOU KNOW?

>> Laura: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> Jeff: THANKS TO LAURA PASKUS AND HER GUESTS FOR SHARING THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO MOVE URANIUM WASTE FROM THEIR COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER.

IN JUNE, LAURA SPOKE WITH A GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THOREAU, THE PROPOSED RELOCATION SITE FOR THAT WASTE.

YOU CAN WATCH THAT INTERVIEW ON THE OUR LAND YOUTUBE PAGE.

HEFTY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND RETALIATION.

A RECENT INVESTIGATION FROM SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO DETAILS THE SPRAWLING INFLUENCE OF THE STATE'S HORSE RACING INDUSTRY.

DESPITE ITS SHRINKING FOOTPRINT.

THE SERIES FROM JOURNALISTS NOAH RAESS AND JOSHUA BOWLING FOLLOWS THE MONEY, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GENERATED EACH YEAR BY HORSE RACETRACKS AND THE CASINOS THEY'RE AFFILIATED WITH.

THE PAIR UNCOVERED A COMPLEX WEB OF SOME OF THE STATE'S MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE.

THAT INCLUDES ENTREPRENEURS, ATTORNEYS, PROSECUTORS, AND LAWMAKERS.

BUT HAVE THESE POWER BROKERS ACTUALLY BROKEN THE LAW?

OR ARE THEY JUST FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES IN AN ARENA CURATED TO BENEFIT THEIR INTERESTS?

TONIGHT, LOU CATCHES UP WITH SEARCHLIGHT'S JOSHUA BOWLING TO ASK THAT QUESTION.

AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IMPACTS THE INDUSTRY'S OPERATIONS HAVE HAD ON OUR STATE.

>> Lou: JOSHUA BOWLING, WELCOME BACK TO NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Bowling: LOU, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> Lou: OF COURSE.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

YOU RECENTLY PUBLISHED A SERIES FOR SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO, ALONG WITH YOUR COLLEAGUE NOAH RAESS, EXAMINING THE INFLUENCE OF THE HORSE RACING INDUSTRY IN OUR STATE.

I WANT TO START BY ASKING YOU WHY YOU AND NOAH DECIDED TO GO DIGGING INTO THIS.

WHAT DID YOU SEE THAT MADE YOU THINK WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS?

>> Bowling: YEAH, WHEN MY COLLEAGUE NOAH FIRST PITCHED THIS STORY, HE BRINGS A GREAT PERSPECTIVE TO NEWS HERE.

HE'S FROM LAS CRUCES, AND REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE A LOT BETTER THAN A LOT OF FOLKS DO.

AND SO HE'S VERY CLOSE TO SOME OF THE RACETRACKS WE HAVE DONE THERE.

WHEN HE FIRST PITCHED THIS STORY I WAS IMMEDIATELY INTERESTED IN WHO THE GOVERNOR WAS APPOINTING TO REGULATE THIS INDUSTRY, AND WHY SHE WAS PICKING THOSE PEOPLE.

I'VE DONE A LOT OF REPORTING IN NEW MEXICO ON HIGHER EDUCATION, AND I'VE EXPLORED THE GOVERNOR'S CONNECTIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS OF REGENTS ACROSS THE STATE.

SO, WHEN WE FIRST HEARD OF THIS WE KNEW THERE WAS A YEAR'S LONG BACK AND FORTH IN COURT THAT IS STILL ONGOING BETWEEN A COALITION OF RACEHORSE OWNERS, BREEDERS, AND TRAINERS AND THESE PEOPLE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED TO OVERSEE THEM.

BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO EXPLORE THIS AS A LEGAL STORY, AS A COURT STORY.

TO ME, THE INTERESTING THING IS TO REALLY DIG IN HERE AND TO UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS OF THESE PEOPLE, HOW THEY'RE CONNECTED, HOW THEY CAME TO OVERSEE THIS VERY LUCRATIVE INDUSTRY.

WE KNOW IT'S A POWERFUL POLITICAL FORCE BECAUSE EVERYBODY HERE IS HANDPICKED BY THE GOVERNOR, BUT IT'S ALSO A POWERFUL ECONOMIC FORCE.

THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT THIS INDUSTRY BRINGS IN TO THE STATE ACTUALLY RIVALS THAT OF THE FILM INDUSTRY.

AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT A BIG DEAL NETFLIX IS AND EVERY FILM COMPANY THAT'S HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY HEAR AS MUCH ABOUT THIS SORT OF THING.

AND TO ME THAT WAS A STORY THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN TOLD.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE COME WITH SOME SORT OF PRECONCEIVED NOTION WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS ABOUT GAMBLING AND HORSE RACING.

I WAS A REPORTER IN ARIZONA WHEN THE GOVERNOR THERE LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING ON YOUR PHONE.

AND I SAW, YOU KNOW, BOOKS OPEN UP IN THE LOBBIES OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ARENAS.

THERE WAS A BIG CHANGE THAT HAPPENED THERE.

SO, I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME BIG STROKES WE COULD GET AT, SOME BROAD STROKES IN TERMS OF HOW WE GAMBLE, HOW THAT'S CHANGED IN THE MODERN ERA.

AND THIS THING THAT WE REALLY TEND OF THINK OF AS A RELIC OF THE PAST WITH HORSE RACING, BUT IN MANY WAYS IT'S MORE POWERFUL AND MORE ALIVE THAN EVER IN NEW MEXICO.

>> Lou: YEAH, NOW A BIG PIECE OF YOUR REPORTING IS CENTERED AROUND CAMPAIGN DONATIONS, AND SIMPLY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE HORSE RACING INDUSTRY THAT MAKES IT INTO NEW MEXICO'S POLITICAL RACES.

WHAT MAKES DONATIONS FROM THIS INDUSTRY DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER INFLUENTIAL BUSINESS SPHERE, SOMETHING LIKE RESTAURANTS OR REAL ESTATE?

>> Bowling: SURE.

YOU DO SEE A LOT OF OVERLAP THERE AS WELL IN TERMS OF WHO PEOPLE ARE DONATING TO AND SOME OF THE FIGURES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING HERE IS YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE RACETRACK EXECUTIVES OR MEMBERS OF THE RACING COMMISSION, OR MAYBE FUTURE MEMBERS OF THE RACING COMMISSION WHO DONATE HEAVILY TO A GOVERNOR AND THEN FIND THEMSELVES APPOINTED TO THIS GOVERNOR-APPOINTED COMMISSION.

SOMETHING -- A PATTERN WE NOTICED WITH A LOT OF THESE FOLKS IS THAT THEY ARE DONATING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ALLOWED UNDER STATE LAW TO CAMPAIGNS.

$5,500 FOR A LOCAL CANDIDATE, AND A LITTLE OVER $10,000 FOR A GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

AND THEN THEY ENGAGE WITH SOME KIND OF BUSINESS WITH THAT CANDIDATE OUTSIDE OF THE CAMPAIGN.

WITH GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM YOU FIND HORSE RACING FIGURES ON THE COMMISSION SHE APPOINTS WHO HAVE DONATED GENEROUSLY TO HER CAMPAIGN.

AND YOU NOW SEE THE VERY PEOPLE WHOM SAM BREGMAN REGULATED WHEN HE WAS CHAIR OF THE RACING COMMISSION ARE NOW HEAVILY DONATING TO HIS CAMPAIGN FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT'S INTERESTING HERE IS THESE FIGURES, WHILE A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF THEM IN THE HORSE RACING WORLD, THEY AREN'T NOBODIES.

ONE PERSON WE WROTE ABOUT WAS PAUL BLANCHARD, WHO IS A UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO REGENT, AND HE'S THE CEO OF THE ALBUQUERQUE DOWN'S RACETRACK AT THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT IN 2008 HE ACTUALLY OPENED HIS HOME TO THEN SENATOR BARACK OBAMA.

AND HE HAD A PAY-PER-PLATE DINNER FUNDRAISER, RIGHT OUT OF HIS HOME IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT RAISED ALMOST $2 MILLION FOR OBAMA WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR HIS FIRST TERM AS PRESIDENT.

SO, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VERY LONG TRACK RECORD OF BEING POWERFUL POLITICAL DONORS.

MOST OF US JUST HAVEN'T HEARD OF THEM.

>> Lou: YEAH.

YOU MENTIONED BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAM BREGMAN.

HIS NAME COMES UP A LOT IN YOUR SERIES.

HE'S RECEIVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM HORSE RACING INTERESTS DURING HIS REELECTION CAMPAIGN, AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, BUT AFTER LEAVING HIS FORMER ROLE LEADING THE NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION.

BEFORE WE GET MORE INTO BREGMAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHO MAKES UP THAT COMMISSION AND WHAT IS IT IN CHARGE OF?

>> Bowling: YEAH, SO IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

WE HAVE LOT OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE STATE, YOU KNOW, THAT OVERSEE EVERYTHING FROM HORSE RACING TO MORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THINK OF AS GAMBLING.

SLOT MACHINES, TABLE GAMES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THE MEMBERS OF THE RACING COMMISSION ARE APPOINTED DIRECTLY BY THE GOVERNOR.

IT'S COMMON FOR THESE PEOPLE TO HAVE A TIE TO THE SPORT OR THE GREATER INDUSTRY.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAYBE HAVE A RACEHORSE OR TWO, OR HAVE WORKED FOR A RACETRACK AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE.

YOU SEE A LOT OF CAR DEALERSHIP OWNERS.

YOU SEE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OWNERS.

PRETTY HEAVILY CENTERED IN ALBUQUERQUE, BUT THERE TEND TO BE MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE WHO ARE APPOINTED TO THIS.

AND YOU KNOW, THEIR TASK IS MORE OR LESS PRETTY SIMPLE, OVERSEEING THE INDUSTRY AND THE BROADEST OF TERMS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH DRUG TESTING REQUIREMENTS.

NEW MEXICO IN PARTICULAR, HAS HAD A DEEP-SEATED PROBLEM WITH DOPING HORSES TO FIX RACES.

OVERSEEING OPERATIONS AT THE STATE'S FIVE RACETRACKS.

THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW, WHILE BREGMAN LED THE RACING COMMISSION HE ALSO SERVED AS COMMISSIONER OF THE GAMING CONTROL BOARD AT THE SAME TIME, YOUR STORY POINTS THAT OUT.

THAT'S THE STATE AGENCY THAT OVERSEES GAMBLING IN NEW MEXICO.

HE'S ALSO CO-OWNED RACEHORSES AND WITH RACETRACK EXECUTIVES.

I WANT TO ASK THIS CLEARLY, IS ANY OF THIS ILLEGAL?

OR ARE THESE JUST POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST?

>> Bowling: SO, WHEN I SPOKE WITH BREGMAN ABOUT THIS, HE EMPHATICALLY DENIES THAT ANY OF THIS COULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

THE HORSE RACERS, OWNERS, TRAINERS, AND BREEDERS OF NEW MEXICO OBVIOUSLY FEEL DIFFERENTLY.

THEY SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF BUSINESS DEALS WITH BREGMAN'S FAMILY AND PEOPLE WHOM HE EITHER SAT ON THE COMMISSION WITH, OR PEOPLE WHO ONCE REGULATED.

SOMETHING THAT WE FOUND IN OUR REPORTING AND IS IN OUR SERIES ON THIS, SAM BREGMAN'S SON IS ALEX BREGMAN, HE'S A THIRD BASEMAN FOR THE HOUSTON ASTROS.

YOU CAN FIND A PROFILE THE MLB WROTE OF HIM IN 2022 WHEN HIS FATHER LED THE NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION WHERE ALEX BREGMAN STARTS HIS OWN HORSE RACING COMPANY.

BREGMAN FAMILY RACING LLC.

NOAH RAESS AND I WENT THROUGH RACEHORSE OWNERSHIP RECORDS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND AT LEAST TWO RACEHORSES THAT ALEX BREGMAN'S COMPANY OWNED -- CO-OWNED WITH ASSOCIATES OF HIS FATHER.

ONE HE OWNED WITH THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF THE RACING COMMISSION.

AND ONE HIS COMPANY CO-OWNED WITH THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF THE RACING COMMISSION, AND PAUL BLANCHARD, THE CEO OF ALBUQUERQUE DOWNS.

CRITICS HAVE A COUPLE PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

ONE, THEY KIND OF RAISE THEIR EYEBROW AT THE CHRONOLOGY OF THIS.

HIS FATHER WAS ON THE RACING COMMISSION AND THEN ONCE HE LEAVES HE STARTS TO ENTER INTO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE HIS FATHER REGULATED.

THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT CRITICS HAVE WITH THIS IS YOU HAVE A CHAIRMAN ON THE RACING COMMISSION CO-OWNING A HORSE, NOT JUST WITH A BASEBALL PLAYER, BUT WITH A RACETRACK EXECUTIVE THAT, IN THEORY, HE REGULATES.

I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER INDUSTRIES WHERE THAT SORT OF THING WOULD BE PERMITTED.

I USED TO COVER PROBLEMS AT MEATPACKING PLANTS AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A USDA INSPECTOR OWNING SOME SORT OF STAKE IN A PLANT THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO GO AUDIT, RIGHT?

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE CRITICS RAISE THAT WE POINT OUT IN OUR STORY.

>> Lou: I APPRECIATE THAT COMPARISON.

NOW, YOUR STORY ALSO DETAILS A CONFLICT BETWEEN BREGMAN AND THE RACING COMMISSION AND THE NEW MEXICO HORSEMEN'S ASSOCIATION.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT GROUP REPRESENTS RACEHORSE OWNERS AND TRAINERS.

THEY SUED THE COMMISSION IN 2020, ALLEGING THAT IT HAD BEEN TAKING MONEY FROM RACE DAY WINNINGS MEANT FOR THOSE OWNERS AND TRAINERS.

HOW DID THAT LAWSUIT END?

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THOSE TWO GROUPS IN THE AFTERMATH?

>> Bowling: YEAH, SO THE NEW MEXICO HORSEMAN'S ASSOCIATION YOU CAN THINK OF LIKE A LABOR UNION.

THEY REPRESENT THE OWNERS, THE TRAINERS, AND THEY REPRESENT THEM TO THE RACING COMMISSION.

THEY ADVOCATE AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR CHANGES THEY THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE MORE RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS OF THE RACING WORLD.

THEY CRIED FOUL IN 2020 AND ACCUSED THE RACING COMMISSION OF SKIMMING, THAT WAS THEIR VERB, A PORTION OF RACE DAY WINNINGS.

AND USING THAT MONEY THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO OWNERS AND TRAINERS TO PAY FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AT THE STATE'S FIVE RACETRACKS.

LIKE INSURANCE FOR JOCKEYS AND WHAT ARE CALLED EXERCISE RIDERS.

AND THEY ALLEGED SINCE THE EARLY 2000s THE COMMISSION HAD MADE OFF WITH NEARLY $9 MILLION THIS WAY.

IN TERMS OF HOW THE LAWSUIT ENDED, IT REALLY SEEMS THAT IT POKED THE BEAR.

AND THE RACING COMMISSION THEN TOOK AIM AT THE HORSEMEN AND SAID OKAY WE'RE NOW GOING TO FIND IT'S ACTUALLY ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO FUNDRAISE THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN FUNDRAISING.

SO WE'RE NOT LETTING YOU TAKE YOUR PORTION OF RACE DAY WINNINGS ANYMORE, OR WHAT WERE CALLED STARTER FEES WHEN SOMEBODY WOULD GET STARTED IN THE WORLD OF HORSE RACING OUT HERE.

THAT OF COURSE RESULTED IN ANOTHER LAWSUIT AND ANOTHER LAWSUIT.

AND ALL OF THESE ARE STILL ONGOING TODAY.

WE'VE HAD PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENTS, AND SOME OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN VERY CONDITIONAL FROM THE JUDGES.

BUT THIS HAS REALLY SPURRED JUST A FLURRY OF LITIGATION THAT STILL CONTINUES NOW.

>> Lou: OKAY.

I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION NOW ABOUT SOMETHING THAT RICHARD BUSTAMANTE, AN ATTORNEY, REPRESENTING THE RACING COMMISSION TOLD SEARCHLIGHT.

HE SAID THAT THE SHARED INVESTMENTS SHOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE THE HORSE RACING INDUSTRY IN NEW MEXICO CONSISTS OF, QUOTE, A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE.

HOW DID THAT STRIKE YOU DURING THE REPORTING, AND DOES THE SIZE OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER ANY OF THIS AMOUNTS TO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?

>> Bowling: RIGHT.

SO, RICHARD IS AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE RACING COMMISSION.

AND HE TOLD THAT TO MY COLLEAGUE NOAH DURING HIS PORTION OF THE REPORTING.

LITERALLY, THAT VERY MUCH IS TRUE.

THIS IS A SMALL STATE, RIGHT?

WE'RE NOT A VERY DENSELY POPULATED STATE.

BUT THE ANSWER IS NOT EXACTLY A FLAT OUT DENIAL OF, YOU KNOW, ASSUAGING THE CONCERNS OF THE HORSEMEN HERE.

HERE, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE THEORETICALLY, AT LEAST ON PAPER, IN CHARGE OF ONE ANOTHER.

THEY ARE REGULATING EACH OTHER DIRECTLY.

AND THEY'RE SHARING SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS.

QUITE LITERALLY, THAT'S WHAT A RACEHORSE IS.

THESE THINGS CAN COST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

AND OF COURSE THEY CAN WIN MUCH MORE.

AND WHILE WE MAY BE A SMALL STATE, THE ALL-AMERICAN FUTURITY THAT IS A RACE THAT WE HOLD DOWN IN RUIDOSO, THAT DRAWS A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE.

PEOPLE OF ALL STRIPES WHO ARE INTO HORSE RACING END UP IN RUIDOSO FOR THESE RACES.

THEY END UP IN NEW MEXICO.

WE'RE NOT AN OUTSIDER TO THE REST OF THIS INDUSTRY.

WE ARE A PRETTY BIG FORCE.

WHILE WE MAY HAVE A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WE'RE A FAIRLY LARGE PLAYER IN NATIONAL TERMS.

AND LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M JUST NOT AWARE OF TOO MANY OTHER INDUSTRIES WHERE THIS SORT OF THING HAPPENS.

AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD.

>> Lou: OKAY.

JUST A COUPLE MORE FOR YOU HERE, JOSHUA.

AFTER THE RACING COMMISSION RETALIATED AGAINST THE HORSEMEN'S ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE WHILE AGO, SIMILAR GROUPS OF THE STATE STEPPED UP.

STARTING IN KENTUCKY, WHERE THE ORGANIZATION THAT OVERSEES THE KENTUCKY DERBY DECIDED TO BLOCK ALL BETS FROM NEW MEXICO'S FIVE HORSE RACETRACKS ON THAT RACE.

DID THAT BAN HAVE A MEASURABLE IMPACT HERE IN OUR STATE FINANCIALLY OR OTHERWISE?

>> Bowling: ABSOLUTELY.

AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT DECISION CAME DOWN FROM RICK HILES, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE HORSEMEN'S ASSOCIATION COUNTERPART IN KENTUCKY, AND HE SPOKE WITH US DURING THE COURSE OF OUR REPORTING.

SHORTLY AFTER THIS DECISION, ALBUQUERQUE DOWNS RACETRACK WRITES A LETTER TO THE RACING COMMISSION HERE REALLY EXPRESSING CONCERN AND SOUNDING THE ALARM OVER THIS DECISION.

AND IN THAT LETTER THEY SAY THEY ESTIMATE TO LOSE OUT ON MORE THAN $800,000 THIS YEAR BY NOT BEING ABLE TO WAGE ON ONE, THE KENTUCKY DERBY, AND TWO OTHER RACES AT THAT RACETRACK.

CHURCHILL DOWNS.

>> Lou: OKAY.

NOW, SINCE THIS STORY PUBLISHED, HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK FROM ANY IN THE INDUSTRY OR ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY REACTION TO YOUR REPORTING AT THIS POINT?

>> Bowling: YEAH, SO WHILE WE'RE REPORTING AND AFTER WE PUBLISHED THE SERIES, AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS OF THE RACING COMMISSION HAVE COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED FROM THE RACING COMMISSION'S WEBSITE.

AND ONE MEMBER WAS PROMOTED TO BEING THE NEW CHAIRMAN.

THE FORMER VICE CHAIRMAN IS A MAN NAMED DAVID "HOSSIE" SANCHEZ.

AND HE SAT ON THE STATE FAIR COMMISSION ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE ACCUSED OF GIVING A SWEETHEART DEAL TO ALBUQUERQUE DOWNS TO KEEP THE RACETRACK THERE FROM MOVING TO MORIARTY.

AND REPORTEDLY, THE FBI STARTED INVESTIGATING THAT DEAL.

AFTER THAT HAPPENED, HE GOES AND IS APPOINTED TO THE RACING COMMISSION.

HE IS NO LONGER THERE.

JUST LAST NIGHT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT SHE SENT TO HIM IN JULY AS WE WERE REPORTING THIS, AND IN KEEPING WITH HOW THE GOVERNOR TYPICALLY HANDLES THESE THINGS IN MY EXPERIENCE, SHE SENT HIM A ONE-PAGE LETTER THAT INFORMED HIM SHE WAS REMOVING HIM FROM THE COMMISSION AND OFFERED NO FURTHER DETAILS.

THE OTHER MEMBER IS A FORMER SENATOR, MARY KAY PAPEN, WHO RESIGNED FROM HER POST ON SEPTEMBER 17th, WHICH IS SIX DAYS AFTER WE PUBLISHED THIS STORY.

IN AN EMAIL TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT I OBTAINED LAST NIGHT SHE WROTE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN ME AND FOR APPOINTING ME TO NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION.

HOWEVER, I FEEL IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO FULFILL THIS HONOR.

I HAVE DECIDED TO RESIGN FROM THE NEW MEXICO RACING COMMISSION, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

>> Lou: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

JOSHUA BOWLING, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING YOUR REPORTING AND GREAT DO HAVE YOU ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Bowling: THANKS FOR HAVING ME, LOU, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> Jeff: MANY THANKS TO SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO'S JOSHUA BOWLING FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DISCUSS HIS REPORTING WITH US.

YOU CAN READ SEARCHLIGHT'S WHOLE SERIES ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT SEARCHLIGHTNM.ORG.

NOW WE RETURN TO LOU'S INTERVIEW WITH THE FOUNDER OF UNM'S BASIC NEEDS PROJECT PROFESSOR SARITA CARGAS, AND PATRICIA TRUJILLO, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE NEW MEXICO HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

IN PART TWO, LOU ASKS FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THE COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF A STARVING COLLEGE STUDENT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW GENERATIONS.

>> Lou: STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN COLLEGE, IT'S NOT A NEW PROBLEM.

WE'VE ALL HEARD JOKES ABOUT EATING RAMEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, OR LISTENING TO STORIES FROM OUR PARENTS OR OLDER RELATIVES ABOUT WORKING OVERNIGHTS, TWO JOBS.

BUT WHAT ABOUT RIGHT NOW IN 2024 MAKES IT DIFFERENT?

I'LL START WITH YOU, DEPUTY SECRETARY.

>> Trujillo: YEAH, I MEAN -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS WORK I OFTEN TALK ABOUT HOW IT WAS THE PANDEMIC, THAT SHARED OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAD AS A PLANET, THAT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY START THINKING ABOUT THIS OVERTLY.

BASIC NEEDS ISSUES ARE NOT NEW ISSUES FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE SURVIVED THROUGH THEM.

WHETHER, YOU KNOW, ON OR OFF A CAMPUS.

BUT THE REALITY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MOMENT MADE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THAT PRECARITY IS SO CLOSE BY.

AND I REALLY THINK THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE MOMENT THAT THE UNM REPORT CAME OUT AND IT GAVE US, YOU KNOW IN RHETORIC WE SAY THERE'S A KAIROS, IT'S LIKE THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE TIMING OF SOMETHING COME TOGETHER PERFECTLY.

AND THAT HAPPENED FOR US HERE.

AND SO, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW THAT IS ONE OF THESE ODD GIFTS OF THE PANDEMIC IS THAT IT HAS ALLOWED US TO NAME THIS TOPIC.

YOU KNOW, THE THEORIST GLORIA ANZALDUA SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE THINGS NAMES SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A HANDLE SO WE KNOW HOW TO HOLD IT.

AND SO, REALLY THE INITIAL UNM REPORT MOVING INTO THE STATEWIDE REPORT, HAS GIVEN US A SHARED FRAMEWORK TO REALLY CONVENE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS IN REALLY MEANINGFUL WAYS.

>> Cargas: AND IF I CAN ADD TO THAT, I WAS A PELL GRANT STUDENTS.

PELL GRANTS ARE FOR SOME OF THE POORER STUDENTS -- POOREST.

AND BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I HAD IT IN THE '80s, IT COVERED 80% OF COSTS.

TUITION, FEES, LIVING COSTS.

NOW IT ONLY COVERS A THIRD OF TUITION.

OR LESS THAN A THIRD.

SO THINGS REALLY ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHEN WE GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND PEOPLE OUR AGE SAY, OH, YEAH IT'S OKAY TO BE BROKE IN COLLEGE, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.

IT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS.

A, IT'S NOT OKAY, AND B, IT'S REALLY DIFFERENT.

OUR STUDENTS ARE OLDER, THERE ARE MORE PARENTS.

AND INFLATION AND THE INVESTMENT IN HIGHER ED HAS REALLY GONE DOWN.

>> Lou: I APPRECIATE THAT CONTEXT.

>> Trujillo: AND YOU KNOW, YOU BROUGHT UP LIKE THAT LET THEM EAT RAMEN SITUATION, AND IN DOING THE POLICY WORK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CONSTANTLY BUTTING UP AGAINST IS THAT NARRATIVE THAT SOMEHOW BEING A STARVING STUDENT IS A RITE OF PASSAGE.

RIGHT?

YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE TRULY UNDERSTANDING THE STAKES OF JUST HOW HUNGRY, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OH -- YOU KNOW, HAVE TO MAKE IT THROUGH A COUPLE DAYS EATING RAMEN, BUT WE'RE HAVING STUDENTS THAT ARE SURVIVING ON RAMEN.

SO IN TERMS OF -- LIKE SARITA WAS MENTIONING THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF PEOPLE IS THAT STUDIES SHOW IF YOU CAN HAVE THAT HEALTHY START, YOU KNOW, IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD INTO THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO EAT, YOUR WELLNESS, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THE BASIC NEEDS THAT OFTEN, IN TERMS OF -- YOU KNOW I HATE THINKING OF THIS WAY, BUT FOR GOVERNMENT, RIGHT?

IN TERMS OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT ARE FOLKS THAT ATTEND TO ISSUES OF WELLNESS EARLY ON, AREN'T USUALLY GOING TO BE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KINDS OF HEALTH CONDITIONS.

IF WE FRONT-LOAD ESSENTIALLY PEOPLE GOING ON SNAP IN COLLEGE, SO THAT THEY CAN FINISH THEIR DEGREE, IT'S MORE LIKELY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THOSE PROGRAMS LATER IN THEIR LIFE.

SO, THERE'S JUST THIS SENSE THAT THE INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IN TERMS OF HOW WE MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE STRONG FOUNDATIONS.

>> Cargas: IF I CAN ADD THE CONSEQUENCES ARE NOW.

STUDENTS WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE HAVE LOWER GPAs.

THEY HAVE HIGHER DROPOUT RATES.

AND MANY MILLIONS IN AMERICA DROP OUT WITH DEBT AND NO COLLEGE DEGREE WHICH IS REALLY AN INDICATION OF DOWNWARD MOBILITY.

>> Lou: UNDERSTOOD, THANK YOU.

WE'RE RUNNING INTO TIME A LITTLE BIT HERE.

BUT I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE UNM BASIC NEEDS PROJECT, WHICH THIS STUDY WAS A PART OF.

IT'S WORKING RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE STABILITY TO MORE STUDENTS.

SARITA, WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW?

AND ARE THEY ONLY AVAILABLE TO UNM STUDENTS, OR ARE THEY STATEWIDE?

>> Cargas: NOPE.

WE'VE MORPHED INTO THE NEW MEXICO BASIC NEEDS CONSORTIUM.

THIS IS OUR LOGO.

NOW WE'VE STARTED AS THE UNM PROJECT, AND NOW WE'RE THE STATEWIDE NEW MEXICO BASIC NEEDS PROJECT.

WHERE ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING.

WE HAVE A MONTHLY CONSORTIUM MEETING.

WE'RE STARTING TO STRATEGIC PLAN.

THE UN HAS AN END HUNGER GLOBALLY BY 2030.

THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS AN END HUNGER IN AMERICA BY 2030 AGENDA.

AND WE'RE SAYING WHAT CAN WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITY BY 2030 TO SERIOUSLY REDUCE FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY.

AND WE'RE COMING UP WITH SPECIFIC METRICS AND PROJECTS TO HELP STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR STUDENT STAFFS ARE WORKING IN ISOLATION.

AND WE JUST HAD A STATEWIDE CONFERENCE.

PEOPLE ARE SHARING IDEAS.

AND THEN HOW CAN WE GO TO THE LEGISLATURE WITH THE UNIFIED VOICE AND SAY, COULD WE INVEST -- WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY.

WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.

IT MANIFESTS DIFFERENT IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES AND IN THE CITY, BUT WE ALL STILL NEED THE RESOURCES.

>> Lou: SURE.

ARE THERE ANY LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO FOR THIS NEXT SESSION THAT COULD HELP SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS?

>> Trujillo: YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN APART OF THE GOVERNOR'S FOOD INITIATIVE.

AND SO WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO PUSH OUT OVER $4 MILLION IN FOOD SECURITY GRANTS TO OVER 20 HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE.

AND WE ALSO PUSHED OUT OVER $2 MILLION IN MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GRANTS.

SO IT'S ALSO THIS IDEA THAT COMMUNITIES HOLD THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS, RIGHT?

SO IN TERMS OF CREATING LEGISLATION, WE DON'T WANT TO SAY OH, THIS IS -- WE HAVE A ONE-SIZE-FIT-ALL RESPONSE FOR ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, BECAUSE THEY SIT IN DIFFERENT POLITICAL GEOGRAPHIES.

BUT THIS YEAR, WE'RE REALLY GLAD IS THIS OTHER MONEY THAT WE HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PUSH OUT HAS BEEN NON-RECURRING.

SO THIS YEAR IN OUR HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET, WE DO HAVE WHAT WE'RE CALLING RETENTION FUNDS.

AND SO, WE'RE ASKING FOR $4 MILLION IN RECURRING FUNDING AND $2 MILLION OF THAT WOULD GO TO BASIC NEEDS.

AND THAT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.

IT'S A, YOU KNOW, A GLASS IN THE BUCKET, NOT JUST A DROP, BUT WHAT IT WOULD DO IS THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE STABILITY.

EVERY INSTITUTION WOULD GET A PORTION OF THAT SO THEY AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK WITH BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THIS HAS REALLY BEEN AN UNRECOGNIZED PROBLEM ON CAMPUSES.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT.

IT JUST HASN'T BEEN ORGANIZED IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE ORGANIZING, RIGHT?

THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT RESPONSES ON CAMPUSES BECAUSE WE SEE THAT WITH THE AMAZING PEOPLE WE'RE WORKING WITH FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

THE WORK IS BEING DONE, WE'RE JUST PULLING IT TOGETHER AND HAVING -- I LIKE TO SAY LIKE A UNIFIED MOVEMENT.

WE WANT IT TO BECOME PART AND PARCEL OF THE WORK WE DO AT INSTITUTIONS.

AND SO, JUST THAT IDEA THAT A LOT OF TIMES THERE AREN'T A LOT OF STAFF AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE BASIC NEEDS ISSUES.

SO PEOPLE ARE DOING IT ABOVE AND BEYOND BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

SO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A BASIC NEEDS COORDINATOR ON EVERY CAMPUS.

HAVING STUDENT POSITIONS TO SUPPORT THOSE COORDINATORS BECAUSE THE OTHER THING WE SEE IS THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE ON CAMPUSES.

THIS IS AN ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO WE REALLY NEED STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT PURSUING THE HELPING PROFESSIONS AND YOU KNOW WHAT -- HOW DO YOU START DOING THAT?

YOU START BY HELPING AND SERVING IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.

SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS DOING BASIC NEEDS WORK ON CAMPUSES, SO THAT TRANSLATES TO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO ON TO DO IN WHEREVER THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

>> Lou: ONE FINAL QUESTION.

I'LL GIVE IT TO EACH OF YOU, STARTING WITH YOU SARITA.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A HIGH SCHOOLER WHO IS THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE BUT IS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL HOLE THEY MIGHT END UP IN WHILE ATTENDING ONE OF THE STATE'S COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES?

>> Cargas: COLLEGE IS WORTH IT.

COLLEGE IS STILL THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN YOUR ECONOMIC FUTURE.

AS A LIBERAL ARTS PERSON, I WANT TO SAY THERE'S MORE TO COLLEGE THAN ECONOMICS.

MAKING YOU A HAPPIER PERSON.

BUT ALL THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HAVING A COLLEGE DEGREE COMPARED TO HAVING JUST A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT.

PEOPLE WITH DEGREES MAKE TWO TO THREE TIMES AS MUCH OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LIFETIME.

THEY ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO LIVE IN POVERTY AND LOSE THEIR JOBS IN DOWNTURNS.

SO, I WOULD SAY IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR FUTURE.

>> Lou: OKAY.

DEPUTY SECRETARY.

>> Trujillo: YEAH, SARITA AND I REALLY CONNECT ON THESE ISSUES.

SO, I REALLY BELIEVE IN HIGHER ED.

I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I STEP ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS THAT IT'S AN EXCITING PLACE TO BE.

IT'S WHERE IDEAS ARE HAPPENING.

WHERE WE'RE SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS.

AND WHERE WE GET THE SKILLS TO DO THAT.

AND AS SOMEBODY WHO'S FROM A COMMUNITY THAT HAS A HIGH POVERTY CONTEXT, I JUST THINK I CHOSE HIGHER ED AS MY FIELD OF STUDY BECAUSE IT'S JUST A PLACE OF POSSIBILITY.

I WOULD TELL YOUNG PEOPLE GIVE YOURSELF THE CHANCE, RIGHT?

AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE THE UPS AND DOWNS.

THERE ARE GOING TO BE THOSE DAYS WHERE YOU'RE EATING SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE THREE DAYS IN A ROW.

AND IF WE'RE PERSISTENT, IF WE ASK FOR HELP, BECAUSE THERE IS HELP OUT THERE, THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THESE PLACES.

I GUESS I WILL ALSO WANT TO END BY ALSO ADDRESSING FAMILIES IS THAT HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE PLACES OF BELONGING AND TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL NOT JUST SAFE IN THE TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT SAFE IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.

AND SO, LIKE LETTING PARENTS AND STUDENTS KNOW AS THEY THINK ABOUT WHAT INSTITUTIONS THEY WANT TO ATTEND, THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS TO ASK, RIGHT?

ARE THERE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AT THIS CAMPUS.

WHERE CAN I GET TUTORING.

IF I HAVE A HARD WEEK, WHO CAN I ASK ON CAMPUS FOR HELP.

WE WERE JUST TALKING BEFORE THE INTERVIEW THAT LOT OF TIMES -- LIKE STUDENTS THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE ARE BEING ASKED TO THINK ABOUT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT THEIR DREAM SCHOOLS ARE, OR WHAT THEIR SAFE SCHOOLS ARE.

AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ASK STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO REFRAME THOSE QUESTIONS.

INSTEAD OF IT BEING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, HOW DO WE MAKE THAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ASKING THE INSTITUTIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE BELONG HERE, HOW ARE WE SAFE HERE.

AND I THINK THAT IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE WE'RE ALL HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.

>> Lou: SARITA CARGAS, DEPUTY SECRETARY PATRICIA TRUJILLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> BOTH: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> Jeff: THANKS TO LOU, HIS GUESTS, AND EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.