On this week’s episode of New Mexico in Focus, the show takes a closer look at economic development in the state and where the Native American vote will lie in this upcoming election.

Entrepreneur and educator Henry Jake Foreman shares his methods on how he encourages young people to start businesses and become more civically engaged.

NMiF will continue their series “Elections 2016: Voting for Future Generations,” this week, focusing on issues that affect the Native American communities. The show provides a series of profiles of Native voters, discussing topics such as education, economic development, environment (2 parts), and justice.

Correspondent Megan Kamerick looks at how the public school district, a local college, and nonprofits are closing the gap in the digital divide for students by addressing access to technology and become more civically engaged. NMiF has teamed up with the Solutions Journalism Network to report on the digital divide in education, with many families in rural New Mexico still without high speed internet access at home.

Additionally, host Gene Grant and The Line opinion panel will weigh in on important news topics of the week.

Coming up next week on New Mexico PBS is the series premiere of “NATURE ‘Super Hummingbirds.’” Producer Sarah Gustavus sits down with Associate Professor in the UNM Biology Department, Dr. Christopher Witt, to talk about what he and his team found on a research trip to Peru and how hummingbirds in our region are faring right now.

NMiF is NM PBS’ one-hour public affairs show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. The show regularly airs Fridays at 7 p.m. and repeats Sundays at 7 a.m. on Channel 5.1 and Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. on Channel 9.1, except during Pledge Drives.

The Producer of NMiF is Sarah Gustavus with Associate Producer Kathy Wimmer. NM PBS Public Affairs Executive Producer is Kevin McDonald. Funding for NMiF is provided in part by the McCune Charitable Foundation.

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STUDIO GUEST:

  • Dr. Christopher Witt, Associate Professor and Curator of Birds, Dept. of Biology and Museum of Southwest Biology at the University of New Mexico (UNM)

LINE PANELISTS:

  • Janice Arnold-Jones, former state representative
  • Dan Foley, former New Mexico house minority whip
  • Sophie Martin, attorney and editor of DukeCityFix.com
  • Laura Sanchez-Rivét, attorney at Cuddy & McCarthy, LLP

CORRESPONDENTS:

  • Sarah Gustavus
  • Antonia Gonzales, co-producer of the Elections 2016: Voting For Future Generations series and producer/anchor of National Native News  
  • Megan Kamerick

HOST/COMMENTATOR:

  • Gene Grant