Democracy for New Mexico

Join "An Inconvenient Ride" in Santa Fe

From the City of Santa Fe:
A Call to all Santa Feans and Others with Bikes:
Join “An Inconvenient Ride”
When: 3:30 PM on Wednesday, April 9
Where: Harry’s Roadhouse, Old Las Vegas Highway

The City of Santa Fe invites Santa Fe cyclists and anyone with a bicycle to join students from Seattle on Wednesday, April 9, as they raise awareness of communities that are making a tangible difference in the environment. The students have received a ceremonial tree in Washington DC and will ride through cities, including Santa Fe, that have signed on to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels’ climate protection program. On their journey, the students will collect over 10,000 signatures from Governors, Mayors and students in a show of support, and commitment, to protecting the environment.

The riders will be arriving in Santa Fe on Wednesday, April 9, and entering Santa Fe from Old Las Vegas Highway. The City of Santa Fe invites the community to join them for a convoy into the city starting at Harry’s Roadhouse at 3:30 PM. A police escort will be provided for safety. The ride will conclude at the Santa Fe River between Don Gaspar and Galisteo.

The City of Santa Fe would like to thank Harry’s Roadhouse for its generosity in feeding the high school student cyclists and the Santa Fe Sage Inn, which is providing complimentary rooms for the students.

For more information about “An Inconvenient Ride” visit: www.inconvenientride.com.

April 9: Equal Voices for America's Families Town Hall Meeting

From EVAF: Equal Voices for America's Families is a campaign for a family-led movement for social change. The goal is to change attitudes and policies affecting poor and working families. Over the next year, America will hear directly from families. Campaign members are hosting a series of town hall meetings across the US to develop and mobilize support for a national platform that addresses issues of concern identified by famlies. The campaign will also hold a national town hall in Los Angeles, Chicago and Birmingham on September 6, 2008.

EQUAL VOICES FOR AMERICA'S FAMILIES
ALBUQUERQUE TOWN HALL
APRIL 9, 2008, Registration begins at 5:30 PM
SOUTH BROADWAY Cultural Center, 1025 Broadway SE

Food, child care, and transportation available. For More info: Call Pat at 298-0577 at 6-9 PM or email at Phines44@aol.com.

Working together - we can change local, state and national policies to create a more just society. Representatives from ABQ Town Hall will be invited to Los Angeles. COME HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Elected officals are invited to listen!

ABQ Campaign Endorsers: Marguerite Casey Foundation; United South Broadway Corp; Community Coalition for Health Care Access; Anti-Racisim Training Institute; Kalpulli Izkalli, La Colmena, Inc.; ABQ Neighborhood Action Group; Americans for Indian Opportunity; Isshin Ryu Club; St. Joseph Community Health; Inspired Leadership/KUNM; Church of God in Christ;  Ron Wallace, Fighting AIDS in the Homeland; African American Health and Social Services; Cuidando Los Ninos; St. Francis Parish; Jerry Ortiz Y Pino; HELP-New Mexico; St. Francis Xavier; Teresa Brito Asenap; APS Center of Extended Learning; James Lujan, Principal Eugene Field Elementary; IPCC/IPM; Southwest Organizing Project; Anjelica Anaya Allen, Senior Citizen Law Office; City of Albuquerque Office of Neighborhood Coordination; John Marshall Multi- Service Center; Dr. Callie Cone; West Central Communtity Development Group; Urban Indian Advocacy Program; God's Way Church; Health Action NM; Southwest Network for Economic and Environmental Justice; Chris Baca, YDI.

NM Alliance for Retired Americans Hosts NM-01 Candidate Issue Forums

The New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans has scheduled a series of educational Issue Forums for the candidates for the US House of Representatives, New Mexico Congressional District 1. Find out their views on important issues like  Health Care and Medicare Plus:

Friday, April 4, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM; Issue: Prescription Drugs
   Barelas Senior Center
   714 Seventh Street SW
   Albuquerque, NM
   505-764-6436

Saturday, April 19, 12:30-1:30 PM; Issue: Retiree Health Care
   Los Volcanes Senior Center
   6500 Los Volcanes NW
   Albuquerque, NM 87121
   505-836-8745

Light refreshments will be available at each forum. Sponsored by: New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans; Emil Shaw, President; 1608 Truman SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108; 505-892-3480 or 505-321-4603.

Friday: Reception at Sophia's Place to Benefit Udall for Senate

Please Join Alex and Sara Crecca
for a Young Professionals reception
in support of
Congressman Tom Udall, Candidate for US Senate

Friday, April 4th ~ 5:30 PM
At
Sophia's Place
6313 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107

Requested Contributions $50 or $100
Hors d'oeuvres prepared by Dennis Apodaca,
Executive Chef and Owner
Flyer and Contribution Form

Directions: From I-25 North, exit Montano and turn left. Remain on Montano until 4th Street. At 4th Street, turn right. Sophia's Place will be just past Sadie's. Please RSVP to Tiffany Deinzer at 505.884.3055or by email: tdeinzer@tomudall.com.

Please make checks payable to Udall for Us All and bring with you to the event. Credit Card contributions can be made using the attached contribution form. Contributions to Udall for Us All are not tax deductible for Federal income tax purposes, and are limited to $2300 per individual ($4600 per couple) per election. Federal multi-candidate PACs may contribute $5000 per election. Paid for and authorized by Udall for Us All, Inc.

To see our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, visit our archive.

Tonight & Sunday: Last Two Town Hall Meetings with NM Sen. Ortiz y Pino

The last two in a series of four town hall meetings with NM District 12 Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino (and possibly additional guests and elected officials) are set for tonight and Sunday, each covering a different topic. Come and hear about what did (and didn't!) happen during the 2008 Legislative Session. For more information: 505-256-0668 or desibrown@comcast.net.

Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Townhall Meeting on Electoral and Ethics Issues. It takes place at Heights Community Center (824 Buena Vista SE - Albuquerque).

Sunday, April 6, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Townhall Meeting on Health Care Issues. It takes place at Senator Ortiz y Pino's residence (400 12th Street NW - Albuquerque).

Learn How to Bird-Dog in NM

From the groups listed below:
In these upcoming elections we have the opportunity to have a great effect on our local and national political landscape. According to the Friends Committee on National Legislation, all eyes will be on New Mexico in 2008! We are a presidential swing state with four congressional seats up for election. Special interest groups, personnel and money are flowing in. We the people need to be the ones who will bring the important New Mexico issues to the forefront.

To make sure your issues are front and center on election day, learn how to effectively "bird-dog." Arnie Alpert from the American Friends Service Committee will be coming to New Mexico to give three training events. The term "bird-dogging" means following candidates and tracking their positions in order to make sure that the issues important to you are part of the campaign agenda and in the forefront of media coverage. This is a great opportunity to learn a technique to raise public awareness and shift the political will in the direction of peace, sustainability, nuclear abolition. The training events will be in Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque:

Taos: Friday, April 4th
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Board Room
1118 Cruz Alta Road
Registration at 5:30 PM and closes at 8:00 PM

Santa Fe: Saturday, April 5th
Registration at 2:00 PM and closes at 5:00 PM
Santa Fe Unitarian Universalist Church on Barcelona

Albuquerque: Sunday, April 6th
Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center
202 Harvard Southeast
Registration at 5:00 PM and closes at 7:30 PM

Suggested donation - $10

For more information contact:

• Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety - Joni Arends - jarends@nuclearactive.org - (505) 986-1973
• NM Conference of Churches - Holly Beaumont - habeaumont@aol.com  - (505) 471-2962
• Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice - (505) 268-9557
• Faithful Security - Jessica Wilbanks (505) 758-1206 - jwilbanks@faithfulsecurity.org

Join Las Adelitas for Reception with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish: Blue State in '08

Nancy Denker of Focus Ink Invites You To

Please join Lt. Governor Diane Denish

for a candid conversation about
Blue State in '08: Women Taking Control
A Reception sponsored by:
LAS ADELITAS: WOMEN IN POLITICS

A fundraiser to help elect
Pro-choice Democratic Women to New Mexico State Offices
TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH, 5:30-7:30 PM

At the home of Ann Piper
715 Amherst Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (map)
Please RSVP to Toni Boersig at (505)-332-0740

We invite you to become a member of Las Adelitas: Annual Membership $50. Contributions Payable to Las Adelitas: Women in Politics (not tax deductible), 1410 Coal Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM  87104.

CUANM Campaign School: Building Political Capital for the Future

From the Credit Union Association of NM:
Campaign school open to all prospective candidates: Running for public office, whether on a local, state or national level, is challenging. Qualifications, strategy, fund-raising and budget, and working with the media are just a few of the aspects candidates need to consider before tossing their hats in the political ring.

The Credit Union Association of New Mexico (CUANM), in conjunction with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), is holding a Campaign School on April 29, at the CUANM Albuquerque office to encourage and help potential candidates. The event is nonpartisan and all candidates or anyone considering running for public office are welcome.

Guest speakers include New Mexico political strategist Joe Monahan, Secretary of State Mary Herrera, CUNA senior vice president of political affairs Richard Gose, CUNA political director Trey Hawkins and national political media strategists.

These campaign professionals will discuss ways to sharpen campaign skills and manage strategies, as well as presenting information on fund-raising, communications, legal concerns, motivating voters, working with volunteers and many other issues candidates will encounter.

Who should attend? Candidates for local offices, city council, mayor and county commission; state Legislature and other statewide offices; campaign managers, fund-raisers, volunteer coordinators, political party leaders and community activists. Whether you are Republican, Democrat, third-party supporter or independent, the information at this school is valuable.

The CUANM Campaign School will be Tuesday, April 29, from 8:30 AM to 4 PM at the CUANM office at 4200 Wolcott Ave., Albuquerque, in the Journal Center.

Cost is $25 and includes lunch.

To register, go to www.cuanmlearningcenter.org and click on the Campaign School registration link. Or contact CUANM vice president of governmental affairs Juan Fernández at 505-338-4233, 800-366-6628 ext. 2233, 518-698-7842 or via e-mail at juan@cuanm.org.

1Sky Launches First Action: Ask Heather Wilson to Sign Global Warming Pledge

If you're not yet familiar with 1Sky New Mexico, you should be. According to their website, "1Sky is an effort to galvanize a more powerful climate movement. It is not a new institution or even a coalition. Its purpose is to communicate a positive vision and a clear, simple set of goals and policy initiatives that are commensurate with the scale of the climate challenge, and to build the necessary power to solve global warming and put America on a new path for energy. 1Sky New Mexico is a project of New Energy Economy and is intended to aggregate the power of those concerned about climate and energy." Click to learn more about their team.

1Sky is holding its first action event in the state -- B.Y.O. Blue -- on Friday, March 28, at 10:00 AM at the Albuquerque office of Rep. Heather Wilson at 20 First Plaza NW. You're invited to join other advocates for solutions to global warming at a press conference and rally highlighting Rep. Wilson's record on climate change -- and urge her to take the 1Sky pledge:

I support the solutions to global warming that will protect our society and future generations from climate change and will create a new energy economy. In particular, I support:

• The creation of five million new green jobs;
• A science-based reduction of emissions of at least 25% by 2020; and
• A moratorium on all new coal-fired power plants nationwide.

Participants are being asked to wear blue in solidarity for blue skies and a moratorium on coal-fired power plants in New Mexico. You can learn more about 1Sky and the pledge from Juan Reynosa's post at Clearly New Mexico, and add your name to the pledge here.

Amy Goodman to Celebrate Community Activism at UNM Appearance 4/18

Note: Amy and David Goodman will be appearing at similar events in Santa Fe and Taos on April 19, 2008.

Amy Goodman and David Goodman are celebrating 12 years of broadcasting of “Democracy Now!” (on KUNM weekdays at 4 PM) and the release of their third book, Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times. Amy Goodman is the co-host and executive producer of “Democracy Now!,” an independent, award-winning news program airing on over 650 radio and TV stations.

The Goodmans will give a talk and sign their new book at UNM’s Woodward Hall on April 18 at 6:30 PM. This inspirational event, cosponsored by Bookworks, is a benefit for KUNM 89.9 Community Radio and honors the170+ community volunteers and students working at KUNM.

Amy Goodman, known worldwide for her courageous coverage of news missed or ignored by the USA’s mainstream media, is now on tour to tell the inspiring stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary work in countering the “madness” of current White House policies. These stories are recounted in her latest book, Standing Up To The Madness, which is co-authored with her journalist brother David Goodman. The book release date is April 8, 2008 and is published by Hyperion.

Amy Goodman has a strong, and growing, audience; previous events in Albuquerque have sold out. FOR TICKETS:

$20 general admission; $10 UNM students (with valid ID) UNM Ticket Offices (The Pit and Bookstore), UNMTickets.com. Call (505) 925-5858 for phone orders.

Select Albertsons stores in Albuquerque and Santa Fe (listing is available at UNMTickets.com).

Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd., next to Flying Star Café. Call (505) 344-8139 to order by phone. ($5 discount on general admission ticket with purchase of the book & ticket from Bookworks.)

Woodward Hall is located just west of the Student Union Building (turn west between Popejoy Hall and the SUB). Parking is free on campus after 6 PM on Friday except at reserved and handicap spaces and paid parking is available at the nearby Cornell parking structure. Additional info: https://www.kunm.org or from KUNM membership coordinator Cris Nichols at (505) 277-3968.