Letters to the Editor

Cover, Oct. 7: “Dead in the Water”

Sacred Water

Whenever I engage in a thought experiment about where and when human beings first attempted to conserve some form of natural resources, I usually arrive at the same conclusion: it must have been water sometime during our earliest expression of hominid form, as far back as several million years ago.

I like to speculate about such things because I work as a conservationist, and my background is in social and linguistic anthropology, so considering the social, cultural, and biological origins of our urge to conserve has personal and professional appeal. And while I work primarily on the landscape scale, in so many ways, it all comes down to water, especially here in the desert Southwest.

Which is why I commend the Reporter's recent publication of Laura Paskus' essay on the Gila River. Paskus continues to be a thorough, honest, reflective, articulate and creative advocate for environmental issues across New Mexico. And the win for the Gila River that came with the dissolution of plans to build a diversion dam was beautifully celebrated in her piece.

As someone who works in the Greater Gila Bioregion, I know that protecting our rivers, their riparian ecosystems and the watersheds that feed them, is critical to building resiliency for these cherished landscapes in the face of unprecedented climate change and biodiversity loss. Thanks to reporting like that from Paskus in "Dead in the Water, "there may still be hope for the conservation of our most sacred natural resource.

Leia Barrett
Wildearth Guardians

AC, Nov. 4: “Creationism”

Thanks, Cyndi

Recently, Creative Santa Fe's Director, Cyndi Conn, announced the nonprofit's pending dormancy, given the challenges of being an organization that brings people together during a time when it is nearly impossible to do so. This is a blow to Santa Fe, not only losing a productive organization, but Conn herself, who has taken a new job in Park City, Utah.

During more than 20 years in Santa Fe, Conn has been a dynamic force in the arts, holding key leadership positions in galleries and nonprofits. Her passion for Santa Fe's role as a cultural and intellectual center—alongside her personal and professional dedication and dynamism—has lured fascinating people, events and works of art to our city. Conn has raised significant funds for bold causes, engaged and inspired lasting collaborations, and leveraged her intelligence, energy and appetite for creative risk to make Santa Fe a better place.

While we're confident Conn will never be a stranger to Santa Fe, and we look forward to celebrating her exploration of new horizons, we also mourn the Cyndi Conn-shaped hole that will be left in Santa Fe's cultural fabric.

Laura Steward,
Curator of Public Art, University of Chicago

Zane Fischer,
Founder, MAKE Santa Fe

Online, Nov. 6: “Power of the Native Vote”

Thanks for Witness 

What an awesome witness of caring for each other and our country. Thank you for wearing your masks to keep yourself and others more safe, especially your elders.

Blessings to all.

Janice Gomez-Servais
Via Facebook

Inspiring

Excellent article. Fantastic writing. So interesting and inspiring! Thank you!

Peggy Glanz
Via Facebook

Not Even Planned

This photo is of my family. We all showed up at the same time. Not planned. We are proud Pueblo women who proudly placed our votes.

Reann Hererra
Via Instagram Tsqrae_3

Brought the Win

I'm thankful for the Black, Hispanic and Native communities coming together with all their individaul movements and support of each other. THEY helped us win this election.

Crystal Martinez
Via Instagram Bolt_Thrower57