West Side Forum

Choosing Our Delegates to the Democratic National Convention: Important Information and Dates As of mid-May, in response to the pandemic, the Democratic Party of New Mexico adapted its rules to allow for the possibility of remote participation by delegates from the states. The national convention, originally planned for July, has been moved back to August 17, and the Party has been discussing alternative formats to the traditional crowded gathering. Here in New Mexico, the process of electing delegates to represent us at the convention…

Standing up to Racism I am a retired Air Force Officer, former City of  Albuquerque Appointee, NM Democratic State Central Committee member, and candidate for the New Mexico Senate District 23.  I am also an African American.  While many New Mexicans are disgusted, outraged, and hurting from the video of the murder of George Floyd, these feelings are even more heartbreaking and triggering for members of the African American community. In New Mexico, many in our African American communities are being forgotten because they…

Candidate Profile:Antonio "Moe" Maestas, District 16 For eleven generations Antonio “Moe” Maestas’s family has called New Mexico home. For the past 12 years Rep. Maestas has served in the New Mexico House, representing District 16 on Albuquerque’s west side. Rep. Maestas’s law firm MoeJustice focuses on personal injury law. Rep. Maestas currently serves as Chair of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee. He also serves on the Taxation and Revenue Committee. Rep. Maestas is passionate about education and will continue to sponsor the Early…

Preserving the Poole Property for All of Us A Discussion with Dr. Susan Chaudoir If you wish to see the Poole property and the San Antonio Oxbow Wetland for yourself, take the short drive to the end of Namaste Road where there is parking.  Walk up a slight rise on the path to the right and over to the open wooden fence, where you can look down on the San Antonio Oxbow Wetland and view the Poole property on the left. Dr. Susan Chaudoir…

Primary Election Results—A News Wrap-upBy Susannah Abbey The voters have cast their ballots, most of the ballots have been counted, and by now most of us are confident of the putative winners of the New Mexico primaries. For U.S. Senate, Ben Ray Lujan has garnered the Democratic nomination. For U.S. Congressional District 1, Deb Haaland is our choice. Among Bernalillo County contested races, Nancy Marie Bearce won the nomination for County Treasurer. County Commission primary Democratic winners are Steven Michael Quezada and Adriann Barboa.…

JUNE 24 WSD MEETING NM Prisons in the Age of COVID-19 Wednesday, June 24 6-7:30 p.m. The recent outbreak of COVID-19 at the Otero County Prison Facility in Southern NM once again spotlights the conditions that people in our prisons and jails endure every day.  Join us for a panel discussion on what must be done to alleviate the inhumane conditions of incarceration.  Stay tuned for registration and panelist details!

Hope and Unity Within the Tragedy If a young, brave woman named Darnella Frazier had not videotaped the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Americans and others around the world might not be bringing their voices—and their justified anger—to the streets in numbers the U.S. has not seen since the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Because our nation witnessed a White police officer use his knee to suffocate an unarmed Black man – for more than 8 minutes while he smirked -- centuries…

June 22 VoteBuilder Training for West Side Ward Chairs ATTENTION ALL WEST SIDE WARD CHAIRS—MARK YOUR CALENDARS Please join DPBC Chair Flora Lucero and Vice-Chair Cheryl Harris for special training on how to use VoteBuilder to help organize your precincts.  Watch for an email in the next few days with the details.  Let’s get organized to GET OUT THE VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3!!

John Haas, president and co-founder of M’Tucci’s restaurants, and his team were ready when Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered all restaurants to shut down on March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Haas had been watching restaurants in other states like Ohio and Maryland early on to develop a plan to adjust to the new reality of carry-out and delivery.  He closed his restaurants to dine-in customers on March 17.  What made the transition successful was the tenacity of his team to reset, reorient,…