Mayor gives summit the runaround.
Local media are accustomed to Mayor Larry
Delgado never returning phone calls. Turns out,
we shouldn't take it personally.
Cartina Phenix is the director of operations for Sistah Summit, a national wellness retreat for African-American women. In February, she called City Hall to start preparations to hold the summit in Santa Fe and to extend a guest of honor invitation to Delgado for the opening reception.
She never got a call back from Delgado or from the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau. Finally Phenix contacted Wanda Ross Padilla-former president of the local NAACP chapter-and pleaded for assistance.
"Oh boy, that was kind of a mess," Padilla sighs. "Nobody responded and they were kind of downtrodden and upset about it. They didn't know if they would even be welcome in Santa Fe. I told them that that was not the Santa Fe I know."
Padilla contacted City Councilor and mayoral candidate David Coss to help repair the damage. Coss and Tom Maguire-the city's culture, arts and tourism planner-were subsequently invited to speak on Santa Fe's behalf at the Summit's opening reception on Nov. 3.
"Sometimes it's difficult to get through to City Hall and it can help to have the involvement of a councilor to get things going a little faster," Coss says. "I think it's important to welcome them to Santa Fe. It's an honor to host a conference catering to minority women of color. I'm glad they're coming."
Rhonda Jackson-CEO of Legacy Entertainment, the Denver company that puts on the Sistah Summit-says her organization decided nearly two years ago to move the retreat from Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in Colorado. Jackson looked at sites across the southwest.
"We selected Santa Fe because it's filled with beauty by way of the arts, landscape and culture," Jackson says. "We chose that destination because it's one-of-a-kind. It's a magical place."
Jackson expects between 150 and 200 women for the four-day retreat; keynote speakers are Susan L Taylor-editorial director of Essence magazine-and Dr. Renita Weems-author of several books on women's spirituality and wellness.
Phenix insists her organization harbors no ill will about the initially frosty reception and has extended the Summit's application deadline (until Oct. 27) and discounted the registration rate for New Mexico residents.
"We don't want to blast the mayor," Phenix says. "We don't want any drama. We're doing this so these women can relax and be reinvigorated and drama isn't going to help do that."
Leave the blasting to people who live here.
"Words can't even express my thoughts on how this was handled," Padilla says. "It's unconscionable. My concept of a mayor is someone who cuts ribbons, welcomes people and establishes a rapport with residents and visitors alike, not someone that manages by remote control."
Delgado could not be reached for comment.
