Ryannel Johnston
News, March 22: “Curating Gloom”
SAY HER NAME
I greatly appreciate [Alex] De Vore’s focus on quintessential “Santa Fe” subjects, and his March 22, 2024 article (referenced above) served as an important reminder that social justice tensions in this town have continued at a slow boil for centuries—even when the populace unites momentarily to celebrate our favorite party animal, Old Man Gloom.
The article rightfully gave credit to the All Pueblo Council of Governors for changes made in the wake of protests over the Entrada. Other media reports of the day gave most of the credit to Regis Pecos of Cochiti and the Santa Fe mayor for brokering the solution.
Reportage in the New York Times followed suit, discussing a momentous social change as if it had solely come about by the instigation and intervention of men. The Times article even ran a photo of activist Jennifer Marley being arrested at the 2019 Fiestas (pictured above), but captioned the image without any reference to her name. New Mexico women such as Marley, Elena Ortiz, Jessica Montoya and many others don’t deserve to be left out of our communal story.
I’m hoping the Reporter will uphold its sterling reputation as an exemplar of journalism by renewing an effort to “say her name” and not overlook contributions that women make to our history.
Jaima Chevalier
Santa Fe
Cover story, March 20, “2024 Spring Poetry Search Winners”
EVERYONE’S A CRITIC…AND A POET
Alas your so-called “judge” of verse is so
submerged in grief he cannot see beyond
dismembered limbs and rotten meat, and woe
to him who dares to celebrate the bonds
that grow among the beings of the world,
the ones who treasure joy and magnify
the light that sparkles like a healing strobe
to lift us from despair with blissful sigh.
Tom Rebstock
Santa Fe
