Summer comes alive – Summerfest and local grower’s markets
In Memoriam – Remembering healthcare champion Pelatia Trujillo
and so much more!
The UpLift Chronicles is available in digital form on the NMBLC website. You can also subscribe to the UpLift Chronicles and have the latest digital edition delivered to your inbox.
NMBLC’s August open house launched the UpLift NM Initiative and brought organizations and the community together in Albuquerque’s International District.
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) hosted an open house to announce the launch of the UpLift Initiative. The UpLift NM program serves New Mexico’s 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.
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.
Emergency Rental Assistance and Housing Stability
The UpLift Room was a hub of reps and resources. NMBLC’s in-house legal counsel Chris Elam shared the resources available for those facing eviction and loss of housing. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) can help eligible applicants financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic pay rent and utilities.
UpLift NM Open House UpLift Legal and Street Team OfficesUpLift NM Open House Chris Elam Legal CounselUpLift NM Open House NM Center on Law and PovertyUpLift NM Open House Chisholm Table Crew
COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence
The New Mexico Department of Health 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.
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.
UpLift NM Open House NMDOH TableUpLift NM Open House D.O.P.E. Services TableUpLift NM Open House Digital Stories Creators Tracy Dingmann and Alfondso Thompson
The New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative (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.
UpLift NM Open House NMBVC
Educational Resources
Newt Robinson of the Community Mentor Network recruited mentors to tutor middle school students. Librarians from the new International District Library 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 showcased their magazine, programs, and grants, and editors from the Albuquerque Journal handed out newspapers and made contacts with the community.
UpLift NM Open House Community Mentor NetworkUpLift NM Open House International District Library TableUpLift NM Open House NM Humanities Council TableUpLift NM Open House Albuquerque Journal
Mental Health Resources
One of the exhibits showcased Taraji P. Henson’s Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation (BLHF). The Empire and Hidden Figures star’s 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.
UpLift NM Open House Mental Health Awareness Taraji P. Henson Display
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.
Capping off the program was an appearance by actress Regina Taylor (I’ll Fly Away, Lovecraft Country) who’s the voice behind our ambassador Glamma Bibi.
UpLift NM Open House Glamma Bibi PosterUpLift NM Open House Actress Regina Taylor
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/. See below for even more photos from the UpLift Open House.
UpLift Open House AttendeesUpLift NM Open House AttendeesUpLift NM Open House AttendeesUpLift NM Open House State Senator Harold Pope Jr.UpLift NM Open House APD SE CommandUpLift Open House Catered by Joy Lynn Hertz
Photo Credit: Photos were taken by Shannon Moreau and Robert Leming
Celebrate the Launch of the UpLift Initiative at the NMBLC Open House.
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) is hosting an open house to announce the launch of the UpLift Initiative. UpLift serves New Mexico’s 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. Now it’s time to share UpLift with the community.
What is UpLift?
UpLift is a multi-year initiative focusing on long-term community resiliency in Albuquerque’s International District and in the Black/African American communities. This project is sponsored in part by the Department of Health Better Together project (COVID Pandemic Equity Initiatives), Con Alma Health Foundation (Reimagining Black Communities in New Mexico), and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The UpLift Street Team does personal outreach in the International District neighborhood. Members of the team go door-to-door, talking to residents about their needs and how they can be supported. One of the UpLift Street Team members, Will Williams, was featured in a recent edition of the Sunday Albuquerque Journal. Williams is a long time resident of the neighborhood and is giving back with street level work to improve the quality of life in the area.
“There are a lot of hard-working people in this community.”
After the Open House, head over to Frank’s Chicken and Waffles for Karaoke Night with Young Black Professionals of Albuquerque (YBABQ). The fun starts at 7pm and goes until 11pm. Frank’s Chicken and Waffles is at 400 Washington St SE, Albuquerque, NM, on the northeast corner of Washington and Zuni.
NMBLC ignites the Chisholm Table project with microgrants to five Black volunteer-led organizations in New Mexico.
One of the main guiding principles of the New Mexico Black Leadership Council is assets-based community development. This approach is about elevating and utilizing our strengths and assets rather than focusing on supposed lack and deficiency. NMBLC’s Chisholm Table initiative exemplifies this philosophy. The Chisholm Table is a component of our collective impact organizing strategy and communications infrastructure network. It’s designed to build operational capacity among Black, volunteer-led organizations. One way to support these organizations is through funding.
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
—Shirley Chisholm
NMBLC is launching the UpLift program, funded by a grant from the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH). Under the UpLift program, NMBLC and partners have created a one-stop resource hub to provide help, resources, and information for the community. As part of the UpLift grant to support long-term resiliency, NMBLC received monies to award microgrants to New Mexican groups serving Black communities. Utilizing these funds to fulfill a phase of the Chisholm Table project, NMBLC awarded microgrants of $20,000 each to five Black volunteer-led organizations in New Mexico:
With these grants, the organizations can focus on and bolster their efforts in line with their mission. This can be anything from recruitment and retention, public relations, technology upgrades, and outreach.
Browse the photo gallery of our cohorts receiving their microgrant checks!
Chisholm Table cohort Aja Brooks, President of the New Mexico Black Lawyers Association, receives microgrant checkChisholm Table cohort Jay Wilson of ABQ BLESS Fund receives microgrant checkChisholm Table cohort Mylette Clark of Beyond the Chair Initiative receives microgrant checkChisholm Table cohort Treven Williams of Nu Rho chapter of Omega Psi Phi receives microgrant check
NMBLC and partners launched the UpLift program to help the community navigate aid such as rental assistance, vaccine info, financial resources, and more.
The pandemic and everything that followed created challenges for everyone. Many New Mexicans are in crisis and overwhelmed even by the thought of seeking help. The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) has collaborated with other agencies to create the UpLift program. UpLift makes it easier for people to find out about resources and assistance.
The UpLift program focuses on eight areas of temporary relief:
Emergency Rental Assistance
COVID-19 Vaccine Facts
Workforce Development
Housing Stability
Mental Health Resources
Low-Cost Internet
Voter Registration
Educational Resources
Over the next few weeks, we will be getting the word out about some of the more critical issues in our community.
Emergency Rental Assistance
The Emergency Rental Assistance program has $170 million to assist households that are unable to pay rent and utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about what you need in order to be eligible for emergency assistance by clicking here: https://nmblc.org/emergency-rent-help/
COVID-19 Vaccine Facts
Black communities have been the most disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 death rates among Black and African-American households are more than 2.7 times that of White households. Yet, vaccination rates in Whites are two times higher than in Blacks and African-Americans. So why aren’t we getting the vaccine? Find out the COVID-19 myths vs the facts here: https://nmblc.org/vaccine-confidence/
Internet access is essential for functioning in today’s world. It’s not always an option for those with limited financial resources. Find out about how to get help paying for your internet here: https://nmblc.org/broadband-relief/
Voter Registration
Voting is your right as an American citizen. We have several voter registration agents at the NMBLC office who can get you registered. Not registered to vote? Find out how here: https://nmblc.org/voter-registration/
UpLift Partners
NMBLC is collaborating with many organizations to bring you the resources you need:
Supporting the Black community in New Mexico was more important than ever in 2021. The New Mexico Black Leadership Council reviews major successes in Black community development and continues the work in 2022.
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) is committed to working with Black communities to achieve positive collective change, racial and educational equity, and economic independence. At the beginning of 2021, we thought we’d have a chance to exhale after surviving dual pandemics— COVID-19 and racism. What we learned this year is that neither of the pandemics is over and there are many more steep hills to climb. We are proud of what we accomplished in 2021 in our five areas of impact:
Advocacy and Civic Engagement
Health: Physical, Financial, Behavioral
Leadership and Workforce Development
Cultural Vibrancy
Positive Youth Development
NMBLC’s Guiding Principles
Carter G. Woodson’s Philosophies
Community-Based Activism
Participatory Democracy
Arts/Events-Based Community Development
Assets-Based Community Development
Community-based activism and participatory democracy are attributed to Ella Jo Baker.
“Give light and people will find the way.”
—Ella Jo Baker
Carter G. Woodson’s philosophies are built on inclusion, multiculturalism, racial harmony, and the knowledge that Black history is American history.
“What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”
—Carter G. Woodson
Advocating for the Black community in New Mexico and fostering civic engagement with forums and redistricting
Congressional and Mayoral Forums
The New Mexico Black Voters Collaborative (NMBVC) held two informational political forums in 2021. The goal was to inform the community on the plans and positions of candidates running for office.
The New Mexico CD-1 Congressional Candidate Forum, held on April 20, 2021, featured candidates running to fill the US Representative vacancy left by Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Participating candidates included former State Representative Melanie Stansbury, former Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, and U.S. National Guard Veteran Chris Manning. The 90-minute discussion focused on questions submitted by local organizations and community members, and was hosted virtually and broadcast live to Facebook.
The City of Albuquerque Mayoral Candidate Forum, held on September 27, 2021, featured candidates running for mayor of the City of Albuquerque. Participating candidates included incumbent Mayor Tim Keller, Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel “Manny” Gonzales III, and radio talk show host Eddy Aragon. NMBVC hosted this forum in-person at Highland High School. It was also broadcast live to Facebook.
Juneteenth Meet and Greet
NMBVC hosted a public meet and greet with elected officials at the City of Albuquerque’s 2021 Juneteenth celebration. NM CD-1 Representative Melanie Stansbury, State Senator Harold Pope Jr., and Chief Public Defender Bennett J. Baur hung out to talk to festival goers face-to-face about how they serve the public as elected officials.
NMBVC Juneteenth Meet and Greet 2021
Redistricting Task Force
NMBVC organized the Black Community Redistricting Task Force to focus on identifying Black/African-American communities in New Mexico. With support from the New Mexico Black Central Organizing Committee and community members, the task force created a map proposal that preserved Black/African-American interests and voting power within several House Districts across the state. The proposal was presented to the Citizen Redistricting Committee in October and then integrated into the one created by the Center for Civic Policy to become CRC Map Recommendation E-1. This recommendation was presented during the 2021 Special Session Legislature as House Bill 8 to be signed by the governor.
“The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.”
—John Lewis
Treating health holistically by addressing behavioral, physical, and financial needs in the Black community in New Mexico.
Racial Reckoning Mental Health Conference
NMBLC spotlighted behavioral health with the 2021 virtual town hall “Racial Reckoning: True Equity in Mental Health.” Dr. Jamal Martin, Director of Peace and Justice Studies at UNM, presented a “State of the State” epidemiology report on a public health model-approach to improve behavioral health in BIPOC communities. Keynote speaker Dr. Michael A. Lindsey, Executive Director of the NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty, Policy and Research, gave an electrifying report on the crisis of Black youth suicide in America.
Black/African American Health Association (BAAHA)
Medical patriarch Dr. William McIver addressed a group of doctors about the need to continue convening and building coalitions to improve physical health for Black/African-Americans in New Mexico. Dr. Duane Ross, retired Medical Director of True Health New Mexico, and local ER physician Dr. Stephanie Garcia approached NMBLC voicing similar concerns. NMBLC helped them launch the Black/African American Health Association (BAAHA). The association’s mission is to improve wellness opportunities for every Black citizen of New Mexico through access to coverage, quality healthcare, and education. BAAHA held its first meet and greet in October 2021.
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”
—World Health Organization
Financial Committee
NMBLC board members created the Financial Committee to promote financial wellness in New Mexico’s Black communities. The committee is in the process of collaborating with other local Black organizations to provide and promote youth entrepreneurship opportunities, home ownership information, and life skills training. The goal for 2022 is to strengthen engagement in the Financial Committee’s mission.
Cultivating the next generation of leadership and recruiting for on the job workforce development and training
Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)
NMBLC is partnering with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions to implement an on-the-job training program for underserved members in our community. This initiative is a component of the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA’s aim is to improve preparation, access, and success in adult basic education, career pathways, postsecondary education, and workforce development. WIOA targets low-income and low-skilled adults, disconnected youth, public assistance recipients, and those with limited financial means. Using
WIOA Title I funds for subsidized work experience, the state will pay half the salary of staff that NMBLC hires under this apprenticeship program. This arrangement allows NMBLC to recruit for crucial positions in the organization while mentoring and training those in the community who would otherwise not have access to gainful employment opportunities or the education to become sought after members of the workforce.
The African American Community Economic Transformation Study (AACETS) led to the following recommendations: Create a Hub Organization Generate a Leadership Development Institute Establish a Communications Network Infrastructure
Chisholm Table
Assets-Based Community Development is about elevating and utilizing our strengths and assets rather than focusing on supposed lack and deficiency. This philosophy is exemplified by the Chisholm Table, a component of our collective impact organizing strategy and communications infrastructure network designed to build operational capacity among Black, volunteer-led organizations.
UpLift is another initiative that launched in 2021. It’s funded by a grant from the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH). Under this program, NMBLC and partners have created a one-stop resource hub to provide help, resources, and information for the community.
As part of the NMDOH grant to support long-term resiliency, NMBLC plans to award five microgrants to New Mexican groups serving Black communities:
Nu Rho chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
New Mexico Black Lawyers Association
UNM African American Student Services
Beyond the Chair Initiative
Albuquerque Black Economic Security and Solidarity (BLESS)
Succession-planning and sustainability is a critical component of any organization. In 2021, NMBLC took positive steps to develop our leadership pool and ensure our longevity and viability with the advancement of two of our team members:
Kindra Hill promoted to Deputy Director
Mason Graham promoted to Policy Analyst
Continuing our tradition of cultural vibrancy through celebration, music, and recognizing the contributions of the Black community.
DECADES: Past, Present & Future
DECADES: Past, Present & Future commemorated the 10th anniversary of the New Mexico Black History Festival. The 2021 festival was offered exclusively online due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions; however, attendance at the events was robust and the NMBLC staff and volunteers replicated in-person energy with an engaging online events schedule. Promoting the knowledge that Black history is American history and therefore can be celebrated 24/7/365, the NMBLC announced a slate of cultural events running from February through July.
The Asante Awards
The Asante Awards: Barrier Breakers ceremony honored important “firsts” for New Mexico. 2021 recipients included Honorable Judge Shammara Henderson, New Mexico State Senator Harold Pope, Jr., District Attorney Gerald Byers, US Eagle Federal Credit Union President Marsha Majors, NMDOH Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins, and NM Veteran Affairs Secretary Sonya Smith.
Kumbuka Celebration
The 2021 Kumbuka Celebration: DECADES Deep featured a lively review and discussion with cast and crew members of the award-winning, critically-acclaimed show “Roots Revival, Our Struggle, Our Story, Our Glory” and was viewable via the New Mexico Black Leadership Council’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
— Maya Angelou
Expanding our positive youth development programs from Roots Summer Leadership Academy to juvenile justice initiatives.
Roots Summer Leadership Academy (RSLA)
Summer festivities kicked off with the Roots Summer Leadership Academy’s ninth year of helping youth learn academics, social emotional skills, and cultural identity. RSLA is a rigorous three-week summer arts and science camp for youth ages 8-16. The theme for 2021 was “Nishati,” meaning “energy” in Swahili. Activities were geared to give students strategies to increase effectiveness in their personal and academic lives. The program culminated in a community-wide Harambee showcase where students stepped into their confidence and demonstrated their accomplishments. NMBLC pivoted to a hybrid teaching model in 2020 due to the pandemic, and successfully managed the new outdoor in-person and online format for two years in a row. 52 students enrolled in RSLA in 2021, transforming the outdoor camp into a visually inviting attraction for residents of the International District. Students employed entrepreneurial skills and raised $900 from their outdoor art installation to fund the Roots Roller Skate Reunion.
Roots Explorers Program (REP)
REP launched in 2020 as an in-school enrichment curriculum in the International District. It has since grown into a project-based, out-of-school program that concentrates on literacy, numeracy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts & math), SEL (social-emotional learning), and cultural awareness. In 2021, the Explora Science Museum reached out to NMBLC to implement an REP session at their facility in Albuquerque’s Old Town. NMBLC also developed partnerships with New Mexico Mesa, Biggers Farms, Emerson Elementary School, the University of New Mexico Department of Education, and many more. We’re planning to expand REP to the entire Highland cluster of schools.
Our North Star Goal is academic proficiency and empowerment for all youth!
RSLA Roots Village 2021
In 2021, the New Mexico Black Leadership Council added service for juvenile detention system-impacted youth to its outreach and education engagement.
Albuquerque Justice for Youth Collaborative (AJ4Y)
NMBLC joined La Plazita Institute’s (LPI) Albuquerque Justice for Youth Community Collaborative (AJ4Y). Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the collaborative is composed of local grassroots organizations, youth justice advocates, and young people and families who have been directly impacted by the juvenile justice system. Its aim is to honor and strengthen community self-determination; reduce dependence on the juvenile justice system; and keep youth safe at home and supported by their own communities.
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI)
NMBLC became a member of Bernalillo County’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). This group meets monthly to determine ways to reduce youth incarceration numbers. Also funded by Annie E. Casey Foundation, this project seeks to find alternatives to incarceration for all youth. Black youth, especially males, are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system. They are also incarcerated for longer periods of time than their non-Black counterparts. NMBLC is working with Bernalillo County to understand the underlying reasons for these disparities. Through our work with the Community Corrections Program and the JDAI, we are interviewing detention systems stakeholders and impacted youth and families to figure out solutions to overcome disparities and reduce the number of Black youth who have contact with the criminal justice system.
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
Moving forward in 2022 with an outstanding gospel concert and an open house to announce an exciting collaboration.
ONE New Mexico Gospel Concert
Join us for the sixth annual ONE New Mexico Gospel Concert on Sunday, May 15th! The ONE New Mexico Gospel Choir will perform with some of New Mexico’s most celebrated female vocalists including:
Toni Morgan
Aleena Sedillo
Pat Brown
special guest Aretha Harden from Las Vegas, Nevada
This amazing lineup of music is happening at the First Unitarian Church at 3701 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque NM 87110 and starts at 3:00 PM MST.
Save the date for NMBLC’s open house on Wednesday, June 1, 2022 4:30-6pm. NMBLC will be showcasing all of the exciting programs happening as part of the UpLift initiative.
Our fabulous donors, contributors, and volunteers make our work for the Black community in New Mexico 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. You can contribute to the NMBLC mission at http://nmblc.org/donate.
Thank you to NMBLC 2021 Foundations and Grantors!
$1,000-$4,999
ACLU New Mexico
Central New Mexico Community College
New Mexico Voices for Children
Steel Bender Brewyard, LLC
Dion’s
Omega Psi Phi, Nu Rho Chapter
Los Poblanos LP
The Verdes Foundation
Workforce Connection of Central NM/ Mid-Region Council of Governments
University of North Alabama
$5,000-$9,999
Central NM Community
The Praxis Project
Explora Science Center
$10,000-$49,999
Con Alma Foundation
Thornburg Foundation
McCune Charitable Foundation
United Way
New Mexico Women.Org
New Mexico Association of Counties
Common Cause
AECF
U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union
Workforce Connection of Central NM
University of New Mexico
Center for Civic Policy
La Plazita Institute
Comcast
Albuquerque Community Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
Facebook, Inc.
$50K+
CYFD
Bernalillo County
City of Albuquerque
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
In addition, we are grateful for the numerous individual donations, which cumulatively amounted to over $30,000. Because of your generous contributions, NMBLC was able to provide all our programs to the community free of charge. Finally, NMBLC thanks the many people who contributed their time, talent, and treasure.
We couldn’t have done it without you.
Join us on our continuing journey to create a space to thrive for all New Mexicans. Contribute to the NMBLC mission athttp://nmblc.org/donate.
