In the wake of the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by the Black community in 2020, the New Mexico Black Leadership Council reviews major successes and looks ahead to the new year.
The mission of the New Mexico Black Leadership Council is to create a hub that fosters a viable and sustainable social profit sector designed to serve the Black community in the state of New Mexico. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resurgence of violent racist attacks, and the fear and vitriol surrounding the election show that the work of our organization is more necessary than ever. The horrifying events of this year heightened the need for flexibility, ingenuity, determination, and collaboration to rise to the occasion and accomplish the goals towards our vision. In the face of so many obstacles, our community-based advocacy, focus on inter-connectivity, and ongoing development proved to be a strong and sustainable methodology.
In the year 2020, the New Mexico Black Leadership Council officially launched with an Open House event; hosted the New Mexico Black Mental Health Conference; continued its primary tradition with the 9th Annual New Mexico Black History Month Festival; created the Tiny Census Concerts series; pivoted the Roots Summer Leadership Academy for a COVID-safe arts and leadership camp; spearheaded the New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative; and developed the Racial Contract Lecture Series for businesses and institutions.
Launching a hub organization to serve New Mexico’s Black/African American community
New Mexico Black Leadership Council Open House
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council kicked off 2020 with a January 16th inaugural launch party at the newly expanded southeast heights location. Despite the afternoon snow storm, the community showed up strong for the open house. The space was filled to capacity as everyone listened to music, enjoyed refreshments, and toured the office. Attendees packed the conference room and lined the halls to hear the NMBLC leadership announce an exciting initiative: to create a viable and sustainable social profit sector for the Black community.
Leaders from the business, educational, legislative, and social sectors learned about NMBLC’s focus areas and affiliate organizations, including the New Mexico Black Mental Health Coalition, the New Mexico Black History Organizing Committee, Community Mentor Network, Young Black Professionals of Albuquerque, and The Syndicate ABQ. The celebration clearly presented an empowering change in how the New Mexico Black community will operate and flourish from that moment forward. Since the launch, NMBLC has become the largest Black led, non-governmental social profit in New Mexico, generating $500,000 in annual revenue. In October, NMBLC engaged a Black owned firm to transition from fiscal sponsorship to independent management.
“We are moving from a deficit mentality to an assets based strategy.”
—Shawna Brown, NMBLC Deputy Director
Illuminating mental health issues faced by Black New Mexicans
NMBLC Mental Health Conference
The second annual New Mexico Black Mental Health Conference was held on January 31 and February 1, 2020 at the University of New Mexico. The conference was sponsored by the New Mexico Black Leadership Council with practitioners from the NM Black Mental Health Coalition. The conference educates mental health providers, policy makers, consumers and supporters about primary mental health issues affecting Black New Mexicans. It also serves as a network and resource for people seeking Black mental health care professionals.
150 participants attended the two day conference. The two targeted tracks offered CEUs to both practitioners and community members. Attendees also took advantage of workshops facilitated by NMBMHC providers and interactive breakout sessions, all free of charge.
Nationally renowned speakers highlighted the theme of stereotypical burdens placed on Black people and the detrimental fallout of those societal pressures. Keynote speaker Dr. Angela Neal Barnett’s presentation “I’m Not Your SuperWoman: DeBunking the Myth/Trope of the Angry Black Woman” showed how the relentless defensive mask worn by Black women covers up deep fractures in their physical and mental health. In “John Henryism in the New Millenium: Black Men in America,” Dr. Napoleon Wells warned that the celebrated drive towards and expectation of Black excellence is, quite literally, lethal.
“The punchline is, you must perform exceptionally until you DIE.”
—Dr. Napoleon Wells on John Henryism and the Black obligation to overachieve.
Celebrating Black culture and contributions in New Mexico
New Mexico Black History Month Festival
The theme of the 2020 New Mexico Black History Month Festival was “And Justice for All.” In addition to the NM Black Mental Health Conference, the festival lineup included the One New Mexico Gospel Concert with Kelontae Gavin; the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt Competition, the Asante Awards and Kumbuka Celebration, and The Syndicate’s Blk Future Skate Night.
At the Talent Hunt Competition, 11 students were mentored by professional performing and visual artists. $2,000 in scholarships were awarded for winning youth.
NM Black History Organizing Committee presented this year’s Asante Awards to honored storytellers Linda Piper and Juba Clayton. Linda Piper is the founder and artistic director of Tapestry Players, a multicultural theatre company in Albuquerque. Juba Clayton employs stories to educate, empower, advocate, inspire, affirm and celebrate our communities.
The evening culminated in a free event for the community with soul-stirring performances by vocalists Cathy McGill, Josef Scott, Gene Corbin, Toni Morgan, Rebecca Arscott, and Michael Herndon; dancers Gabi Rojas, Rujeko Dumbutshena, Karen Price and Trey Pickett; and narrators Angela Littleton, Linda Piper, and Juba Clayton.
“BLK FUTURE SK8 NIGHT was filled with so much joy, laughter, love, and light. Thank you to everyone who came thru 🦋🖤🧚🏾♂️”
—The Syndicate, via Instagram
Compensating New Mexico musicians and spreading the word about the 2020 Census
Tiny Census Concerts
NMBLC teamed up with iCountNM to produce the Tiny Census Concert series. Inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, this series of online concerts highlighted New Mexico’s favorite creatives in support of participation in the Census.
Hosted by KNME’s Gene Grant, each concert featured up to 8 artists across multiple categories including musicians, dancers, spoken word artists, and visual artists. Between each performance, invited guests shared why a complete 2020 Census count truly matters. The series, sponsored by Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Complete Count Committee, was a big hit during the isolation of the early days of the pandemic, with over 17,000 views. It also provided much needed income for 37 New Mexican musicians and artists who abruptly found themselves out of work as gigs were cancelled at a 100% rate. For many of the artists who participated in the TCC, the $1000 compensation was some of the only money coming in and allowed them to pay rent and stock their refrigerators.
“This $1000 I’m getting paid by TCC means I get to keep my home and breathe a little easier for at least another month. I’ll use the money for rent and to get the books I need to study for my comprehensive exam and finish my doctorate.”
—Lazarus Letcher, Musician/Singer-songwriter
Building leadership and self-confidence in youth
Roots Summer Leadership Academy
As the pandemic swept the globe unabated, the NMBLC crew grappled with how or whether their signature summer camp could happen this year. During these unprecedented times, however, the power of collaboration and community made 2020 Roots Summer Leadership Academy unforgettable.
The format and logistics were modified to make the camp COVID-19 compliant, with a mix of socially-distanced outdoor activities and online offerings. For the kids and their parents, the camp was a critical panacea during the long, difficult summer of 2020. 100% of parents said that RSLA met their expectations and that they would recommend the program to others.
The fun-filled and engaging program of art, music, dance, and STEM projects proved that the spirit of teamwork and youth development is truly unstoppable.
“It felt like hope for three weeks. It shifted our whole household dynamic. It was amazing.”
— Kim Obregon, RSLA parent
Increasing voter participation and prioritizing voter protection
New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative
The New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative (NMBVC), a non-partisan collective of over 20 local Black-led organizations, debuted with the launch of NMBVC’s 2020 election initiative “Freedom Summer ‘20.” The goal: voter outreach, education, and mobilization.
NMBVC live streamed multiple nonpartisan roundtable discussions to amplify Black voices on election matters and collaborated with Comcast, 99.9 The Beat, and PBS to air PSAs consistently encouraging our community to Vote No Matter What and to share with the public why we vote.
“The more Black voters that the NMBVC gets to the ballot box, the more the Black community in New Mexico takes action toward representation and acting on the knowledge that our vote is our voice.” —Megan Bott, NMBVC
Through partnerships with Common Cause and the Secretary of State’s Office, the NMBVC prioritized voter safety messaging through the NMBVC and its partner’s social media platforms, and by recruitment of Election Protection volunteers to station at polling places. The NMBVC met with the City of Albuquerque’s Equity & Inclusion Department and Albuquerque Police Deputy Chief Mike Smathers to discuss what would be done at the polls to keep voters as well as any protesters safe the week of the election. NMBVC teamed up with Rude Boy Cookies to encourage the community to make the pledge to vote and in turn get a gift certificate for a free gourmet cookie.
The Collaborative distributed fact-checked information on both Republican and Democrat races. In partnership with Common Cause NM, the NMBVC placed Election Protection volunteers in zip codes with higher BIPOC populations. NMBVC created a one-stop voter resource with regularly distributed reliable voter information, educational resources, and information on get-out-the-vote events and campaigns tailored to the Black community.
Follow the NMBVC on social media for the most up to date information on Black civic engagement and voting in New Mexico:
Teaching leaders to combat systems of oppression
Racial Contract Lecture Series
NMBLC concluded the tumultuous year with the timely Racial Contract Lecture Series. Sponsored by Comcast, this three part, complimentary webinar series aims to help leaders of academic, government, and social profit (501c3) institutions who are invested in creating open, diverse workplaces.
Each lecture was presented by PhD professors from the University of New Mexico who have dedicated their work to addressing issues of systemic and institutional racism as well as providing strategies on how institutions can address and combat systems of oppression.
The series proved to be extremely popular. Initial registration capped out at 400 within a few days of the first announcement. The attendance rate for each lecture averaged 200 people, and around 80 people stayed on for the Q&A after each lecture. Institutions represented include UNM, APS, and various government and nonprofit organizations.
“I very much appreciate the effort to bring great sessions with great thinking to our communities and I hope for many more of these going forward.”
— Racial Contract Lecture Series Attendee
2021 Goals and Programs in the works
Chisholm Table
Named for Shirley Chisholm, the Chisholm Table initiative will convene leaders of Black organizations to change our community from the inside out.
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
— Shirley Chisholm
In addition to bringing our own chairs, we are building a new table. The Black community has been invisible in the state of New Mexico for far too long. Help us build visibility in our state so that we can capture a full picture of the people and organizations that are doing the work to change our community from the inside out.
See Something, Do Something
The See Something, Do Something violence prevention and intervention program focuses on the International District.
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council is creating a spectrum of advocacy to engage landlords, residents, business owners, community benefit organizations, and neighborhood associations in addressing issues that are prevalent in the International District to promote community vibrancy and deal with root causes.
You Make it All Possible
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and its work is made possible by sponsorships from forward-thinking organizations and by the generous support of community members like you. Thanks to you, the NMBLC officially launched and made huge strides in fulfilling its mission to serve the Black community in the areas of mental health, youth development, civic engagement, cultural vibrancy, and leadership development. Much work remains to be done, and you can help make that possible. Consider an end of year donation to the New Mexico Black Leadership, and join us on our continuing journey to create a space to thrive for all New Mexicans.
Contribute to the mission at http://nmblc.org/donate.