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

>> Lou: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, UNDOCUMENTED PROTECTIONS.

NEW MEXICO LAWMAKERS TELL US HOW THEIR WORKING TO PRESERVE THE STATE'S SANCTUARY STATUS FOR IMMIGRANTS AS PRESIDENT TRUMP GIVES AGENTS A BLANK CHECK AND DEMANDS COOPERATION.

>> Nava: IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DETAINMENT OF IMMIGRANTS, THAT IS NOT THE STATE'S BUSINESS.

THAT'S FEDERAL LAW, AND WE NEED TO ENSURE WE'RE PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES HOLISTICALLY.

>> Lou: AND INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE.

NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH REPORTER, BELLA DAVIS, ASKS TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT BRINGS THEM JOY.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK, I'M SENIOR PRODUCER LOU DiVIZIO.

TONIGHT, WE EXPLORE HOW INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE WAY THEY'RE REPRESENTED IN TRADITIONAL MEDIA.

WE ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT BRINGS THEM JOY.

LATER IN THE SHOW, IT'S THE FIRST SEGMENT IN A SERIES WE'RE PLANNING TO SHOW YOU OCCASIONALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

IT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR TEAM HERE AT NMPBS AND ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH.

BELLA DAVIS, A YUROK TRIBE MEMBER, WRITES ABOUT INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS FOR IN DEPTH, AND SHE'S TAKING THE LEAD IN THE SERIES WE'RE CALLING INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE.

BUT BEFORE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT HOW FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES ARE IMPACTING NEW MEXICANS.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS WORN OUT HIS PEN SINCE TAKING OFFICE LAST MONTH.

SIGNING DOZENS OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND SPARKING PROTESTS IN THE PROCESS.

INCLUDE THIS ONE WEDNESDAY OUTSIDE THE ROUNDHOUSE IN SANTA FE.

TRUMP HAS AIMED AT EVERYTHING FROM FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING GOVERNMENT TO REALIGNING AMERICAN SOCIAL LIVES.

PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM ARE MEANT TO FULFILL A CAMPAIGN PROMISE.

OF COURSE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST IS IMMIGRATION.

THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS RIGHT NOW.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS REMOVED PROTECTIONS FROM MIGRANTS IN SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, MAKING IT EASIER FOR FEDERAL AUTHORITIES TO MAKE ARRESTS IN THOSE SENSITIVE LOCATIONS.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE PUSHED BACK ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING A REBUKE FROM THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS.

THEY CALL THE POLICY CHANGE, QUOTE, AGAINST THE BASIC TENETS OF OUR FAITH, END QUOTE.

COMING UP IN A LITTLE LESS THAN TEN MINUTES, I ASK NEW MEXICO ARCHBISHOP JOHN WESTER WHAT GUIDANCE HE'S GIVEN TO PRIESTS ACROSS THE STATE IF FEDERAL AGENTS COME KNOCKING ON THEIR CHURCH'S DOORS.

WE START THIS WEEK IN SANTA FE, AS POLITICS CORRESPONDENT GWYNETH DOLAND SPEAKS WITH LAWMAKERS AT THE ROUNDHOUSE.

GWYNETH'S GOAL, TO GATHER CONTEXT ON A SERIES OF MOVES THAT STATE DEMOCRATS HAVE MADE TO PUSH BACK ON THE TRUMP IMMIGRATION AGENDA.

>> Gwyneth: SENATOR NAVA, YOU HAVE A BILL THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE STATE FROM USING RESOURCES TO HELP ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

>> Nava: WELL, THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

I'VE HEARD IT FROM YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS.

WE'VE HEARD IT ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE AS LAWMAKERS, I THINK, HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE ARE NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

I EXITED FROM A PLACE IN THE LENS OF WORKING FEDERALLY.

THIS IS NOT THE PLACE.

WORKING WITH ICE DOES NOT NEED TO BE THE ACTIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE BY POLICE OFFICERS OR STATE ENTITIES BECAUSE WE ARE STANDING FOR OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS NEW MEXICO, AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THOSE THINGS ARE SEPARATE AND WE ARE NOT UTILIZING STATE FUNDING TO DO THAT.

>> Gwyneth: NOW, LOOK, YOU KNOW AS YOU MENTIONED, IMMIGRATION IS A FEDERAL LAW.

IT'S A FEDERAL ISSUE.

BUT NEW MEXICO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WORK WITH THEIR FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS ON ALL SORTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, FROM GUNS TO DRUGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHY SHOULD WE NOT HAVE THEM WORK TOGETHER ON IMMIGRATION?

>> Nava: ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

BUT THE REALITY HERE IS THAT THEY'RE TARGETING INDIVIDUALS AND WHEN YOU TARGET INDIVIDUALS AND YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER FOLKS WHO MAY BE ONLY CRIMINALS, THERE'S AN ENORMOUS INACCURACY THERE.

UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES ARE BACKBONES OF NEW MEXICO AND OF THE COUNTRY.

AS A FORMER UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT, I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES, I KNOW THE WORK, AND I KNOW THE SERVICES OUR COMMUNITIES PROVIDE.

IT'S EASY TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

I THINK MANY OF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS ARE BASED OUT OF IGNORANCE AT TIMES.

AND WE ARE NOT ALL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ACROSS FIELDS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE HUMANS.

THEY'RE HUMAN LIVES, THEY'RE CONTRIBUTORS TO OUR ECONOMY.

AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS SEPARATELY OPERATING SPECIFICALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DETAINMENT OF IMMIGRANTS, THAT IS NOT THE STATE'S BUSINESS, THAT'S FEDERAL LAW.

AND WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES HOLISTICALLY.

>> Gwyneth: WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN TERMS OF ICE RAIDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

>> Nava: WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS AND FOLKS REACHING OUT.

AND FOLKS ARE VERY DISTURBED.

THEY'RE CONCERNED.

THEY'RE WORRIED.

THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORS.

THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE SERVICING A LOT OF THEIR OWN HOMES, RIGHT?

I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A WOMAN WHO CLEANS HOUSES FOR A LIVING.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS.

AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE ACCESS AND POWER.

I KNOW THAT NOT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS IS SENDING ME AN EMAIL.

I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO SEND AN EMAIL.

I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO A COMPUTER.

I THINK IT TAKES CONSCIOUSNESS, INTENTIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND LISTENING TO MY COMMUNITIES.

THEY'RE WORRIED, AND THEY'RE SCARED.

I REPRESENT A VERY DIVERSE DISTRICT, RIGHT?

AND IN LISTENING TO THE DISTRICT ACROSS THE BOARD, I'M INTENTIONAL ABOUT GETTING PERSPECTIVES FROM ALL REGIONS IN MY DISTRICT, BUT IT'S BEEN SO LARGE IN TERMS OF THE OUTREACH THAT HAS OCCURRED THAT I'VE HAD FOLKS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS REACHING OUT WITH EXTREME CONCERNS.

I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE THE PUEBLO OF SANDIA AS PART OF MY DISTRICT.

AND WE'VE HEARD WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TRIBAL LAND AND THE ENGAGEMENT WITH ICE.

AND ALL OF THESE ASSUMPTIONS BASED ON DISRESPECT AND DISCRIMINATION THAT I DO NOT CONDONE.

I AM THERE TO STAND FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S THE ROLE OF A PUBLIC SERVANT.

IT SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT US AND EGOS.

IT SHOULD BE ABOUT LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITIES COMING TOGETHER, IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A TIME WHERE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND TRIBAL NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES HAVE COME TOGETHER, THIS IS THE TIME.

AND WE KNOW IT.

I THINK OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE LISTENING AND TO BE AMPLIFYING AND TO BRING THEIR VOICES TO THE TABLE.

>> Gwyneth: LET ME ASK YOU THIS, ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO UNFAIRLY ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAWS?

>> Nava: EXTREMELY CONCERNED.

I DON'T THINK I NEED TO REPEAT THAT.

I THINK WE'VE SEEN IT.

WE'VE SEEN THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

AS A FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, I AM VERY AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT MANY OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE IN NOW.

THE DISRESPECT THAT IS TAKING PLACE.

AND I THINK WE ARE SEEING IT NATIONALLY, AND WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOW THAT TO COME IN AND OCCUR AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL.

>> Gwyneth: SENATOR SEDILLO LOPEZ, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE GETTING TOUGH ON IMMIGRATION A PRIORITY, AND ALREADY WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF ACTION ON THAT FRONT JUST IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE ADMINISTRATION.

YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF BILLS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION.

ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH SENSITIVE DATA THAT THE STATE HOLDS.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?

>> Sedillo Lopez: WELL, THE BIG PICTURE OF THIS BILL IS THE DATA -- THE STATE COLLECTS A LOT OF SENSITIVE DATA.

IMMIGRATION STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN, WHETHER YOU RECEIVE STATE BENEFITS, LGBTQI+ STATUS.

AND THAT DATA, I BELIEVE, SHOULD NOT BE SOLD, AND SHOULD NOT BE JUST GIVEN.

SO, WHAT THIS BILL DOES IS IT PROTECTS THAT DATA FROM BEING RELEASED FROM THE STATE SO YOU DON'T PROVIDE DATA THAT GETS RELEASED.

AND WITH REGARD TO MVD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT OUR MVD DATA IS SOLD BY MVD.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SAYS IF THEY SELL THAT DATA, THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET A CERTIFICATION THAT DATA WILL NOT BE USED FOR IMMIGRATION PURPOSES.

>> Gwyneth: OKAY.

YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE, SENATE BILL 177, HAS TO DO WITH THE U-VISA PROCESS.

CAN YOU RECAP FOR US WHAT U-VISAS FOR?

>> Sedillo Lopez: U-VISAS ARE A TOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, REALLY, TO GET WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD, TO GET VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD.

AND WHAT IT DOES IS A U-VISA PROTECTS THE INDIVIDUAL DURING THAT TIME PERIOD WHILE THEY'RE TESTIFYING, WHILE THEY'RE COOPERATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND THEN, IT GIVES THEM A BENEFIT OF DECIDING WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO SEEK A PATH TO A GREEN CARD OR NOT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T.

AND WHAT WE'VE FOUND, NOT SO MUCH LATELY, BUT IN THE PRIOR FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THAT SOMETIMES LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAYED GAMES WITH THE U-VISA.

AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

WE WANT A TIMELINE.

WE WANT A CLEAR CERTIFICATION.

AND IF THERE IS A WRONGFUL DENIAL OF THE CERTIFICATION, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO TO DISTRICT COURT AND GET IT GRANTED.

>> Gwyneth: AND ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS BILL, IF I'M RIGHT, WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO EXPEDITE THEIR REQUEST FOR THE U-VISA, IF THEY ARE AT RISK OF BEING DEPORTED, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> Sedillo Lopez: ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

IF THEY'RE IN PROCESS, THIS WOULD STOP THAT PROCESS AND SLOW IT DOWN.

IF THEY GET THE EXPEDITED U-VISA.

>> Gwyneth: WHY ARE THESE THINGS SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?

>> Sedillo Lopez: BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR IN THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF US, UNLESS WE'RE A NATIVE AMERICAN, PURE NATIVE AMERICAN, WE HAVE IMMIGRANTS IN OUR BACKGROUND.

WE'RE A COUNTRY OF IMMIGRANTS.

AND THIS FEAR IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS JUST NOT RIGHT.

SO, WE AS NEW MEXICANS, SHOULD BE PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR BROTHERS, OUR SISTERS, OUR COUSINS, OUR FRIENDS.

>> Gwyneth: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO US TODAY.

>> White Jr.: I THINK THAT THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO DEPICT NATIVES, NATIVE PEOPLE, AS STEREOTYPES AND AS PEOPLE STUCK IN THE PAST, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NATIVE CULTURES AND NATIVE PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND EXISTING IN THE MODERN WORLD, AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS RELATED TO THEIR CULTURE AND NOT RELATED TO THEIR CULTURE.

>> Lou: THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF OUR NEW SERIES, INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE, IS COMING UP IN A LITTLE OVER TEN MINUTES.

AND THANKS TO GWYNETH FOR HER LOOK INSIDE THE ROUNDHOUSE.

IN 2021, THEN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ORDERED SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP NATIONWIDE TO BE PROTECTED AREAS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

THAT MEANT IMMIGRATION AGENTS WERE FORBIDDEN FROM CONDUCTING SEARCHES OR MAKING ARRESTS AT THOSE LOCATIONS.

LAST MONTH, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP REMOVED THOSE PROTECTIONS.

TODAY, WE HEAR FROM NEW MEXICO ARCHBISHOP JOHN WESTER, WHO HAS JOINED A CHORUS OF OTHER RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST TRUMP'S POLICY CHANGES.

I ASK THE ARCHBISHOP WHETHER CHURCHES IN OUR STATE ARE STILL A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.

ARCHBISHOP JOHN C. WESTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Wester: THANK YOU, LOU, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

>> Lou: LAST MONTH, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REMOVED PROTECTIONS FOR SENSITIVE LOCATIONS LIKE SCHOOLS AND CHURCH WHEN IT COMES TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, OPENING DOORS FOR POSSIBLE RAIDS FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE ICE, OR CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.

WHEN WERE YOU FIRST AWARE THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN, AND SINCE IT HAS, WHAT GUIDANCE HAVE YOU GIVEN PRIESTS ACROSS NEW MEXICO?

>> Wester: WELL, I BECAME AWARE OF IT JUST SHORTLY AFTER THE INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT AND READING THE PAPERS.

JUST IN TERMS OF READING THE PAPERS, THE NEW YORK TIMES.

SO, THAT'S THE ONLY NOTICE THAT I HAD ABOUT IT.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE THEN IS I PUT OUT A STATEMENT TO THE ARCHDIOCESE AND BEYOND ABOUT OUR POSITION ON IMMIGRANTS AND BASICALLY CALLING FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.

AND SAYING THAT A POLICY THAT LEANS TOWARD CLOSING OUR BORDERS AND A POLICY THAT LEANS TOWARD HAVING OPEN BORDERS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.

BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SEEMS TO BE A GOAL TOO FAR TO REACH THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR DECADES.

FOR THE TIME BEING, WE'RE JUST TELLING OUR PRIESTS AND ADMINISTRATORS JUST TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THE LAWS ARE, AND SO WE'RE GETTING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE ARCHDIOCESE ALREADY TO BRING DIFFERENT GROUPS IN TO HELP US.

EL CENTRO DE IGUALDAD Y DERECHOS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW MEXICO IMMIGRANT LAW CENTER, SOMOS UN PUEBLO UNIDO AND OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THE LAW, SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT OUR LEADERS, OUR PASTORS CAN DO.

AND, ALSO, SECONDLY HOW WE CAN HELP PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THEM.

WHAT ARE THEIR RIGHTS THAT IMMIGRANTS HAVE?

AND SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THOSE RIGHTS ARE.

AND, ALSO, I THINK TO HELP THEM RELAY SOME OF THEIR FEARS.

A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN FEAR RIGHT NOW.

SO, WE WANTED TO SHOW THEM THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM AS BEST WE CAN, AND RIGHT NOW THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS TO EDUCATE THEM AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE LAWS ARE.

>> Lou: JUST TO NAIL IT DOWN, WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE GIVING YOU SOME LEGAL GUIDANCE?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF, SAY, A SUNDAY MORNING MASS WERE INTERRUPTED BY FEDERAL AGENTS, HOW ARE YOU ADVISING YOUR PRIESTS TO REACT TO A SITUATION LIKE THAT?

>> Wester: THE MAIN THING WE'RE DOING, REALLY, IS TO ADVISE OUR PRIESTS TO STAY CALM AND TO ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE TO STAY CALM SHOULD A RAID OCCUR DURING MASS.

WE'VE ADVISED THEM WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT IF FOR EXAMPLE IT'S ICE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A WARRANT SIGNED BY A JUDGE NOT BY ANOTHER ICE OFFICIAL, BUT BY A JUDGE.

THAT THE PASTOR HAS THE RIGHT TO READ THAT WARRANT THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY.

THAT THE LAW STILL PROVIDES THAT ICE CANNOT ENTER A PRIVATE SPACE WITHOUT THAT WARRANT.

SO, WE'RE BEING VERY CAREFUL TO DELINEATE CAREFULLY WHAT ARE THE PRIVATE SPACES IN OUR PARISH.

NOW, AS YOU INDICATED IN THE BEGINNING, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS, I THINK HOSPITALS, HAVE BEEN NO LONGER DECLARED A SAFE HAVEN, SO TO SPEAK, WHICH IS AWFUL IN MY OPINION BECAUSE WE BELIEVE STRONGLY HUMAN BEINGS HAVE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS.

AND THOSE CAN'T BE TRUMPED BY THE GOVERNMENT, NO PUN INTENDED.

AND THAT THOSE RIGHTS ARE INALIENABLE.

PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO WORSHIP.

THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO MEDICINE.

THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO EDUCATION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS.

SO, I THINK IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE AFRAID TO GO TO CHURCH OR AFRAID TO GO SEE A DOCTOR OR A TEACHER.

SO, THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING, JUST TO GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO.

WE'VE ESPECIALLY REACHED OUT TO OUR IMMIGRANT PARISHIONERS, SO THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.

WHAT IF THEY'RE APPROACHED AT THEIR WORKPLACE, OR WHAT IF THEY'RE APPROACHED, YOU KNOW, IN LINE SOMEWHERE.

WHAT ARE THEIR RIGHTS?

WHAT CAN THEY ASK FOR?

IN TERMS OF DO YOU HAVE A WARRANT, OR IN MOST CASES WHAT I'M LEARNING IS THE BEST THING TO DO IS -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE INFORMATION UNLESS, YOU KNOW, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO GIVE INFORMATION.

WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE GET AFRAID TO SEE A UNIFORM, A GUN, A BADGE, AND YOU'RE JUST GOING TO ANSWER WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

SO, THESE ARE LEARNINGS I'M LEARNING AND WE'RE HOPING OUR PEOPLE LEARN AS WELL.

>> Lou: PRIVATE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN OUR STATE, MANY OF THEM ARE CONNECTED TO CHURCHES.

HAVE YOU ISSUED SPECIFIC GUIDANCE TO THOSE SCHOOLS IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS?

WHAT SHOULD PARENTS OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE AT SCHOOL?

>> Wester: YES, THE INFORMATION IS GOING OUT TO SCHOOLS, TO PARISHES, ANY CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE.

AND THE SCHOOLS ARE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE POLICIES ARE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING IT OUT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL CHECK ON THAT, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION.

BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONFUSION AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO.

WE CAN'T INTERFERE, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S REALLY OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN A LOT OF RESPECTS ABOUT THAT.

THE MAIN THING IS TO KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.

WE'RE ALSO CALLING ON OUR PEOPLE THOUGH, LOOKING LONG-TERM, TO WRITE TO OUR LEGISLATORS AND TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD.

WE SAW THAT AT THE ROUNDHOUSE RECENTLY HERE IN SANTA FE, AND THE PEOPLE ARE MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD.

LAST MONDAY, THERE'S A LARGE PROTEST AND OUR CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS WERE INVOLVED.

ALLEN SANCHEZ, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS, WAS THERE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD.

>> Lou: HOW DO YOU WANT PRIESTS TO ADDRESS THIS TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS WHILE IN MASS?

IS THAT OFF LIMITS?

I KNOW POLITICS CAN BE A HAIRY TOPIC FOR A HOMILY.

IT JUST FALLS INTO A GRAY AREA, POLITICS, HUMANE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE, SHOULD THERE BE AN OPEN DIALOGUE BETWEEN PARISHIONERS AND THEIR PRIESTS?

>> Wester: YES, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN OPEN DIALOGUE.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GET INTO POLITICS, PER SE.

SADLY, THIS WHOLE ISSUE HAS BEEN POLITICIZED, BUT WE'RE NOT THE ONES THAT POLITICIZED IT.

IT'S THE GOVERNMENT WHO HAS DONE THAT.

THE POLITICIANS HAVE DONE THAT.

THIS IS A HUMANE ISSUE.

THIS IS A HUMAN ISSUE.

FOR US, IT'S A CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING ISSUE.

THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON, THE DIGNITY OF THE WORKER, THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO IMMIGRATE.

THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO STAY HOME, AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO IMMIGRATE.

THIS IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

SO, I THINK THE PASTORS, MY HOPE, IS DEFINITELY ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THIS WHOLE AREA OF IMMIGRATION AND MOVING TOWARD COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.

AS TO THE CURRENT CRISIS WE'RE IN, AND I CALL IT A CRISIS, I THINK THE PASTORS SHOULD ENGAGE THE PEOPLE AS WELL.

AGAIN, TO HELP THEM, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, TO SHOW HOW CAN WE HELP THEM BY PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FEARS AND TO HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION OF WHAT ARE THOSE FEARS AND HERE'S SOME ANSWERS WE CAN GIVE YOU.

ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS, FRANKLY, IS THAT I'M AFRAID IF I ANNOUNCE THAT AT 2:00 P.M.

THIS PARTICULAR CHURCH ARE GOING TO INVITE THEIR PARISHIONERS TO TALK ABOUT THEIR MATTERS, I'M AFRAID WE'RE ADVERTISING WE'RE GATHERING THEM ALL TOGETHER FOR YOU AND YOU CAN COME AND TAKE THEM.

MY FEAR IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY WILL GET SWEPT UP.

WE HAVE PRIESTS HERE THAT ARE HERE LEGALLY ON R-1 VISAS.

I'D BE AFRAID OF THEM GETTING SWEPT UP, AND I'VE HEARD THAT FROM THE GOVERNMENT ALREADY THAT MAY HAPPEN.

IN THIS WIDE NET THAT THEY'RE CASTING, THAT SOME IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE HERE, WHO HAVE STATUS, COULD CONCEIVABLY BE SWEPT UP.

SO, IT'S A VERY CHAOTIC, CONFUSING, AND I BELIEVE INHUMANE SITUATION THAT WE'RE FINDING OURSELVES IN RIGHT NOW.

>> Lou: VICE PRESIDENT J.D.

VANCE HAS SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS AFTER THE ORGANIZATION CALLED THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY CHANGE, QUOTE, AGAINST THE BASIC TENANTS OF OUR FAITH.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE CATHOLIC PARISHIONERS WHO MIGHT AGREE WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION AND WITH THE CATHOLIC VICE PRESIDENT?

>> Wester: I THINK THAT -- MY SENSE IS THAT ANYONE WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT CLEARLY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR POSITION IS.

THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS ILL-ADVISED, I THINK, IN WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

HE'S NOT AWARE OF WHAT OUR STANCE IS.

THE BISHOPS OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR DECADES NOW, HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM.

WORKING WITH BOTH PARTIES TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SEEMINGLY DIFFICULT TASK.

SO, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS THE LARGEST, I WOULD SAY, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT REACHES OUT TO IMMIGRANTS.

WE'RE THERE IN THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, WE'RE THERE WITH THEM IN TRANSIT, AND WE'RE THERE WHEN THEY FOUND A DURABLE SOLUTION IN A THIRD-PARTY COUNTRY.

SO, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS VERY, IF I MAY SAY, KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR YEARS.

SO, HIS SPECIFIC CONCERNS WERE REALLY, I WANT TO BE POLITE, BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT AND HE NEEDS TO RESEARCH THIS.

I'M SURE HE WILL.

HE'S AN INTELLIGENT PERSON.

I HOPE HE DOES.

I KNOW ONE STATEMENT WAS WHY DOESN'T THE POPE HAVE ANY IMMIGRANTS IN THE VATICAN.

A, HE DOES.

HE HAS TAKEN THEM IN.

AND B, I DON'T SEE ANY IMMIGRANTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

SO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF SOPHOMORIC LOGIC.

AND I'VE HEARD THE ACCUSATION THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS JUST TRYING TO FILL THEIR PEWS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THAT WAS PARTLY BEHIND WHAT THE VICE PRESIDENT WAS SAYING.

THAT'S NOT TRUE EITHER.

FRANKLY, WE'RE THE LARGEST NGO SETTLER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND FIRST IMMIGRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND I WOULD SAY QUITE A FEW, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT QUITE A FEW OF THEM ARE NOT CATHOLIC.

WE DON'T ASK THEM WHAT FAITH THEY HAVE.

WE DON'T ASK THEM THEIR ETHNIC BACKGROUND.

WE JUST REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND HELP RESETTLE THEM.

SO, A LOT OF THE NARRATIVES WE HEAR ABOUT IMMIGRANTS ARE SIMPLY FALSE.

AND THEY'RE MOTIVATED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, I SUPPOSE.

THESE IMMIGRANTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE ALWAYS CHARACTERIZED AS CRIMINALS.

YOU EVEN HEAR THE PRESIDENT SAYING THEY'RE RAPISTS AND MURDERERS.

THIS SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE.

STATISTICALLY, WE KNOW FOR A FACT, THAT THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IS MORE LAW-ABIDING THAN MY FELLOW CITIZENS.

AND WE KNOW THAT OUR IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.

THEY'RE FLEEING A DIFFICULT -- I WENT DOWN TO MEXICO WITH BISHOP SEITZ A YEAR OR TWO AGO.

AND WE MET WITH A FAMILY IN ONE OF THE COLONIAS THERE.

AND THEIR HOME WAS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS BECAUSE THEIR SON WOULDN'T JOIN THE GANG.

SO, THEY GOT THEIR SON UP HERE INTO THE UNITED STATES TO SAVE HIS LIFE.

YES, HE'S HERE UNDOCUMENTED, BUT I'D SAY SO WHAT?

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MINOR THING.

WE CAN WORK THAT OUT COMPARED TO HIS LIFE.

SO, THESE PEOPLE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

THE FATHER HAS A LIMP TO THIS DAY BECAUSE ONE OF THE BULLETS HIT HIM IN THE LEG.

I'D SAY THERE'S TOO MANY FALSE NARRATIVES.

I APPLAUD YOU AND OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS THAT TRY TO GET THE TRUTH OUT THERE TO WORK AS A COUNTERBALANCE TO THESE FALSE NARRATIVES.

THOSE ARE TWO THINGS I WOULD SAY.

>> Lou: WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH AWAY FROM LENT AND THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO CHIMAYO, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT BEING IMPACTED, WHETHER BY FEDERAL ACTION OR JUST THE FEAR THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, KEEPING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THAT?

>> Wester: I THINK IT WILL DEFINITELY KEEP PEOPLE AWAY.

MY SENSE THAT THEY'RE, AS I SAY, AFRAID.

I STILL THINK THERE WILL BE QUITE A FEW PILGRIMS THAT WILL ENGAGE THOSE PILGRIMAGES TO CHIMAYO.

I HOPE THAT THEY DO.

AND I HOPE THEY PRAY HARD THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH A REASONABLE, COMPASSIONATE SOLUTION IN OUR COUNTRY FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM.

I DON'T THINK -- MY SENSE IS, I COULD BE WRONG, I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE ANY HUGE IMPACT ON THOSE, NO.

>> Lou: WHAT ABOUT AT THE STATE LEVEL?

I KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 60-DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN SANTA FE.

IS THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW MEXICO ADVOCATING FOR ANY SORT OF CHANGES ON THIS STATE LEVEL?

WHETHER IT BE, AS YOU DESCRIBED, JUST PASSING AROUND YOUR MORAL STANDING ON THIS ISSUE?

>> Wester: YES, WE DO DEAL -- WE JUST FINISHED OUR LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN SANTA FE.

AND WE INVITE THE GOVERNOR, AND WE INVITE LEGISLATORS.

WE HAVE IT EVERY YEAR.

WE DON'T GET INTO POLICIES.

WE'RE NOT THERE TO PREACH TO A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.

WE JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE US AND OUR TEACHINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT.

AND WE PRAY WITH AND FOR OUR LEGISLATORS AND THE GOVERNOR AND THEIR VERY IMPORTANT ROLE.

WE STAY IN TOUCH WITH ALLEN SANCHEZ WHO IS THE HEAD OF OUR NEW MEXICO CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS, AND HE REPRESENTS BISHOP WALL IN GALLUP, AND BISHOP BALDACCHINO IN LAS CRUCES, AND ME IN SANTA FE.

SO, HE REPRESENTS US AND OUR DESIRE.

SO, WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH JAVIER MARTINEZ, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, AND OTHER LEGISLATORS.

AS I SAY, WE'RE VERY ENCOURAGED BY OUR POLITICAL LEADERS HERE.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS WAY IT'S A DEMOCRACY.

SOME OF OUR LEADERS IN THE STATE WE DISAGREE WITH THIS ON THIS POINT.

THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW ON IMMIGRATION, AND WE DISAGREE WITH THEM.

I'D SAY THE MAJORITY OF THEM THAT WE DEAL WITH ARE SYMPATHIC TO OUR POSITION, AND SYMPATHIC TO WANTING TO WANTING OUR IMMIGRATION POLICIES TO BE JUST AND HUMANE AND COMPASSIONATE.

>> Lou: ARCHBISHOP JOHN WESTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Wester: THANK YOU, LOU.

IT'S BEEN AN HONOR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Lou: THANKS AGAIN TO ARCHBISHOP JOHN WESTER FOR THAT INTERVIEW.

LESS TRAUMA, AND MORE CELEBRATORY STORIES.

THAT'S THE FEEDBACK INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS REPORTER BELLA DAVIS HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS SHE ASKED FOLKS AT A COUPLE OF EVENTS LATE LAST YEAR WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE AND LESS OF IN MEDIA COVERAGE IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES.

BELLA WORK FOR NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH, ONE OF OUR JOURNALISM PARTNERS.

AND SHE'S BEEN SPENDING TIME WITH OUR TEAM, THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WORKING ON A NEW COLLABORATIVE SERIES.

WE'RE CALLING IT INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE.

AND WE'RE PLANNING NEW SEGMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

HERE'S BELLA WITH PART ONE.

>> Bella: FROM RACIST NARRATIVES TO LEAVING US OUT ENTIRELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY MOST OF THE NEWS MEDIA HAS REPORTED ON NATIVE AMERICANS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> Ptisawquah: I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR MORE PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT WE ACTUALLY EXIST.

BECAUSE EVEN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES ISN'T REALLY ACCURATE.

AND SOMETIMES TALK ABOUT US AS A HISTORICAL PEOPLE, BUT WE'RE STILL HERE.

AND WE'RE STILL THRIVING.

AND WE'RE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS.

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT US AND WHEN THEY DO TALK ABOUT US, IT'S USUALLY THOSE POOR INDIANS, RIGHT?

OR THOSE DRUNKS, OR ALL THE STEREOTYPES THAT GO WITH THAT.

>> White Jr.: I THINK THAT THERE'S AN EASY WAY TO DEPICT NATIVES, NATIVE PEOPLE, AS STEREOTYPES AND AS PEOPLE STUCK IN THE PAST, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NATIVE CULTURES AND NATIVE PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND EXISTING IN THE MODERN WORLD AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS RELATED TO THEIR CULTURE AND NOT RELATED TO THEIR CULTURE.

>> Eustace: IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE A LOT MORE POSITIVITY WHEN IT COMES TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

ABOUT THEM, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THEIR FUTURE AND THEN MAYBE STARTING UP SMALL BUSINESS-OWNED BUSINESSES FOR THEMSELVES.

>> Pope-Lopez: I WOULD LOVE TO SEE PEOPLE AS MAYBE LESS AS A STEREOTYPE.

YOU KNOW, THE PERSON RUNNING AROUND WITH BEADWORK AND FEATHER IN OUR HAIR.

WE COME IN EVERY COLOR.

I'M VERY LIGHT-SKINNED, BUT I'M STILL HALF-NATIVE.

>> Johnny-Wadsworth: LESS TRAVEL PORN AND MORE CELEBRATORY STORIES.

SHARING PEOPLE'S SUCCESSES, ESPECIALLY WITH ENTREPRENEURS AND YOUNG BUSINESS OWNERS AND MORE WAYS TO INSPIRE YOUTH.

>> Burnside: JUST BEING NAVAJO AND A WOMAN, I FEEL LIKE I ALREADY HAVE A STEREOTYPE ON MY BACK.

SO, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE LESS OF.

MORE POSITIVITY.

>> Bella: THAT'S WHAT A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE FROM TRIBAL NATIONS HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND BEYOND SAID WHEN I ASKED RECENTLY WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE MORE OR LESS OF IN NEWS STORIES ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS.

I'M BELLA DAVIS, A YUROK TRIBAL MEMBER AND INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS REPORTER AT THE NONPROFIT NEWSROOM NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH.

FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE BEEN WRITING LOTS OF STORIES ABOUT TRAGEDIES AND DISPARITIES.

LIKE INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND RELATIVES GOING MISSING AND BEING MURDERED AT HIGH RATES.

I DON'T PLAN TO STOP DOING THAT REPORTING, BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING A LOT OF MY FELLOW NATIVE JOURNALISTS HAVE QUESTIONED, THAT THERE ISN'T NEARLY ENOUGH FOCUS IN OUR LINE OF WORK ON INDIGENOUS JOY, RESILIENCE, AND ACHIEVEMENTS.

THIS SERIES IS ALL ABOUT TELLING THOSE STORIES.

FOR THIS FIRST EPISODE, WE DID WANT TO ASK NATIVE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WORRIES THEM.

WE THINK THAT UNDERSTANDING THOSE CONCERNS IS IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR ALL THE POSITIVITY THAT ALSO EXISTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> Moquino: I JUST HAPPEN TO LIVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, WHICH YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES THERE.

YOU GOT LOT OF NATIVE, MAINLY NATIVES, YOU GOT LOT OF HISPANICS, YOU GOT BLACK PEOPLE.

BUT THE ONE THING ABOUT IT IS IT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT GETS LOOKED OVER.

YOU KNOW, THE FENTANYL CRISIS REALLY HIT THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY BAD.

OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO SEE THAT, DAY IN, DAY OUT.

WHEN WE'RE TAKING THEM TO SCHOOL, OR WHEN WE'RE TAKING THEM TO GO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

THESE KIDS 'GOTTA TO SEE THIS.

BUT THE ONE IN THE ABOUT IT IS THAT'S WHY I PUSH WITH MY ART TO REALLY GIVE THESE CHILDREN SOMETHING TO LOOK UP TO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT YOUR ENVIRONMENT REALLY LOOKS LIKE, YOU CAN STILL THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S NOT IDEAL.

>> Pope-Lopez: PEOPLE WATCHING OVER THE PLANET.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THROWING AWAY YOUR TRASH, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY WORRIES ME WHEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS GETTING WARMER, IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND CLEAN WATER.

AND PEOPLE JUST, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE INITIATIVE.

IF YOU SEE TRASH ON THE STREET, PICK IT UP.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> White Jr.: I DO GET A LITTLE WORRIED SOMETIMES WHEN I SEE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND UNSUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION, I GUESS.

JUST A LOT OF LIKE SUBURBS POPPING UP.

>> Ptisawquah: ALL OF THE WHITE PERVERSION WE LIVE IN EVERY DAY.

BECAUSE EVEN HAVING TO COME TO EVENTS LIKE THIS, IT'S STILL A FORM OF CAPITALISM.

EVERY DAY WE WAKE UP, WE'RE INUNDATED WITH THINGS THAT AREN'T FROM OUR CULTURE.

THEY'RE NOT PART OF WHO WE ARE.

>> M. Lonjose: YOU COULD WALK AROUND, GO PLAY.

WE USED TO GO PLAY OUTSIDE.

GO IN THE HILLS AND NOT A WORRY TO -- YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY.

MAYBE OUR PARENTS STILL DID.

>> G. Lonjose: LESS MONEY.

YOU COULD WALK AROUND WITH A DOLLAR AND EAT FOR A WEEK.

>> M. Lonjose: EXACTLY.

UH-HUH.

WE ALWAYS HAD SANDWICHES, SOMETHING TO DRINK, HUNG AROUND WITH OUR COUSINS AND PLAYED ALL DAY.

NOWADAYS, WE'RE LIKE WHERE IS SHE?

WHERE DID THEY GO?

>> Burnside: I WORRY ABOUT THE HOMELESS A LOT.

I THINK JUST GROWING UP IN GALLUP I SEE IT ALL THE TIME.

I'VE ALWAYS WISHED THERE WAS A PLACE THAT I COULD MAKE FOR THEM TO GO THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO.

SOMEWHERE SAFE, SOMEWHERE TO LAY THEIR HEADS AT NIGHT, SOMEWHERE TO EAT.

BESIDES EVERYTHING THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY'RE OUT THERE.

SO, I WORRY ABOUT THE HOMELESS A LOT.

>> Nez: DEFINITELY GRAB HIS TOMATOES HERE.

AND THEY ARE FIVE DOLLARS A BAG.

I DO BELIEVE SO.

SO DEFINITELY GRAB YOUR TOMATOES HERE, FOLKS.

WELL, THE MAIN THING THAT WORRIES ME MOST IS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY.

MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.

THAT THEY ARE SAFE IN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW?

JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL SECURITY.

>> Johnny-Wadsworth: A LOT OF THINGS.

I AM A GREEN CARD HOLDER.

I'M HERE ON A J-TRAINING STATUS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS WORRIES ME A LITTLE BIT.

I'M ALSO A QUEER WOMAN, SO MY SAFETY IS ALWAYS A WORRY.

AND I TOOK CARE OF MYSELF IN A REALLY GOOD WAY AND I HAVE REALLY GOOD TEACHINGS AND GOOD MEDICINE BEHIND ME.

BUT THERE'S STILL ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, A THREAT TO WHO I AM JUST FOR EXISTING.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, I MOSTLY JUST WORRY ABOUT MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AS WELL WHO IDENTIFY THE SAME WAY.

QUEER FEMMES, MOSTLY.

>> Bella: OUR IDEA FOR THIS SERIES ISN'T TO IGNORE OR GLOSS OVER ANY OF WHAT YOU JUST HEARD.

IT'S ABOUT CELEBRATING, THAT DESPITE CENTURIES-LONG EFFORTS TO ERASE US AND ONGOING INJUSTICES WE'RE STILL HERE.

WITH THAT, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO US TO ASK EVERYONE WE TALKED WITH ABOUT WHAT BRINGS THEM JOY.

>> M. Lonjose: WE TRY TO SPEND OUR TIMES TOGETHER, DURING THE WEEKEND AND STUFF.

>> G. Lonjose: IN GENERAL, LAST NIGHT, THE BALLOON GLOW, OR THE CASINO IF WE CAN.

JUST KIDDING.

>> M. Lonjose: YEAH.

CASINO.

AND WE'LL GO TO HER HOUSE FOR LUNCH OR DINNER, YOU KNOW, WE MOSTLY DO THAT SOMETIMES.

NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT WE ALWAYS TRY TO.

>> Nez: ANOTHER $500 TO A LUCKY WINNER LATER ON HERE TODAY.

THE DRAWING IS GOING TO BE AT 3 P.M.

THE THING THAT BRINGS ME JOY IS BEING AROUND THE PEOPLE THAT I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVING CATTLE, BEING AROUND LIVESTOCK, BEING AROUND ANIMALS.

BECAUSE, BASICALLY, I GREW UP WITH A FAMILY BACKGROUND OF CATTLE PEOPLE.

>> Burnside: JUST BEING AROUND KIDS KNOWING THAT I TAUGHT THEM SOMETHING NEW.

THEY HAVE NO FILTER.

IF YOU WORK WITH KIDS, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OF MY OWN.

I LOVE MY NIECES AND MY NEPHEWS.

WHEN I WORK HERE, THEY ARE KIDS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A LOT.

AND IT'S SO AMAZING HOW THEY CAN PUT ALL THAT STUFF ASIDE AND KIND OF FIND THEIR JOY AND THEIR LAUGHTER.

AND STILL CRACK JOKES.

THEY STILL FIND THAT HUMOR IN THEMSELVES, AND I'M ABLE TO BRING THAT OUT WITH THEM.

>> Pope-Lopez: I JUST LOVE SHOWING UP TO INDIGENOUS EVENTS, SEEING THE ART, TALKING WITH THE PEOPLE.

MY FAVORITE THING IS JUST SEEING OTHER ARTISTS, YOU KNOW, DO THEIR WORK.

A LOT OF US HERE, THIS IS HOW WE MAKE A LIVING.

>> White Jr.: MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND THE LAND.

I LIKE TO BE OUTSIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND JUST CONNECT WITH NATURE.

JUST BE AN EXPLORER, GO HIKING WITH MY DOG, AND YEAH, JUST BE IN MY COMMUNITY.

JUST BE OUT AND AT EVENTS AND DOING THINGS, MEETING PEOPLE, TALKING TO PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME MOST FULFILLED.

>> Ptisawquah: WHAT BRINGS ME JOY?

BEING AROUND MY PEOPLE.

100%.

GETTING TO HEAR INDIGENOUS ARTISTS PLAY, RIGHT, AND LIKE SEE THEM SHINE IN ALL OF THEIR GREATNESS AND SHARING THEIR GIFTS WITH THE WORLD, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.

I TRAVEL AROUND THE FOUR CORNERS A LOT TO WATCH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE PLAY MUSIC.

>> Johnny-Wadsworth: I WORK WITH TRADITIONAL PLANT MEDICINE IN MY TERRITORY.

SO, BEING ON THE LAND HARVESTING.

IF I GET TO BE A PART OF CANOE JOURNEY WHERE I COME FROM, BE OUT ON THE WATER, JUST LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES AND JUST GROUNDING MYSELF WITH PEOPLE AND THINGS THAT ARE JUST LIKE SO COMFORTING TO ME.

I ALSO HAVE A PUPPY, A DOG.

AND HE'S LIKE REALLY REMINDS ME TO BE THERE FOR HIM.

BECAUSE HE'S SO NEEDY.

SO, I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN, I DON'T HAVE A PARTNER, BUT HE KEEPS ME IN A REALLY GOOD HEAD SPACE.

>> Moquino: SO, THE MAIN THING THAT BRINGS JOY TO MY LIFE THAT ACTUALLY TURNED IT AROUND WAS MY ART.

BECAUSE BEFORE THEN, ALL I DID WAS -- I WAS A PROFESSIONAL DRINKER, YOU COULD SAY.

I LIVED A TROUBLED LIFE.

CHILDHOOD, I WAS HOMELESS.

STARTED DRINKING AROUND THE AGE OF 8.

I JUST QUIT DRINKING ABOUT -- GOING ON SIX YEARS AGO.

SO, WHEN I PUT DOWN THE BOTTLE, I PICKED UP THE PAINTBRUSH.

THAT'S WHERE THIS COMES IN, RIGHT HERE.

PUT DOWN THE BOTTLE, PICKED UP THE PAINTBRUSH.

>> Jeff: BELLA AND BEN, WELCOME.

>> Bella: THANKS.

>> Jeff: SO, LET'S TALK FOR A SECOND ABOUT WHAT FOLKS JUST SAW.

BELLA, WHAT ANIMATED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL WERE ASKING PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD?

>> Bella: YEAH, I REALLY STARTED THINKING ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR.

YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH REALLY FOCUSED ON INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS FOR OVER TWO YEARS.

AND I KIND OF JUST STARTED THINKING -- IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, I GUESS, ALL ALONG THE WAY.

BUT SO MUCH OF WHAT I'VE BEEN WRITING ABOUT IS DISPARITIES AND TRAGEDIES AND RECENTLY IT'S BEEN LOT OF REPORTING ABOUT THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND RELATIVES CRISIS.

WHICH I THINK IS, OBVIOUSLY, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN UNDERREPORTED FOR DECADES, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD, SO I KIND OF STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT COULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY.

SO, YEAH, I THINK TO START I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO -- WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THAT NEWS COVERAGE HAS WORKED.

>> Jeff: BEN, WHAT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE GOT YOU INTERESTED ONCE THIS IDEA SORT OF FLASHED ACROSS YOUR RADAR SCREEN?

>> Ben: I WAS WORKING ON ANOTHER SERIES PRIOR TO THIS, MEETING SOME OF THOSE AS A PRODUCER.

A LOT OF THEM CAME TO ME SAYING, LIKE, OH, YOU REMIND ME OF MY SON, YOU REMIND ME OF A RELATIVE I HAVE.

AND I THINK A LOT OF IT CAME WITH SOME WHOLESOMENESS TO IT.

AND JUST GOING THROUGH THAT, AND THEN ALSO JUST BEING LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TRAUMA AS MUCH BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT IS NEEDED AT THE TIME.

I THINK WHEN BELLA CAME TO ME WITH THIS IDEA, IT WAS LIKE HOW CAN WE TELL A STORY WITHOUT INFORMING TRAUMA AT THE BEGINNING, AND HOW CAN WE CENTER JOY IN THAT.

AND I THINK WHEN I HEARD THAT, I WAS JUST LIKE THIS IS LITERALLY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AS NATIVE JOURNALISTS, WEEKLY.

HOW CAN WE ANALYZE MORE JOYFUL STORIES IN THE NEWSROOM.

>> Jeff: I WANT TO GET BACK TO JOY IN JUST A MOMENT.

ANOTHER THING I WANT TO ASK, OBVIOUSLY, THE THREE OF US KIND OF WORKED TOGETHER ON WHAT QUESTIONS DO WE WANT TO ASK PEOPLE.

WE REALLY DISTILLED THOSE AND THOUGHT ABOUT WAYS TO SIMPLIFY THE QUESTIONS, AND ASK THEM IN A SUPER OPEN-ENDED FASHION.

IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSES YOU GOT BACK IN THIS FIELD REPORTING YOU DID, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIG THEMES THAT EMERGED AS FOLKS THOUGHT THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS?

>> Bella: YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE HEARD REALLY AFFIRMED I THINK WHAT BEN AND I HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND LIKE BEN SAID WITH ANOTHER NATIVE JOURNALISTS, THIS IS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.

YEAH, JUST REALLY EVERYONE WE TALKED TO, THE RESPONSE WAS THE NEWS IS SO NEGATIVE.

IT'S ALCOHOLISM, IT'S VIOLENCE, IT'S EDUCATIONAL DISPARITIES, MAYBE.

AND A COUPLE OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED TO SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE CRISIS OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND RELATIVES, WHICH REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.

SO, YEAH, THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY A SURPRISE.

BUT PART OF THAT QUESTION, TOO, WAS WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF.

SO, I THINK THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR US IN KIND OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE WANT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

>> Jeff: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE PIECE, ONCE YOU GOT BACK FROM THE FIELD AND ALL OF THAT, WHEN YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION OF WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE OF IN COVERAGE, SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION STARTED WITH THE IDEA OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

IT SEEMED SO BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL.

I WONDER HOW THAT STRUCK YOU WHEN YOU WERE IN THAT MOMENT TALKING TO PEOPLE?

>> Bella: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD BEFORE, BUT I THINK IT WAS KIND OF A GOOD -- ALMOST A REMINDER, IN A WAY, TO ME BECAUSE I WAS COMING AT IT FROM A PLACE OF INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS IS WHAT I FOCUS ON AS A REPORTER.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY, WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH COVERAGE.

BUT FOR PEOPLE TO POINT OUT TOO THERE JUST ISN'T SIMPLY ENOUGH TO BEGIN WITH, AND THE COVERAGE THAT WE DO GET IS BASED ON STEREOTYPES AND TRAUMA.

>> Jeff: BEN, LET'S GET BACK TO JOY.

YOU SAID THE WORD A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY.

I THINK YOU'VE SORT OF ANSWERED THE QUESTION ALREADY, BUT I WANT TO ASK AGAIN.

FOR YOU, WHAT WAS SO IMPORTANT?

WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT PLACING THAT IDEA OF JOY IN THE MIDDLE OF A REPORTING PROJECT LIKE THIS?

>> Ben: I JUST A LOT OF THE TIMES WE TALK ABOUT NATIVES, AND IN THE NEWSROOMS IT'S ALWAYS COMING FROM A TRAUMATIC POINT.

I THINK CENTERING JOY WAS REALLY IMPORTANT WITH OUR NEWS COVERAGE BECAUSE IT CHANGES OR MAYBE FLIPS THE SCRIPT ON WHAT IS A PRIORITY OUR ORGANIZATION.

BECAUSE IT'S ME, IT'S BELLA, IT'S JOEY, IT'S YOU.

AND I THINK THAT IF YOU GO INTO A SUBJECT JUST ASKING THAT BASIC QUESTION, IT CHANGES HOW THE RELATION BETWEEN JOURNALIST AND PATRON, JOURNALIST AND GUEST.

IT CHANGES HOW YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SUBJECT.

>> Jeff: WHEN YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY, WERE THERE ONE OR TWO THAT EITHER SURPRISED YOU OR ARE STILL SITTING WITH YOU A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER YOU DID THOSE INTERVIEWS IN THE FIELD?

>> Bella: CREATING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT, AND I THINK THOSE ARE BOTH THINGS JUST FOR MYSELF THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE MORE TIME FOR IN MY OWN LIFE.

SO, MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME.

PEOPLE ALSO TALKED ABOUT PETS, WHICH AGAIN, YEAH.

VERY MUCH RESONATED.

I DID ALSO WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT BEN SAID.

I THINK I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WAS ONE OF OUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GOING TO THESE EVENTS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH NEWS COVERAGE AND ALSO IN YOUR OWN LIFE OR IN THE WORLD WHAT WORRIES YOU, THAT FELT LIKE -- YEAH, IT'S SORT OF LIKE WE TALK ABOUT EXTRACTION.

LIKE JOURNALISM BEING EXTRACTIVE AND ESPECIALLY IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES.

SO, IT FELT LIKE SORT OF LIKE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO HAVE THAT QUESTION IN THERE.

I THINK IT ALMOST CAUGHT PEOPLE OFF GUARD.

>> Jeff: BEN, YOU BEING THAT DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER OF THIS, WHAT CAN FOLKS EXPECT TO SEE THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY'RE USED TO SEEING ON YOUTUBE OR ON A BROADCAST TELEVISION SHOW?

>> Ben: I THINK WITH THIS FIRST VIDEO THAT WE'RE RELEASING NOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE STARTING FRESH.

ASKING GUESTS, ASKING VIEWERS, ASKING AUDIENCES WHAT DO THEY WANT TO SEE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE THESE ARE THE SUBJECTS WERE GIVEN TO US, AND THESE ARE THE SUBJECTS THAT WE WANT TO RELEASE.

AND I HOPE THE VIEWERS ENJOY THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE ALSO WANTING TO CONTINUOUSLY LEARN BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO, IN SOME WAYS, FEELS LIKE AN UNTAPPED SPACE.

WHERE IT'S OPEN FOR NEW LIFE.

>> Lou: THANKS AGAIN TO BELLA DAVIS, AND BENJAMIN YAZZA FOR THEIR WORK ALONGSIDE PHOTOJOURNALIST JOEY DUNN.

FOR MORE ON INDIGENOUSLY POSITIVE, HEAD TO NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH'S WEBSITE, NMINDEPTH.COM.

ACCORDING TO PROJECTIONS FROM THE U.S. CENSUS, AMERICA IS EXPECTED TO BE A MINORITY MAJORITY COUNTRY BY 2044.

AS JOURNALIST AND 'AMERICAN OASIS' AUTHOR KYLE PAOLETTA TELLS CORRESPONDENT MEGAN KAMERICK, THAT FUTURE IMAGE OF AMERICA LOOKS A LOT LIKE NEW MEXICO TODAY.

FOR MORE ON HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW CITIES LIKE ALBUQUERQUE CAN CHART THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE REST OF THE NATION, HERE'S MEGAN.

>> Megan: KYLE PAOLETTA, THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS.

>> Paoletta: YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH, MEGAN.

>> Megan: YOUR BOOK DIVES INTO THE HISTORY OF FIVE SOUTHWEST CITIES, ALBUQUERQUE, EL PASO, TUCSON, PHOENIX, AND LAS VEGAS, TO SHOW HOW THEY OFFER A MIX OF CAUTIONARY TALES AND MAYBE SOLUTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, AS IT BECOMES MORE CULT CULTURAL AND GRAPPLES WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO THIS DEEP DIVE INTO THE SOUTHWEST WHERE YOU ARE FROM ORIGINALLY, BUT NOW YOU LIVE ON THE EAST COAST?

>> Paoletta: HONESTLY, IT'S A TRANSITION THAT REALLY GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THIS BOOK IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE I GREW UP HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE.

AND THEN WENT TO BOSTON FOR COLLEGE AND LIVED THERE IN NEW YORK FOR THE LAST DECADE-PLUS.

SO, WHEN YOU GO TO THE EAST COAST, AS SOMEONE FROM THE SOUTHWEST, YOU'RE JUST IMMEDIATELY CONFRONTED WITH HOW LITTLE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE PLACE YOU'RE FROM.

ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM ALBUQUERQUE.

I THINK NOT UNTIL BREAKING BAD COME OUT DID ANYONE HAVE ANY KIND OF REFERENCE POINT, RIGHT?

SO, I THINK PART OF WANTING TO WRITE THE BOOK WAS JUST SORT OF SHOWING OFF THE SOUTHWEST TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND KIND OF INTRODUCING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO THE REGION.

BUT ALSO, WANTING TO MAKE THIS ARGUMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, A CITY LIKE PHOENIX DIDN'T HAPPEN ACCIDENTLY.

ALBUQUERQUE DIDN'T LIKE APPEAR OVERNIGHT.

THAT THESE CITIES HAVE A REALLY DEEP HISTORY IN THE REGION, AND A DEEP HISTORY IN AMERICA THAT KIND OF WAS HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY WITH WHAT WE THINK OF AS KIND OF TRADITIONAL AMERICAN HISTORY IN BOSTON, VIRGINIA AND SO ON.

AND THE WAY THEY BECAME INTEGRATED AFTER THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR LEADS TO ALL THIS REALLY INTERESTING INTERACTION AND CHANGES OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AMERICAN.

SO, FOR ME, I THINK LOOKING AT THE SOUTHWEST IS IN MANY WAYS A BETTER REFLECTION OF AMERICAN LIFE TODAY THAN MAYBE THE NORTHEAST, THE MIDWEST.

>> Megan: WHY OASIS?

WHAT DOES THAT WORD MEAN FOR YOU?

>> Paoletta: I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S JUST A GREAT DESERT WORD, RIGHT?

I THINK MY MAIN THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT IN THE BOOK WAS WHY LIFE EXISTS IN THE DESERT.

LIKE, WHY HAS HUMAN CIVILIZATION ALWAYS HAPPENED IN DESERTS FIRST.

AND YOU GO BACK TO ANCIENT EGYPT, MESOPOTAMIA, ALL THE KIND OF BUILDING BLOCKS OF SOCIETY COME TOGETHER IN THE DESERT BECAUSE IT'S THIS PLACE OF EXTREMES, RIGHT?

LIKE, YOU'RE FACING MUCH MORE HOSTILE CONDITIONS, AND IT FORCES PEOPLE TOGETHER INTO COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY.

I THINK THE WORD OASIS REALLY EVOKES THAT, RIGHT?

THIS SENSE OF A PLACE, A GATHER PLACE, A PLACE OF SALVATION ALMOST, WHERE YOU CAN SURVIVE IN OTHERWISE VERY HOSTILE CONDITIONS.

>> Megan: YOU TOUCH ON SO MANY THINGS.

HISTORY, CLIMATE, IDENTITY, CULTURE.

NEW MEXICO HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH THESE OTHER PLACES IN THE SOUTHWEST IN THE BOOK, BUT IT'S ALSO QUITE DIFFERENT.

HOW?

>> Paoletta: YEAH, I THINK THE THING THAT REALLY EMERGED FOR ME WORKING ON THE BOOK WAS THAT THERE'S THIS HUGE CULTURAL DIVIDE BETWEEN NOT JUST NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA, BUT I WOULD SAY THE OLDER CITIES OF THE SOUTHWEST.

SO, ALBUQUERQUE, TUCSON, EL PASO, AND SANTA FE VERSUS PHOENIX AND LAS VEGAS.

AND THAT REALLY COMES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, THESE CITIES NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE A HISTORIC INDIGENOUS POPULATION, YOU THINK ABOUT THE DOZEN PUEBLOS THAT WERE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND THE PROVINCE OF TIGUEX WHEN CORONADO ARRIVED, BUT ALSO HAD THAT SPANISH SETTLEMENT HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, SANTA FE IS SETTLED IN 1610, ALBUQUERQUE IN 1706, AND EL PASO AFTER THE PUEBLO REVOLT.

SO, YOU HAVE THIS EXISTING MULTICULTURAL MIX OF INDIGENOUS AND SPANISH-SPEAKING PEOPLES WHEN AMERICANS ARRIVE AFTER 1848.

AND THEN YOU HAVE PHOENIX AND LAS VEGAS, WHICH ARE CITIES THAT DID NOT HAVE THAT, AND WHERE REALLY YOU COULD HAVE ANGLOS COMING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

AND IF THEY HAVE THIS IDEA OF THE DESERT AS A VACANCY IN NEED OF FILLING, THEY COULD REALLY DO THAT THERE.

THEY COULD REALLY MAKE THOSE PLACES THEIR OWN.

>> Megan: THERE WAS A FAMILIARITY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ANGLOS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE WHO COULD REMAKE A PLACE OR MAKE A PLACE?

>> Paoletta: YEAH, AND JUST THIS IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO IMPORT A LIFESTYLE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY ATTRIBUTE TO A MORE NORTHERN EUROPEAN CULTURE.

WHERE EVEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SPANISH COLONISTS, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY HORRIFIC ACTS AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, BUT I THINK THE SPANISH WERE MUCH MORE WILLING TO WORK WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF AN ARID ENVIRONMENT.

BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT THE IBERIAN PENINSULA IT'S REALLY QUITE SIMILAR.

WHEREAS, WITH A CITY LIKE PHOENIX, YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE ANGLOS COMING, MOSTLY FROM CHICAGO AND ELSEWHERE IN THE MIDWEST, AND TRYING TO JUST KIND OF RECREATE THE PLACE THEY LEFT THERE.

SO, YEAH, EVEN IN TERMS OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S A REAL SPLIT IN THE WILLINGNESS TO KIND OF LIVE WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DESERT AND THE URGE TO MASTER THE DESERT, TO RECREATE SOMETHING ELSE IN ITS PLACE.

>> Megan: YOU OPEN A CHAPTER THAT FEATURES WRITER JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA WITH A PASSAGE BY WRITER CHARLES BOWDEN WHO IS BASED HERE IN LAS CRUCES.

THE SOUTHWEST IS A PLACE WHERE ALMOST EVERYONE SLIPS THEIR MOORINGS AND JUST DRIFTS.

THE CITIES AND TOWNS ARE UGLY, THE POPULOUS FOOTLOOSE, THE CRIME FREQUENT, THE MARRIAGE DISASTERS, THE PLANS, PATHETIC GESTURES, THE AIR ELECTRIC WITH HOPE.

I'M REALLY STRUCK BY THAT.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT THE SOUTHWEST?

>> Paoletta: YEAH, I THINK THAT QUOTE COMES FROM AN ESSAY THAT BOWDEN WROTE WHEN HE WAS A NEWSPAPER REPORTER IN TUCSON A LITTLE EARLIER IN HIS CAREER.

I FOUND THAT JUST SUCH A VIVID ENCAPSULATION OF ALL THESE CONTRASTING THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN CONTEMPORARY CITIES HERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS OFTEN -- ESPECIALLY HIM SAYING THE UGLINESS OF THE CITY AND I'VE READ SO MANY THINGS OF, YOU KNOW, MAGAZINE JOURNALISTS FROM THE EAST COAST WHO COME HERE FOR WHATEVER REASON AND BEING LIKE OH, IT'S SO BROWN.

THERE'S THAT, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THIS SORT OF SENSE OF LIKE, YEAH, PEOPLE ARE REALLY SEARCHING.

PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIND THEMSELVES.

>> Megan: YOU HAVE A GREAT PASSAGE ABOUT A CENSUS-TAKER WHO IS QUITE CONFUSED BY THE ANSWER A MAN IN ALBUQUERQUE GIVES HIM WHEN HE SAYS HE'S NOT HISPANIC, BUT HIS INDO-HISPANO, IBERIAN, MOSTLY JEWISH.

IDENTITY HERE IS VERY COMPLEX.

DO YOU SEE LARGER LESSONS FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY?

>> Paoletta: ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

I THINK ONE OF THE CORE ARGUMENTS OF THE BOOK IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE IN NEW MEXICO WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN MULTICULTURAL.

THE IDEA OF AMERICA AS A MULTIETHNIC PLACE WITH MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, THAT IS JUST KIND OF WHAT NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN SINCE THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR.

AS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS GETTING MORE DIVERSE, AND BECOMING TO LOOK MORE LIKE NEW MEXICO, I THINK YOU SEE IN OUR POLITICS A REAL RESISTANCE TO THAT, RIGHT?

YOU SEE A LOT OF NATIVISM, YOU SEE LOT OF TRYING TO RETURN TO SOME KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, 1950s IDEAL OF WHITE AMERICA IN THE SUBURBS.

AND THAT ERA IS GONE.

AND WE ALREADY ARE A MORE DIVERSE COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, IN THE 2040s IT'S GOING TO BECOME A MAJORITY MINORITY COUNTRY.

SO, I LOVE THAT CENSUS-TAKER ANECDOTE BECAUSE IT JUST SHOWS YOU HOW IN THAT CASE THE CHECKING THE BOX HISPANIC IS JUST LIKE SUCH AN OVER-SIMPLIFICATION OF A REALLY DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

>> Megan: YOU END YOUR BOOK WITH THIS, ON THIS PLANET THAT PREDATES US AND WILL OUTLIVE US, PEOPLE ARE JUST A PHASE.

OUR DURATION WILL DEPEND ON OUR WILLINGNESS TO ATTEND TO THE INHERENT LOGIC OF OUR HOME.

WHY IS THIS MEANINGFUL, NOT JUST HERE IN THE DESERT SOUTHWEST, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY?

>> Paoletta: YEAH, I WANTED TO END ON THAT NOTE BECAUSE -- I MEAN, FOR ME THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWEST IS REALLY A HISTORY OF US AS AMERICANS TRYING TO SURPASS THE LIMITS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

LOOKING AT PHOENIX, YOU KNOW, THEIR HISTORY IS VERY MUCH USING UP A WATER SOURCE, BUILDING A LONGER PIPE TO ANOTHER WATER SOURCE, USING THAT UP, BUILDING A 300-MILE AQUEDUCT TO THE COLORADO RIVER AND USING THAT UP.

SO, WE IN THE SOUTHWEST VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE REFOCUS, HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE ENVIRONMENT TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE ONE.

ONE THAT MAYBE WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY NOT TO MASTER THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT TO WORK WITH WITHIN IT MORE SUSTAINABLY.

THAT CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING HERE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S HAPPENING AS MUCH OUTSIDE OF THE REGION BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY NOW BEGINNING TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING WHERE, YOU KNOW, WESTERN KANSAS FARMERS ARE RUNNING OUT OF WATER.

THERE WERE WILDFIRES IN NEW JERSEY, MASSACHUSETTS, BROOKLYN, OVER THE FALL.

I THINK THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS BEGINNING TO DEAL WITH INTENSE HEAT, WATER SCARCITY.

SO, IF WE HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO CHANGE OUR WAYS AND TO REFOCUS OURSELVES TO LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS, MAYBE THAT PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

AND TO ME, THAT'S KIND OF THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THE NEXT 100 YEARS AS THE CLIMATE JUST GETS MORE AND MORE HOSTILE.

>> Megan: KYLE PAOLETTA.

THANK YOU FOR THE BOOK, AND THANKS FOR COMING WITH US AND TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> Paoletta: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS WAS FUN.

>> Lou: THANKS TO KYLE PAOLETTA, AND MEGAN.

AND THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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