{"id":6706,"date":"2022-09-01T11:36:42","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T17:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nmblc.org\/?p=6706"},"modified":"2022-09-01T11:36:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T17:36:46","slug":"uplift-nm-open-house-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmblc.org\/old-site\/uplift-nm-open-house-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"UpLift NM Open House Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NMBLC\u2019s August open house launched the UpLift NM Initiative and brought organizations and the community together in Albuquerque\u2019s International District.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The New Mexico Black Leadership Council<\/a> (NMBLC) hosted an open house to announce the launch of the UpLift Initiative<\/a>. The UpLift NM program serves New Mexico\u2019s Black\/African American communities and all residents of the International District in Albuquerque, New Mexico. NMBLC and partners have been collaborating on this project for over a year. At the open house, we finally got to share UpLift with the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UpLift Open House was on August 16th, 2022 at the NMBLC office on 1258 Ortiz Dr SE in  Albuquerque. Many local organizations set up information booths to share the services they offer. The rooms and hallways bustled with community members getting to know one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emergency Rental Assistance and Housing Stability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The UpLift<\/a> Room was a hub of reps and resources. NMBLC\u2019s in-house legal counsel Chris Elam shared the resources available for those facing eviction and loss of housing. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program<\/a> (ERAP) can help eligible applicants financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic pay rent and utilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also in the room were the NM Center on Law and Poverty<\/a> as well as the Chisholm Table cohorts with the New Mexico Black Lawyers Association<\/a>, Nu Rho chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity<\/a>, UNM African American Student Services<\/a>, Albuquerque Black Economic Security and Solidarity (BLESS)<\/a>, and Beyond the Chair Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House UpLift Legal and Street Team Offices<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Chris Elam Legal Counsel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House NM Center on Law and Poverty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Chisholm Table Crew<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The New Mexico Department of Health<\/a> gave away free at-home COVID-19 tests and had the 411 on COVID-19, Monkeypox, and vaccinations. Dr. Duane Ross answered questions one-on-one about the vaccine and health in the Black\/African American community.  Bianca Cowboy of D.O.P.E. Services (Dedicated Outreach and Prevention Education) helmed a table of tools for preventing ailments such as sexually transmitted infections and drug overdoses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the rooms screened the Digital Stories collaboration. Story creators Tracy Dingmann and Alfondso Thompson shared their frightening experiences with COVID-19 in the days before the vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House NMDOH Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House D.O.P.E. Services Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Digital Stories Creators Tracy Dingmann and Alfondso Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Broadband Relief<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Comcast rep Kyle Biederwolf had info on the Internet Essentials program for low cost and free internet access<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House Comcast Internet Essentials<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Voter Registration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative<\/a> (NMBVC) had information on voting and voter registration. Several NMBLC and NMBVC members are registration agents and will be ready to help people register to vote for the upcoming election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House NMBVC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Educational Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Newt Robinson of the Community Mentor Network<\/a> recruited mentors to tutor middle school students. Librarians from the new International District Library<\/a> signed people up for library cards and talked to parents about the activities and resources available for kids and teens. The New Mexico Humanities Council<\/a> showcased their magazine, programs, and grants, and editors from the Albuquerque Journal<\/a> handed out newspapers and made contacts with the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House Community Mentor Network<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House International District Library Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House NM Humanities Council Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Albuquerque Journal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Mental Health Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the exhibits showcased Taraji P. Henson’s Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation<\/a> (BLHF). The Empire<\/em> and Hidden Figures<\/em> star\u2019s goal is to break the silence around mental health in the Black\/African American community and lift the stigma so people can get the help they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House Mental Health Awareness Taraji P. Henson Display<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fun and relaxation were part of the program, too! A game and play area was set up for kids and one of the rooms was reserved for free ten-minute massages with massage therapist Sue Lunsford. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capping off the program was an appearance by actress Regina Taylor (I\u2019ll Fly Away, Lovecraft Country) who\u2019s the voice behind our ambassador Glamma Bibi<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift NM Open House Glamma Bibi Poster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Actress Regina Taylor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The UpLift program is for you and all your neighbors in the International District. Come find out more at (505) 407-6784 or https:\/\/nmblc.org\/uplift\/<\/a>. See below for even more photos from the UpLift Open House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UpLift Open House Attendees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Attendees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House Attendees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House State Senator Harold Pope Jr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift NM Open House APD SE Command<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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UpLift Open House Catered by Joy Lynn Hertz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Photos were taken by Shannon Moreau and Robert Leming<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connect with NMBLC on Social<\/h6>\n\n\n\n