This week on New Mexico in Focus, host Gene Grant talks with Albuquerque’s Mayor Tim Keller and Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair about the recent vandalism and violence that occurred after peaceful Black Lives Matter protests, and why the city has decided not to issue a curfew and resisted calls to ask for help from the National Guard.

Correspondent Megan Kamerick talks with a protest organizer, an educator, and a city leader about the struggle of Black Lives Matter organizers to separate their message from broader anger and especially from violence. The group also discusses what successful systemic change looks like to the Black community.

Not long ago, the nation watched as Native Americans protested the Dakota Access Pipeline. As the country turns its eye toward the Black Lives Matter movement, correspondent Antonia Gonzales talks with three Native Americans about their perspectives on recent protests.

Correspondent Laura Paskus continues her conversations with journalists around the state and their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.  This week she talks with Geoffrey Plant. He’s a news reporter with the Silver City Daily Press.

New Mexico’s primary election saw a staggering number of absentee ballots and a strong overall turnout. Struggling to find election workers during the pandemic, some county clerks were overwhelmed and results delayed by days. Correspondent Gwyneth Doland talks with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver about the vote count and lessons learned for November. 

Gene Grant and The Line opinion panel analyze some of the notable wins and losses in the New Mexico Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian primaries held this week. The Line also looks at COVID-19 updates for this week.

New Mexico in Focus is involved, informed, in-depth media airing weekly on New Mexico PBS. The program debuts Friday nights at 7 p.m. on NMPBS 5.1(KNME-HD) and appears online shortly thereafter. The show rebroadcasts on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME-HD) Sundays at 7 a.m. and on NMPBS 9.1 (WORLD) on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.     

NMiF INTERVIEWS

Albuquerque’s Response to Protests

Host/Correspondent
Gene Grant

Guests
Tim Keller, Mayor of Albuquerque
Sarita Nair, Albuquerque Chief Administrative Officer

Protests
Correspondent

Megan Kamerick

Guests
Keiran Freeman, Organizer
Finnie Coleman, President, UNM Faculty Senate

Giovanna Burrell, Culture Change Leader, City of Albuquerque Office of Equity and Inclusion

Native Response to Black Lives Matter Protests
Correspondent

Antonia Gonzales

Guests
Justin Huenemann, Notah Begay III Foundation

Christina Castro, Three Sisters Collective    

Loren Anthony, Actor/Motivational Speaker/Weightlifter      
 

Election Debrief
Correspondent

Gwyneth Doland

Guest
Maggie Toulouse Oliver, New Mexico Secretary of State

COVID-19 in Silver City
Correspondent

Laura Paskus

Guest
Geoffrey Plant, news reporter, Silver City Daily Press

Line Panelists
Lonna Atkeson, UNM Political Science professor 
Dan Foley, former state representative 

Laura E. Sanchez, attorney

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues, and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the “news of the moment.”

The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Matt Grubs, with Kathy Wimmer, associate producer. The NM PBS Public Affairs executive producer is Kevin McDonald.

The McCune Charitable Foundation provides NMiF funding, along with viewers like you.

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