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Morgan Timms/The Taos News
p12 4 From The Editor
18 All dressed up
38 Blooming community
Movers & Shakers
Connie White’s ’secret garden’ grows health in more ways than food BY VIRGINIA L. CLARK
Taos career women to know
6 One woman’s mission
Former fashion designer Sandra ’Zandi’ Richardson opens private museum featuring her global textile and art collection BY SCOTT GERDES
Michelle Concha advocates for vulnerable families BY DAWN FRANCO
26 Rough riders
12 A complementary journey
River-raft guiding—not just for men anymore BY CINDY BROWN
Mother/daughter artists Karen McCurtain-Blair and Allegra Sleep share more than DNA BY ANNA RACICOT
50 Jane Trains Animal training with loving kindness BY CINDY BROWN
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Wanda Lucero Paula Randall Ervin Anita Bringas Linda Sanchez Judy Esquibel
56 Fear, loathing, love Kristina Ortez, executive director of the Taos Land Trust, on motivation, self-care, compromise and environmental advocacy BY JIM O’DONNELL
from the editor STAFF
Taoseña True
robin martin, owner
Ever since the town of Taos’ highly successful “Remarkable Women” campaign in 2012, there has been an emphasis to focus the spotlight on Northern New Mexico’s many impressive women, and rightly so. “Taos Woman” is The Taos News’s contribution to this ongoing effort. They are not the “fairer sex” by any chauvinistic standards. They are tough, yet compassionate. They are pioneers, nurturers, entrepreneurs, healers, teachers, activists, athletes, artists and adventurers. They are the women of Taos and we salute them. Within these pages of our eighth edition of “Taos Woman” (the inaugural publication was named “Remarkable Women of Taos” in 2012) are more stories of some of Taos’s shining beacons that embody the strength and soulfulness of this place, and prove that Taos has broken stereotypes. Mother/daughter artists Karen McCurtain-Blair and Allegra Sleep; Enos García Elementary School teacher Connie White; social advocate Michelle Concha; Taos Land Trust Executive Director Kristina Ortez; art foundation creator and director Sandra “Zandi” Richardson; female river rafting guides; entrepreneur and dog trainer Jane Gerard; Paula Randall of Randall Lumber; town of Taos events coordinator Judy Esquibel; Anita Bringas, University of New MexicoTaos strategic support manager; county animal control officer Linda Sanchez; and successful business owner and the very charitable Wanda Lucero are Taoseña true. Get to know these special people, for they are instrumental in forming our community’s future while honoring the traditions and embodying the spirit that make Taos, Taos.
SCOTT GERDES, SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR
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chris baker, publisher scott gerdes, special sections editor karin eberhardt, creative director staci matlock, managing editor chris wood, advertising director will avery, production manage amy boaz, chief copy editor morgan timms, photographrer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS cindy brown, virginia l. clark, dawn franco, jim o’donnell and anna racicot
ON THE COVER Wanda Lucero, Photo By Morgan Timms
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One woman’s mission Michelle Concha advocates for vulnerable families STO RY BY DAW N F RA N CO | P H OTOS BY MO RGA N T I M M S
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ICHELLE CONCHA’S TAOS PUEBLO ancestral lineage and her work in the Taos community intertwine with pride and passion. For two and a half years, Concha has been a family navigator. As a court-appointed social advocate, she works with Taos Youth Heartline, a children’s advocacy agency for vulnerable families in the community, located in the Pueblo’s Health and Community Services building. Through work with a Taos Pueblo home visiting service, Tiwa Babies, which provides families resources for optimal child development for the Pueblo community, Concha was called to service. Recognized for her compassionate demeanor and outreach abilities, her position was created through a memorandum of understanding between the Taos Youth Heartline director, the health and community services director and Taos Pueblo social services director.
THE FAMILY Concha is the second-oldest daughter of master drum maker Mike and mother Celestine. One of five siblings, Concha and her family grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. continues page 8
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ONE WOMAN’S MISSION from page 6
Taos News file photo
’MY PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS IS JUST COMMUNITY, THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY, THE LOVE OF PEOPLE. We don’t know what their plights are in life, we don’t know what their dreams were, but if somehow I can make it better for them to get their dreams back, to better their situation in life, that’s what everybody wants.’ — Michelle Concha, court-appointed social advocate and family navigator
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HE FAMILY WORKED as ranch hands at Flying W Ranch. At the end of each summer the Conchas organized a social powwow. They spent the school year in Colorado and returned to Taos Pueblo each summer to visit her grandparents. “Those were the best times. I would look forward to them, coming down here and staying with my grandparents at their house in the Pueblo, in the village,” said Concha. It was important to Concha and her family to keep the connection to the Pueblo and stay versed in the traditional Tiwa language, to attend the ceremonial functions and be initiated in Pueblo ways. “The spirituality of the mountain — it’s the force. The vibe that it gives out is so welcoming and loving. That’s what our religion and traditions are, everything is based on the environment; the trees, the animals, the snow,” expressed Concha. Before long, Concha’s family moved back to the Pueblo permanently returning to their sacred mountain, but still continued their work producing social powwows at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Tribes from all over the United States attended.
MICHELLE CONCHA poses for a portrait on Feb. 13 by the Red Willow Education Center.
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THE “GRAY AREA” Later in life, Concha went studied forestry at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. After college she moved to Denver to work for an oil company, but found the city to be out of
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her element. She chuckled recalling the suit and heels she used to wear. Before long Concha decided that was not her calling and Denver was not her place. “I started missing Taos a lot,” she said. Concha longed for her Pueblo culture, her friends in Taos and her siblings were starting to have children. She didn’t want to miss out on the growth of the next generation of family. After returning to her homeland, she helped organize the Taos Marathon and was involved in the Tiwa language immersion program at Headstart. She was already actively participating in the community before she landed in her current position. “We wouldn’t really know that my position was needed until I worked with a group of women at the Pueblo called Tiwa Babies,” said Concha. “They were needing advocates for their clients who were homeless because of domestic violence and who were homeless because the housing situation we have at our pueblo right now.” Concha’s occupation and her services, however, extend beyond the Pueblo. She is currently serving all of Taos and Colfax counties, including Native and nonNative people. Her focus is what Youth Heartline calls the “gray area”. “I’m not a social services worker. I don’t work primarily in town, but I’m housed at the Pueblo as a family support services advocate for victims of crime,” Concha explained. Some of the services Concha navigates her cases through include civil advocacy for court hearings, finding counseling and recovery for drug use, obtaining
Many of the resources she guides her clients through must be outsourced. In 2015, Taos lost a detox center, and last year behavioral services provider Tri-County closed. She works alongside other local agencies such as the group the State of Homelessness, the DreamTree project, Inside Out Recovery and shelters throughout the state to discuss bringing more resources to Taos. Concha also devotes time to networking so her clients have the opportunity to receive the resources they so desperately need. “My frustrations are that there are not enough resources for my clients for sheltering, rehab and detox,” Concha said. “There’s not enough resources here. We are all scrambling, all these agencies that work with the homeless and victims of crime.” However, Concha refuses to lose the battle. Her long-term goals are to gather a larger team of people in order to create more housing to address the homelessness situation and a rehabilitation center. She is passionate about helping and hopeful that in time Taos will gain more resources. Concha — the mother of three children and grandmother of two grandsons — strives to leave her family a better world. She practices her trade with vigilance, understanding and sincerity. She is inspired by the community and by the women in her life. “My passion for helping others is just community, the love of community, the love of people. We don’t know what their plights are in life, we don’t know what their dreams were, but if somehow I can make it better for them to get their
The spirituality of the mountain — it’s the force. transitional and supportive housing, as well as completing Crime Victim Reparation Commission applications so that victims may receive compensation for rental and relocation means. Concha often feels her vehicle is an office, all in Taos. She regularly helps with transportation so families may visit the Giving Tree, St. James Episcopal Church food pantry or the Community Against Violence office.
dreams back, to better their situation in life, that’s what everybody wants,” Concha said. We hit these bumps, these little hiccups in our lives and sometimes one is a bigger bump or a bigger hiccup, so I feel that my passion in helping not only my tribal community members, but our community as a whole, is to be there for them and show them we care, that there are people here.” d
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TAOS CAREER WOMEN TO KNOW
Morgan Timms/The Taos News
W A N D A
L U C E R O
Title(s) and work responsibilities:
State Farm Agent Small business owner responsibilities are broad and diverse, encompassing all aspects of business including vision and strategy, financial management, human resources, marketing, growth and development just to name a few. Although I enjoy most aspects of owning a small business, I absolutely love my profession, my team, my clients, my associates and my community. Being in a position to exchange information with my clients about what their hopes and dreams are and provide assistance with protecting their property, assets and income from what could go wrong while ultimately planning for making things go right is what brings me joy.
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How many years in present occupation?
List any involvement with groups/nonprofits:
Thirty seven years have blessedly flown by due to the fact that my occupation truly is my avocation of helping others.
I’ve been involved with and support many groups and nonprofits however, my main focus is currently on my family, health and business. My community efforts include women’s issues, thus I enjoy participating with the Taos Community Foundation’s Women in Philanthropy group. Youth issues are also important to me. I’m working with Nickie McCarty, Taos High Schools athletic director, who recently shared the need for raising funds for replacing the scoreboard at Anaya Field, which has been estimated at $70,000.
What do you think is the most pressing issue for women in the workplace? Although we’ve come a long way over the years, gender bias and work-life balance are both issues that continue to impact women in the workplace.
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If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self anything, what would it be?
You have tremendous and unique gifts. Treasure those gifts and pursue the path that will allow your gifts to flourish. Let your inner light shine! There are no challenges, only opportunities. Happiness is created when your actions match your values. Remember to feed your intellect, spirit and body every day. Find your joy and celebrate it every moment possible.
A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave its warriors, nor how strong their weapons. ~Cheyenne proverb
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A complementary journey Mother/daughter artists Karen McCurtain-Blair and Allegra Sleep share more than DNA STO RY BY A N N A RAC I COT | P H OTOS BY MO RGA N T I M M S
A
Mother and daughter artists Karen McCurtain-Blair and Allegra Sleep in Las Comadres Gallery in Taos on Jan. 31, where their paintings are shown alongside works from nine other female artists.
RTISTIC TALENT or the pursuit of artistic careers may run in families, but the cooperativeness and celebration of each other’s art, which is found in the relationship between Karen McCurtain-Blair and her daughter, Allegra Sleep, is rare and inspirational. The story of this unusual collaboration begins in Nicaragua, but has flowered here in Taos County. An accomplished artist, McCurtain-Blair moved to Taos nearly 30 years ago, but found it not quite the perfect fit. A friend advised her to come up to “God’s country” and so McCurtain-Blair bought a place in Costilla where she has lived, worked and painted since the early ’90s. “I love it there,” says McCurtainBlair. Sleep visited her mother when she was attending the University of New Mexico, though she now lives in Taos. Sleep, born in Managua, Nicaragua, got quite an early jump start to her artistic career, actually participating in her first group show at the American Embassy when she was just 2. “I grew up watching her (McCurtain-Blair), so I learned at a very early age what people don’t learn until they’re in college,” says Sleep. McCurtain-Blair explains, “At a really early age she was painting in whatever I was working in. If I was working in oil, she was painting in oil. If I was working in acrylic, she was doing acrylic.” Demonstrating that level of appreciation of each other is the hallmark of their relationship. continues page 14
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A COMPLIMENTARY JOURNEY from page 12
“Her skill level, her drawing, far surpasses mine,” McCurtain-Blair adds. Sleep, though, quickly points out this difference does not reflect innate ability. “But you’re not born with that. You have to practice it all the time. When I was a kid, I would draw. So maybe that’s where I was a little bit different.” McCurtain-Blair, originally from the Midwest, began her study of the arts at the University of Illinois, but as Sleep points out, “She studied with incredibly talented artists wherever we were living.” “I really had to be in the moment,” says McCurtain-Blair, “because we travelled so much. Even in one country we might move two or three times during the one or two years we lived there or the three or four years we lived there.” She showed in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Upon the family’s return to the United States, most of her shows have been in Taos from 1990 to the present time.
continues page 16
’Some people who work in similar media do feel competition,’ says painter Allegra Sleep of her relationship with her artist mother Karen McCurtainBlair, ’but we don’t because we’re so complementary in the way we work together.’
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WE DON’T HAVE TO DO ALL OF IT ALONE. WE WERE NEVER MEANT TO.
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McCurtain-Blair is also a regular on the Costilla Studio Tour. Sleep says, “In 2017, she (McCurtain-Blair) was invited to an invitational watercolor exhibit in Ecuador. It’s kind of neat. It feels like she’s gone full circle.” Sleep’s own artistic style also reflects her years in the Caribbean and South America. “I think growing up in Latin America really influenced my color palette.” Indeed, bright colors and broad strokes characterize Sleep’s work and differentiate it from her mother’s exquisitely detailed watercolors. “I admire her fearlessness,” says McCurtain-Blair of her daughter’s talent, “because there I am with my number two brush, getting all this detail and she’ll have a house-painting brush. Her economy of strokes just bowls me over.” Sleep, whose work is similarly shown in and out of the U.S., from Germany and France to the Stables Gallery in Taos, has garnered awards and been the subject of several articles in Southwest Art Magazine. In addition to her Southwest-themed pieces, Sleep’s magical-realism portraits of children embraced by jaguars or riding tortoises are deservingly popular.
TOP: ABSTRACT PAINTER ALLEGRA SLEEP poses for a portrait with her artworks on Jan. 31 at Las Comadres Gallery in Taos. ’I combine watercolor and acrylic in each painting,’ she says. ’Before I was using the watercolor just like a secondary effect and now each piece is about 50/50.’ BOTTOM: ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST KAREN MCCURTAIN-BLAIR poses alongside her watercolor paintings on Jan. 31 at Las Comadres Gallery in Taos. McCurtain-Blair began her art studies at the University of Illinois, but as her daughter noted, ’She studied with incredibly talented artists wherever we were living.’
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OR THESE ACCOMPLISHED ARTISTS, competition with each other is not the story, rather they improve each other’s works through insightful critiquing of their respective paintings. “Some people who work in similar media do feel competition,” says Sleep, “but we don’t because we’re so complementary in the way we work together.” Her mother agrees, “We really have different eyes looking at it (a painting), but it’s always completely supportive… and we really do play off one another.” Both women belong to the Taos Watercolor Society of which McCurtain-Blair has been a long- time member and past president. Sleep, on the other hand, is using watercolors in an unusual way. “I combine watercolor and acrylic in each painting,” she says. “Before I was using the watercolor just like a secondary effect and now each piece is about 50/50.” Now that she is retired from various
jobs and helping her husband in his restaurant, McCurtain-Blair is delighted to devote herself full time to painting the landscape around her, a tree on the banks of an acequia or a doorway in a crumbling adobe near Costilla Plaza. “I make such a heart connection to what I paint,” she says. People see and appreciate this connection to place in her paintings. “I think that’s the joy I get from painting,” she reflects. Sleep has an installation program involving photography in the works. She is taking “life-size photographs of people who are deaf and hard of hearing and then I’m making a sound file based on their own life experience.” She plans on giving viewers headphones so that they can hear the confusing sounds that each of her subjects hear, based on his or her unique audiogram. Sleep, who is also hard of hearing, is currently looking for more hearing-impaired participants for this educational art installation. Both women are members of Las Comadres Gallery, located at 120 Bent Street, Suite G, in Taos where their work hangs alongside pieces from nine other women artists. McCurtain-Blair is preparing for the Taos Watercolor Society’s “Spring and Summer Taos” show with an opening at The Taos Visitors Center on May 10 from 4-6 p.m., and another opening at the Fechin Studio Gallery on May 11 from 5-7 p.m. Her husband, Richard Blair, is “100 percent supportive” when she is getting ready for a show, making snacks and preparing meals. Sleep participated in the February show, “LOVE/MeToo#” at Studio 107B on the Plaza. She was excited to be a part of the Valentine’s event because she hadn’t shown in that gallery before or with that group of artists. Painting is not the only activity this mother and daughter duo enjoy together. They hike weekly in the Wild Rivers area of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument. “It’s interesting to see us on hikes together,” comments Sleep. “Because, two artists taking a hike: ’Look at that, take a picture of it, I want to paint it.’ And, ’Oh, the shadows…’ ” It’s not only the art of these two painters which Taos is fortunate to experience, but so is their love of place, beauty and each other. d
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Details of a contemporary wedding skirt from southwest India on display at the Nomad Museum.
All dressed up
Former fashion designer Sandra ’Zandi’ Richardson opens private museum featuring her global textile and art collection STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT GERDES
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O U ’ L L N E V E R B E A N A R T I S T B E C A U S E Y O U C A N ’ T D R A W . Sometimes those “you’ll never be good enough” words from a college art instructor still cross her mind, but Sandra “Zandi” Richardson created new dreams anyway. If only her instructor could see her now.
A lifetime of globe-trotting has afforded the former teacher, gallery owner, filmmaker and fashion designer quite the garment, textile and art collection, all of which is featured in her Nomad Museum. She set up the Nomad Foundation that is presently in a trust. Upon her death, Richardson’s historic Taos home built and lived in by Joseph Fleck (a contemporary of the Taos Society of Artists), all of its contents and the small museum on the property will live on as the “Nomad Collection.”
“The idea is for artists and people who don’t travel anywhere to be able to walk through, and see art and textiles and sculpture and works on paper — pretty much every medium — from around the world to get ideas that will inform their work, like Gauguin did when he went to the South Pacific and it changed his whole art,” Richardson passionately explained as if she were offering you a taste of her favorite food. The museum is open now and can be toured by appointment only for groups up to 12 people. continues page 20
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A 50-year-old ’Singing Shawl’ from Thailand. This garment is so-named due to the sound the hand-woven cotton makes with the wearer’s movements, caused by the rattle of the green beetle wings afixed to it.
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R I M A R I L Y , its purpose is for groups interested in textiles or for organizations like the Wurlitzer Foundation if they want to bring their students on a tour. It’s housed in a simple building with a hand-painted sign by Taos artist David Vedoe. Inside, her museum-quality garments and other textiles are displayed. Her art-filled home cannot be toured at this time as it’s a “very private” type of “museum” where she plans to host invitationonly soirées and lectures on specific topics until her demise after which it, too, will be open to appointmentonly tours.
The museum collection African hand-spun cloth dyed with mud from the Niger River. Early 20thcentury silks lined with Russian trade cloth. Ottoman Empire outfits from Turkey. A wool brocade cape worn by an Atlas Mountain Berber man featuring designs depicting Talismanic 20
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tattoos with protective powers and a sword used to defeat Portuguese invaders. And so much more history, glittering thread, lace, shells, bells and hand-dyed colors make up her treasure. “I started my personal collection in the ’80s when I was buying for my Gallery Nomad in Sydney (Australia),” Richardson said with an infectious smile. “So a lot of these pieces are quite old, as they were antiques when I bought them. I shop — that’s what I do — and I’ve been shopping for 50 years.” Richardson likes to go to the country where the items were made and buy from the native people. That’s quite different from what most collectors do; they go to a gallery and buy a piece of art. “In Pakistan I bought all this furniture from a dealer in the Swat Valley where we can’t go anymore because it’s too dangerous now.” she said with sadness. “A couple years ago we (she and late husband Runno)
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went on a trip through all the ’Stans’ along the Silk Road (primarily refers to ancient trade routes from China to Russia). We went to Uzbekistan for the first time, but I had coveted their textiles from dealers in England, France and Morocco. I went there thinking, ’Oh goody goody, I can buy from the source.’ And I did, but it was slim pickings. In Turkmenistan I was very disappointed. There’s nothing left in some countries of origin because they’re not making things anymore. Everybody’s got blue jeans and cell phones, and it’s like the old crafts have died in a lot of places.” For Richardson, the procuring of ethnic textiles and garments isn’t just about the hunt, it’s about preservation and education.
How she got here At 18, while living with her mother, who was a U.S. Army special weapons expert stationed in Germany, continues page 22
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1 > Sandra ’Zandi’ Richardson’s Nomad Foundation collection includes a Uzbek silk Ikat coat and hat with Russian tradecloth lining. The number of hat braids indiciate a person’s relationship status: four braids means single and six braids means married. Ikat is a difficult technique that involves dying the warp and weft thread before weaving, making the achievement of a clear design very challenging. 2 > Richardson haggles over furniture prices with men from the Swat Valley in remote Pakistan circa mid-1980s. Courtesy photo 3 > Details of a man’s silk jacket from the 19th-century Ottoman Empire in Marmara, Turkey. Along with ’shalwar’ (pants), Richardson collected this garment in Istanbul in the 1980s. 4 > The Dogon priest had just gotten a new hat the day this photo was taken in Mali, West Africa in 2000. With some charadelike gesturing and help from her guide, Richardson talked the priest into selling his old hat to her. Courtesy photo
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Above: Hats are also part of the extensive Nomad Foundation collection. Shown is a child’s embroidered ’Tiger Hat’ from early 19th-century China procured in England. In Chinese culture the tiger is a mascot. Parents and other family members embroider the animal’s likeness on shoes and hats for their children to wear. It is their hope the children look dignified and strong. And they believe the image of the tiger is a protection against evil, which can protect children from different disasters. Left to right: A few handmade Zandi Design garments remain from Richardson’s design days, which incorporated antique textiles from around the world. Shown is one of her first creations. A heavy Egyptian net shawl interwoven with silver strips. Collected in New Dehli, India, is this museum-quality silk ’Airplane Skirt.’ Among the traditional animales and men on horseback, it shows a unique phase after WWI in which bi-planes were weaved into the brocade’s motif.
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Richardson was bitten by the travel bug. After the shortsighted instructor at Southern Colorado State College in her hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, told her he didn’t see her as an artist, she decided to go into teaching. She earned a degree in communications and education at the University of Colorado in Boulder. A kinship with Australia soon followed. “I was protesting like anyone with a brain in the ’60s and early ’70s, and they killed the students at Kent State,” expressed the self-described hippie with the same disdain she felt so many years ago. “And I thought, ’I’m outta here. I don’t want to live in a country where they kill college kids for saying what they think.’ So I left.” The year was 1972 when the 22-year-old immigrated to Australia after meeting an Aussie girl in a Cincinnati “chicken shop.” They got along from the start and the girl asked Richardson if she wanted to go back to Australia with her. It was Richardson’s ticket out. Via a “cheap” British touring company, the journey began in Venice on a bus with 27 other adventurers. They rumbled over mountains into Greece, then on to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and then up to Nepal where they got stuck because of the Bangladesh Liberation War and couldn’t fly out. Eventually, they flew to Thailand, took a train to Malaysia and then hopped a plane to Australia. “Through all those travels you start noticing things.” The first piece of ethnic art she ever bought was on that trip from a market in Iran. Little did she know, the lifetime of “shopping” had begun. In Sydney, she got work as a teacher and incorporated her film studies by starting a film and a magazine class. She made a couple movies on film grants. Subsequently, she was offered a chance to train as a film producer and filmmaker. Richardson left teaching and started her own film company with her first husband, David. They made a feature documentary called “Drop of Rough Ted,” about a “real” Outback character. During the production, the couple traveled throughout the territory. “That’s when I really, really got into aboriginal culture.” She gave up her next career as a freelance film director for Film Australia after meeting Runno — thinking the best way to start off a marriage was not to accept a six-month directing gig in Indonesia. The couple took ownership of a friend’s shop called Gallery Nomad, where she had worked in between films, after her friend decided to get out of the business. “It was a Pier 1-type store” in Paddington, Australia — the Soho of Sydney. “I loved it.” It took off and “we became really quite famous.” “We had international clients — I sold a rare Indonesian textile to the Victoria and Albert Museum (London). That was a big day. I nearly fainted,” she humbly recalled. Richardson earned a reputation for being an international dealer. She sold gold to people in Switzerland and Naga items from tribal India to collectors in Germany.
Fashion design
The Nomad Foundation collection includes this rare Jain textile from India. The scene depicts the Hindu Jain master teacher instructing his disciples under The Tree of Life.
Traditional Mali mud cloth made into a Zandi coat, circa 2012. This fabric is called mud cloth because the handspun cotton is dyed black, brown or yellow with mud from the Niger River by the Dogon tribe.
Far right: Sandra ’Zandi’ Richardson’s Nomad Museum garment and art collection spans decades and represents cultures from around the world.
A Dogon priest’s old hat that Richardson bought from him in Mali, West Africa in 2000. ’You would never see these hats unless you visit a Dogon priest and they are never for sale. What is very unique about this top is that it features depictions of Dogon dancers with sky ladder and Dogon cross masks on their heads, and butterfly designs.’ Richardson described.
During her time at Gallery Nomad she bought pieces of dress fronts featuring “amazing” embroidery made by the Punjab in northern India. “They were just fragments for dress fronts because they were going to burn them to get the gold off the thread. I was distressed. I said, ’No, you can’t do that,’ so I bought them.” continues page 24
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A Turkoman (Turmenistan) women’s top — a traditional black-dyed and multipleated skirt embellished with buttons, fine embroidery, and brass, silver and metal ornamentation.
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H E N T H E I D EA S T R U C K H E R T O S E W the pieces into fashions. She carted them around for 10 years, came to Taos in 1994 and opened the second Gallery Nomad. Richardson found herself single after divorce, had no boss, no one telling her what or what not to do and if she was going to create wearable fashions that incorporated Punjab embroidery, that was the time. In 1999, Richardson made about a dozen garments. “And then I thought, well, I suppose I should show them to somebody. So I had a little solo fashion show out at the Taos Country Club and somebody bought some. I went, ’Holy cow, I guess that means I’m a designer.’ ” She later sold clothing out of her
Ranchos de Taos boutique, gaining notable clients such as Goldie Hawn (her first clothing sale from the shop) and Shirley MacLaine. “I was over the moon.” Richardson and Runno reconnected some years later and remarried. They set off on a jet-setting life that brought more ethnic garments and textiles into her care.
On to Taos Richardson visited Santa Fe when she was 18. It impressed her and was on the radar after deciding to come back to the U.S. upon hearing the news that her mother was ill. But the Santa Fe she remembered as a teenager had changed. “It totally lost its heart and character as far as I’m concerned.” A friend in Albuquerque posed, “If you liked Santa Fe in the old days why
don’t you keep driving to Taos?” But she remembered Taos as being a “biker town where hippies got shot.” She didn’t think she was going to like that. “I drove up over that ridge seeing the mountain range and the Gorge and I had to pull over. I burst into tears and this is somebody who has traveled around the whole world, it’s not like I haven’t seen pretty places,” she said. “I was astonished. I had no idea that Taos was so beautiful. I thought, ’This is it. You got weird White people, Hispanic people, Indian people … I like this. This is not like America.’ ” And neither is her collection. “I feel like if you have a dream, just do it. Either it works or it doesn’t. At least try instead of sitting around being frustrated. Don’t die thinking, ’If only I had …’ ” she advised. “Heed the old Estonian saying, ’If the dog doesn’t wag its tail, who will?’ ” d To schedule a tour, call (575) 751-1882 or (575) 741-1000 or email: nomad@taosnet.com
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A Woman’s Touch Left to right:
Ellen Lerner, Sally Torres, Katheryn Pate, Kelly Haukebo, center: Paula Madappa, Qualifying Broker
Allow us to show you all that the Taos area has to offer. Our experienced team of Realtors® are here to assist you whether you are buying or selling your home or land. You can count on us... we are dedicated to making your dream a reality!
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RAFTING GUIDE WENDY GONTRAM TAKES ON THE POWERLINE FALLS IN THE TAOS BOX ON THE RÍO GRANDE. Courtesy New Mexico River Adventures
Rough riders
RIVER-RAFT GUIDING—NOT JUST FOR MEN ANYMORE IN TAOS,
you’ll find lots of women paddling white water. Many of the local rafting companies have female river rafting guides who add their skills and finesse to this adrenaline-filled world in trips on the Río Grande and the Río Chama.
BY CINDY BROWN
In the early days of the business, river rafting guides were usually men. Some of the first women guides ran into obstacles, but they persevered and now river rafting has become much more gender-balanced. One local guide school will have more women training than men this season – for the first time ever. continues page 28
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Decidedly different, decidedly Taos.
Dee Doubleday, Qualifying Broker Master Certified Negotiation Expert
505-803-5576 • 575-758-5600 / MariposaRealty.com
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NEW WAVE RAFTING’S KAREN HOUSE GUIDING A RAFT DOWN THE RÍO GRANDE AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
RAFTING GUIDE EMILY ARMIJO Courtesy New Mexico River Adventures
Courtesy New Wave Rafting/Kathy Miller
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balance
Wendy Gontram is co-owner of New Mexico River Adventures, which runs river trips. “The sport used to be male-dominated,” she says. “That is changing and a lot of companies are working hard to ensure an equal ratio of women and men in their crews.”
WHITEWATER RAFTING GUIDE KATHY MILLER OF NEW WAVE RAFTING NAVIGATES THROUGH THE INFAMOUS TAOS BOX ON THE RÍO GRANDE. Courtesy New Wave Rafting/Kathy Miller
She notices that having both genders on a boat brings a better balance to the experience. Each gender brings their own strengths to the river to create a healthier work environment and a better rafting experience for the guests. On occasion, there may be groups that prefer to have women guides. “Girl scouts or groups of young women sometimes prefer to have an all-female guide crew. It’s an experience that we are happy to provide. Our female guides are great role models – demonstrating how they can navigate whitewater and manage a bunch of heavy gear.” For Gontram, river rafting is the chance to be outside on the water. “I love that my office is primarily on the river,” she says. In the course of a rafting trip, guests get to learn about the geology and ecology of the area and there is always a chance that big horn sheep or deer will be nearby with otters, beavers and muskrats swimming in the river. Overhead, there are amazing hawks, eagles, herons and falcons. When recruiting for river rafting guides at New Mexico River Adventures, Gontram looks for an enthusiastic attitude, a willingness to learn and a love of the outdoors. The potential guides have the opportunity to attend one of two guide schools offered each year before joining the crew. “Taos is really wonderful place to be a woman,” says Gontram. “A lot of stereotypes were broken down years ago. Now everyone knows that women can guide just as well if not better than men. It’s an honor to carry on that tradition of strength. I’m proud of all of our crew; everyone is treated equally. It’s really fun – we encourage all women to come interview with us.”
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CATHY JO ROBINSON OF NEW WAVE RAFTING Courtesy New Wave Rafting/ Kathy Miller
THE HEALTHIEST FOOD IN TAOS!
Organic Juice Bar | Organic Espresso Bar | Superfood Smoothies Salads & Wraps | Grilled Sandwiches | Grocery Fresh Produce | Health & Body Care Sol Food Market strives to use all natural, organic and local ingredients where ever we can. We want to leave the smallest ecological footprint possible. As the science of sustainability advances, we will move in the same direction. We are so grateful to our beautiful community for supporting us throughout the years.
Downtown Arroyo Seco | 575-776-5765
solfoodnm.com
photo by Marjorie
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WHITEWATER RAFTING GUIDE KAREN HOUSE NAVIGATES THE POWERLINE FALLS IN THE TAOS BOX AREA OF THE RÍO GRANDE. Britt Runyon
finesse
Kathy Miller was a young mother of two when she met her outdoors-oriented husband. She learned how to kayak and hike. “I couldn’t get enough of white water,” she remembers. Miller and her husband were fortunate enough to get a river permit from the Bureau of Land Management. With permit in hand, a VW square back car and one boat, they started New Wave Rafting. “We were adventurers and saw that maybe we could make a living on the river,” she says. Founded in 1980, New Wave is one of the most established rafting companies in Taos. Miller was the president of the New Mexico River Outfitters Association for years. In her experience, there were no obstacles for her as a woman. “I was always welcome,” she says. “I never expected barriers.” Acknowledging that having too many men as guides can create a testosterone-fest, Miller loves having women on her crew. “There is no question – having women on our boats make the whole thing better. Like anything else, with gender balance it is more inclusive and fun for everyone. There are no barriers for women in white water. They bring more finesse than brute strength, and skill is more important than strength in river rafting.” Cisco Guevara, founder of Los Rios River Runners, agrees. “Female energy is important in wild environments and the adrenaline-filled world of river rafting. I would rather have an all-female crew than one that is all male. Men sometimes try to out compete each other. Women are more likely to cooperate and create a safer and more manageable trip,” he says.
i can do this!
For Suzie Benton of Los Rios River Runners, a chance to accompany a friend in her boat turned into a 13-year career in rafting. “I was helping a friend get her ’check off runs’ (the practice runs required before you are allowed to have guests in your boat) and I thought, ’Hey, I can do this,’ ” she says. The next season she signed up for whitewater school through Los Rios River Runners and has been a guide ever since. She loves the opportunity to meet people in an environment that may be unfamiliar and extremely uncomfortable for them, and watch a team form as everyone successfully navigates rapids. Many people come away with a new viewpoint on life and the natural world.
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NEW MEXICO RIVER ADVENTURES’ WOMEN OF THE RIVER. Courtesy New Mexico River Adventures
SAVANNAH HALL NAVIGATES HER RAFT THROUGH THE SOUSE HOLE ON THE RACECOURSE PORTION OF THE RÍO GRANDE. Courtesy New Mexico River Adventures
Although Benton acknowledges there are more male guides than female, she says, “The guys in this industry are very welcoming and supportive. River guides tend to be a tight bunch because we’re in the middle of nowhere with a lot of risk.”
guiding life
For young women who are getting the chance to be river rafting guides, the experience allows them to build strength and confidence while being in the outdoors. Hannah Edwards of New Mexico River Adventures (NMRA) was on road trip from Louisiana to California four years ago when she passed through New Mexico. She remembers, “I was in awe of the scenery and how different it was from Louisiana. I made a mental note that I wanted to live here in the future. After I graduated with a bachelor’s in business management, I remembered I had told myself that I wanted to be a white-water rafting guide for a summer.” Edwards googled “river rafting in New Mexico” and New Mexico River Adventures was the first link. She was invited to come for guide school. “That was the first time I had made real plans to independently move to a new place. It was a magic moment.” One of her loves is getting to work in the beautiful New Mexico scenery. She’s learned skills that will help her succeed in any career including leadership, thinking quickly and being solution-oriented. She gets so much exercise that she can eat whatever she wants. Life in the outdoors has allowed her to become more well-rounded, lessmaterialistic and most of all – happy. Although she’s heard some horror stories from the past, she hasn’t experienced any discrimination in her work as a rafting guide. “NMRA has been very inclusive and supportive from the beginning; women are seen as equal. Some men throw in rogue paddle strokes, but most just offer to help hold the boat and carry things too often. Coming from the South, I understand that usually they are only trying to be chivalrous,” she says. For women who love the outdoors and want to try guiding on the river, Edwards says, “Don’t think you aren’t tough enough. I was a notoriously scared person. This experience has given me a genuine confidence I’ve never had. It’s changed me and my life forever. Go rafting!” d
A good idea for women interested in outdoor careers like river guiding or ski instructing is to find a mentor who can help with the intricacies of outdoor sports, while giving you solid advice. One recommended resource is Camber Outdoors (camberoutdoors.org) – a mentor program that promotes women in outdoor industry leadership positions. FOR MORE INFORMATION
New Mexico River Adventures newmexicoriveradventures.com (800) 983-7756 New Wave Rafting newwaverafting.com (800) 984-1444
Los Rios River Runners losriosriverrunners.com (575) 776-8854 T A O S
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taos
Taos Wome
expo
Exhibit
Exhibitors are offering Door Prizes Galore! Come visit with these exhibitors Friday and Saturday in Ri
March 29 & 30
Edward Jones Investments
El Monte Sagrado Resort & Spa Conference Center
Mariposa Realty
Bond Plumbing
PhoenixPhotos Photography
all events free & open to the public Deluxe Picnic To Go
Friday, March 29 6 pm Presentation of Taos Movers & Shakers: Women Doing Business Right! Presentation from Taos Community Foundation: Women Give Awards
• Exhibits open in Rio Grande Ballroom Exhibitors are offering Services Galore Saturday in Sandov Friday March 29, 4 pm – 8 pm, Saturday March 30, 10 am – 2 pm • Exhibits open in Sandoval Ballroom: Saturday March 30, 10 am – 2 pm European Alterations & Tailoring
Essential
Produced by the Taos County Chamber Of Commerce with support from our sponsors:
Julie Kelly Astrology
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Bonnie Brambles Palm Reader
Chelsea Flei
taos community foundation
Taos Women’s Expo Exhibitors
Door Prizes Galore!
en’s Expo
tors
Exhibitors are offering Door Prizes Galore! Friday & Saturday Exhibitors Come visit with these exhibitors Friday and in RioBallroom Grande Ballroom! RioSaturday Grande
Edward Jones Investments
Mariposa Realty
2 Passes to Ojo Caliente
Large House Plant
Hour Service Call BondOne Plumbing
Wyndham Resort Vacation Wyndham Resort Vacation Package - Value $500
Plus Many More
Exhibitors!
INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTOR
io Grande Ballroom!
One Night Staycation
Savvy Minerals Earth Makeup Essential Oil Product Gift
taos community foundation
PhoenixPhotos Photography
Wyndham DeluxeResort Picnic ToVacation Go Picnic To Go Package - Deluxe Value $500
Age IQ Day & Night Creams
$300Book Grant Award Free
Coral Starfish Earrings
$500 Advertising Daneeca Barrone Package
DCB Photography $50 Gift Basket
Gift Certificate Water Test
Services Galore!
Special Surprise Gift
Exhibitors are offering Services Galore Saturday in Sandoval Ballroom!
Free Book
DCB Photography Daneeca Barrone 30 MinuteEuropean Photo Session Alterations & Tailoring
val Ballroom!
Julie Kelly Astrology
Julie Kelly Astrology Blood Checks $10Pressure per Question
Saturday Exhibitors / Sandoval Ballroom Gift Certificate
Blood Pressure Checks
Blood Pressure Checks Essential Oils
Bonnie Brambles Items Palm for Sale Reader
Chelsea Fleischman Coupon: $275 Photo Session
Message, Oxygen, CBD
Bonnie Brambles Palm Reader $12 per Palm
Massage,
Salon
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l Oils
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Message, Oxygen, CBD
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Since 1985, Senator Carlos R. Cisneros has been fighting for woman’s rights in Northern New Mexico Here’s where I stand: ~ Pay equity for women ~Fight for Supreme Court justices who support the reproductive rights of women ~Women Business entrepreneurial initiatives
Political Ad paid for by the committee to reelect Carlos R. Cisneros.
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TAOS CAREER WOMEN TO KNOW
Morgan Timms/The Taos News
P A U L A
Title(s) and work responsibilities:
President/ general manager, Randall Lumber Working in a family business means I’m responsible for everything from budgeting and forecasting to the everyday functions that can include picking up trash and sweeping the snow off the sidewalks.
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How many years in present occupation? I have been president/GM since 1997, but I have been active in the business since 1975.
List any involvement with groups/nonprofits: I have been a board member/officer of Taos County Chamber of Commerce Women’s Division, president of Mountain State Lumber & Building Dealer’s Association, and currently serve as church counsel president for Sangre de Cristo Lutheran Church of Taos. I also actively support Habitat for Humanity, Taos, and the Taos 4-H program.
TAOSNEWS.COM/TAOS-WOMAN
E R V I N
What do you think is the most pressing issue for women in the workplace?
If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self anything, what would it be?
This is the most challenging question for me. Although I have grown up in and am leading a business that is in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I was fortunate to grow up in a family that did not suppress my interest in continuing the business. With both my grandmother and mother working in the business, Randall Lumber developed a culture that I think is pretty fair to all employees. So with that background, I have tried to maintain a work environment in our company where all our employees feel valued and supported.
Having been a very shy teenager I would tell myself, Don’t be afraid and have confidence in yourself.”
For the Woman in Your Life... 758-3555
Next to Baskin Robbins
www.budscutflowersandmore.net
continues to be there in your time of need and is now accepting Medicaid Insurance and a Sliding Fee Schedule.
Providing counseling for Families, Couples, Individuals and Youth. Golden Willow teaming with Rio Grande ATP keeping Taos County healthy with its intensive outpatient and behavioral health programs.
412 SIPAPU, 525A SALAZAR PHONE 575 770 9513 GOLDENWILLOWCOUNSELING.COM GOLDENWILLOWCOUNSELING@GMAIL.COM GOLDENWILLOWCOUNSELING ¡HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL!
El Pueblito United Methodist Church Sharing the Love for 25 years Eve Tovino
Kitchen Manager for Shared Table - 13 years of “sharing the love" Food Distribution 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM at El Pueblito Church and 2:00 - 3:00 PM at Tapla Community Center To donate or learn more about Shared Table www.elpueblitoumc.org 575-758-3166
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Blooming community Connie White’s ’secret garden’ grows health in more ways than food STO RY BY VI RG I N I A L . C L A RK
|
P H OTOS BY MO RGAN T I M M S
T U R N I N G A PA R K I N G LOT INTO A “SECRET G A R D E N ” I S F I R S TGRADE TEACHER CONNIE WHITE’S DREAM COME TRUE. And now it’s bearing the fruit of a statewide STEAM organic farming movement. Grafted with fellow educators, organic farmers, grantors and federal funding over the years, Enos Garcia Elementary pre-schoolers through fifth-graders are learning science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — and eating organic to boot. “They’re asking for kale!” White said this past January, wide-eyed and smiling about the reactions of her tiny student farmers to the produce from their gardens. “They ask, ’Can we make kale shakes today?’ It’s just so wonderful.” White has been key to getting kids into gardening by helping to develop two school gardens at Enos Garcia Elementary School; One nearly invisible Secret Garden in 2006, located behind the firstgrade wing of the former Taos Elementary School, and the Parr Field garden since 2012, visible from Camino de la Placita, next to Taos Public Library. The latter was developed two years later in collaboration with the Farmhouse School Lunch Program in 2014. Because of her love for both her students and the gardens through the years, White’s students learn to raise and eat organic food. “The kids are being taught math and language arts, reading, social skills, science and they’re loving it,” White said. An elementary teacher in Taos for the last 25 years, White’s heartfelt belief that healthy food grows healthy kids and community took root and spread.
Enos Garcia first-grade teacher Connie White helps a student with an assignment Feb. 12.
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Marjorie Eaton:
A Life In Pictures On view April 2019 through March 2020
Painter, Photographer, Actress women’s consignment clothing
126 W. Plaza (south of US Bank on the Plaza) | 7 days a week | 575.758.4460
Support for Marjorie Eaton: A Life In Pictures provided by the Elizabeth A.Sackler Museum Education Trust
227 Paseo del Pueblo Norte / Open Tue-Sun taosartmuseum.org
Women Give Taos is a Women’s Giving Circle
uniting women as leaders and change agents to create opportunities for women and children in Taos and western Colfax Counties. We salute our strong, dedicated, and generous advisors, and the women they support. Join us for our $30,000 grant awards presentation at the 2019 Women's Expo on March 29th.
PHYSICAL: 115 LA POSTA RD, STE A, TAOS MAILING: P.O. BOX 1925, TAOS 575-737-9300 TAOSCF.ORG
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U R I N G T H E E A R LY 2 0 0 0 S , Taos Elementary and Enos Garcia Elementary schools merged into one campus, thus forsaking former teacher Bonnie Bonneau’s 11-year Early Childhood Garden project that was sold with the other campus. White looked at the rocky, empty plot behind the new first-grade wing at Enos Garcia Elementary and envisioned a “secret garden,” and from that tiny seed an oak of community land stewardship and organic farming sprouted. In 2006, White wrote a youth garden grant application detailing that Early Childhood staff, students and more were interested in transforming the plot into an outdoor classroom, garden and quiet area. Over the years, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps students have helped kindergarten and first-grade classes with brainstorming, map-making, building and planting the gardens. Everyone from pre-schoolers to parents and grandparents, teachers, volunteers and master gardeners ultimately transplanted perennials, herbs and flowers from the former garden and created two new gardens, while also growing indoor classroom starts to transplant into the gardens each year. Volunteers helped students develop and maintain roof-water catchment barrels and drip systems to help irrigate. “Our students harvest seeds from the garden boxes, make seed packets and take the seeds home to plant family gardens,” White said, noting too, that their fresh local produce comes to Taos school lunches and salad bars. ...sometimes we “This helps the kids to understand that all living just find a special things need clean air, water, sun and care — all seeds to plant in our students’ minds now,” she place out there to said, adding that the students plan, plant, care for quiet our bodies and harvest the same 10 raised beds created in 2006 and 2012. and minds and Local businesses that have made in-kind be OK with doing donations over the years include Ace Hardware, Farmhouse Café, Petree’s Nursery, Randall nothing but Lumber, Chamisa Feeds, Cedar Y Ranch, listening to the life Walmart and Blossoms (now closed). White said Micah Roseberry, local Farmhouse in the garden. Café & Bakery owner, organic gardening specialist and former Taos Waldorf School founder is particularly instrumental in the whole “Local Food for Local Kids” emphasis. Nikki Cain is a former Taos Waldorf school educator hired by Roseberry as the educational coordinator of Growing Community Now, a pilot program by White, Roseberry and Cain providing local, organic meals to over 600 students in Taos day care and elementary schools. “Growing Community Now has been well-received within the school community, as well as the by the kids and parents,” Cain said about the program she joined in 2016, “because the kids are having such a good time.” Besides Enos Garcia kids, Cain said the program also provides local, organic food to Taos International School and Taos Integrated School of the Arts. Over the years, community collaborations have included the University of New Mexico-Taos Kids Campus and TWIRL Play Space. Growing Community Now presents an annual Harvest Festival at Enos Garcia Elementary School, open to all the schools and community of Taos. Every afternoon Cain teaches Enos Garcia Kindergarten through second-graders about healthy food. She also teaches an after-school enrichment class every Thursday to Enos Garcia third, fourth and fifth grades, as well as holding a school-wide Tasting Event every Wednesday in the cafeteria, all of which “helps to keep the whole school involved,” she said. “Connie is so amazing,” Cain said. “I’m lucky to have gotten to work really closely with her. She’s so dedicated to having these experiences available to the kids and the whole community.” continues page 42
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Enos Garcia first-grade teacher Connie White conducts class on Feb. 12.
From our CEO to our 19 female employees Randall Lumber's staff is over 30% women. 3 generations strong, we've been shattering the glass ceiling for decades.
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BLOOMING COMMUNITY from page 40
Connie White walks students through the Parr Field garden on their way home. In the summer, students learn how to grow food, cultivate and cook it.
“I’m just blessed that these two women have made it blossom into all this,” White said with a faraway look in her eyes, reviewing no doubt, all that has transpired in the last 12 to 15 years of her dedicated involvement. “The kids are learning all about our land and how to be sustainable and grow their own food. Micah and Nikki are really the ones to get the credit.” Roseberry appreciates the praise, but turned it back to White, stressing it was “Connie’s huge effect on getting everything started.”
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AV I N G R E C E N T LY A C Q U I R E D funding from the Lor and Thornburg foundations, White, Roseberry and Cain are expanding Growing Community Now through education and a strategic planning process that includes local organizations, the Not Forgotten Outreach veterans-in-agriculture organization and the Taos County Economic Development Corporation, which has certified kitchen facilities. “We are looking forward to a year of collaboration around the goals of feeding children local healthy food and helping more farmers get active to support the Local Foods For Local Kids program,” Roseberry said about TCEDC’s new participation in the organic food program. Besides funding from Taos Municipal Schools over the years and Albuquerque Community Foundation in 2012, White has gotten yearly grants from Taos Community Foundation, among others. With her involvement, Enos Garcia Elementary School also partnered with Explora Science Museum for Family Nights and First Grade Field Trips. Some of the suppliers of organic foods to the schools include Thunder Bird Cattle Company of Taos Pueblo;
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White Mountain Farm of Taos; West’s Best of Jarisco, Colorado; Taos Village Farm; Cerro Vista Farms of Cerro, New Mexico; Moriarty Farm of Moriarty, New Mexico; Organic Valley Milk of Denver, Colorado; and Mary’s Organic Chicken of New Mexico. “The garden is a special place to our students and staff,” White concludes in a 2012 grant application. “It is a place of solitude where eyes and magnifying glasses are observing, exploring; caring hands are touching the soil, watering, finding insects, picking food; mouths are tasting, noses are smelling and sometimes we just find a special place out there to quiet our bodies and minds and be OK with doing nothing but listening to the life in the garden.” d For more information about White, Roseberry and Cain’s Growing Community Now program, see growingcommunitynow.org or email conwhi@taosschools.org.
Morgan Timms/The Taos News Enos Garcia first-grade teacher Connie White walks students through the Parr Field garden on their way home. In the summer, students learn how to grow food, cultivate and cook it.
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HONORING ALL THE OUTSTANDING WOMEN THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND LIVE.
Our talented managers, officers and employees. Kate Alderete, Mary Archuleta, Tamara Chavez, Tami Concha, Joan Doolittle, Scarlett Espinoza, Judy Esquibel, Marietta Fambro, Josephine Fresquez, Francella Garcia, Melinda Garcia, Dinah Gonzales, Karen Gonzales, Elise Iringain, Lupe Lopez, Janice Martinez, Raquel Martinez, Betsy McCullough, Michelle Medina, Debbie MedinaVigil,Shirley Mondragon, Valorie Mondragon, Annette Montoya, Linda Montoya, Lupe Morgas, Pamela Pacheco, LindaPerry, Tomasita Ramirez, Catherine Romero, Denise Romero, Tammie Romero, Allyn Sanchez, Linda Sanchez, Juli Skansie, Amberley Valdez, Sharon Voight, Anna Weinzetl, Barbara Yuma-Romero Not Pictured: Ana Karina Armijo, Modesta Chavez, Carmen Gonzales, Samantha Hurtado, Donna Jaramillo,Bernadine King, Claudia Locke, Lillian Martinez, Mariah Martinez, Vanessa Martinez, Andrea Medina, Rocio Perez-Medina, Miranda Quintana, Paula Trujillo, Melissa Vigil, Shannon Wood
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TAOS CAREER WOMEN TO KNOW
Morgan Morgan Timms/The Timms/The TaosTaos News News
A N I T A
B R I N G A S
Title(s) and work responsibilities:
Strategic Support Manager, UNM-Taos I support the campus CEO and Executive Leadership Team in achieving our mission through strategic planning and various initiatives on campus and in the community. This includes
activities that are multifaceted and diverse, such as: public/government relations and community outreach and engagement, to identify and facilitate opportunities for collaboration; marketing and communications, to inform and educate our campus community and the community at large about the programs, events and activities happening at UNM-Taos; and collecting and analyzing institutional data for program assessment and to inform decision-making, to name a few. Additionally, I oversee the rental of
Bataan Hall as an event facility. My hope is that my work helps UNMTaos to continue providing affordable, accessible and supportive academic and workforce training programs to the community, and to create a culture on campus for our students to achieve their academic and career goals.
How many years in present occupation? Going on nine years. I’ve worked at UNMTaos since 2010, in various capacities— as a project coordinator for the Taos Education and Career Center (formerly the Literacy Center at UNM-Taos), administrative officer, Title V program specialist, institutional researcher and now my new role as strategic support manager (since December 2018).
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TAOS CAREER WOMEN TO KNOW from page 46
Morgan MorganTimms/The Timms/TheTaos Taos News News
What do you think is the most pressing issue for women in the workplace? Universally, women continue to face the challenge of inherent biases that are held about our capabilities on the basis of gender. Women, and to a greater degree women of color, are often underestimated, and are expected to fit into limiting stereotypical representations of women. We are fortunate that these assumptions are being challenged all around us and the narrative is changing. More and more, women are standing up and showing up, embracing and celebrating their womanhood proudly and unapologetically. I feel fortunate to be living in a time with so many strong, intelligent, compassionate and diverse women leaders, both in Taos and those representing us on a state and national level.
List any involvement with groups/nonprofits: I currently serve on various local nonprofit boards and committees, including Taos Feeds Taos and the Taos County Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee and Education Committee, and I recently joined the Taos Entrepreneurial Network as a board member. I also have served on a national organization, the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) as a board member since 2013, and now as a volunteer member of their Strategic Partnerships and Institutes Committee. In the past, I’ve been a member of the Taos Milagro Rotary Club, and served for a few years on the Taos Fiesta Council.
If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self anything, what would it be?
I’d tell her two things: First, “Trust your intuition—it’s right!” And then I’d give her a copy of the poem “Our Deepest Fear” by Marianne Williamson, and tell her to read it, embrace it and live it.
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Women • We Support Community • We Are Builders • We Are Voters
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Jane Trains Animal training with loving kindness Story by Cindy Brown , Photos by Morgan Timms
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ANIMAL TRAINING IS AN ART FORM, ALTHOUGH IT IS BACKED BY SCIENCE, SAYS TAOS DOG TRAINER JANE GERARD. Beginning with her study of horse training with the British Horse Society when she was very young, Gerard has been perfecting her craft for most of her life. She got a summer job training dolphins and sea lions, which evolved into a 17-year career traveling through Europe, the Bahamas, Mexico and New York. When she was just beginning her career, she had a hard time finding animal training work. “When I started working with dolphins as a young woman, I was turned away from work. There were all men working in the big safari parks with killer whales, dolphins, sea lions and elephants. The concern was that women were too emotional, so they couldn’t train. Actually, emotion and gender have nothing to do with being a good trainer.” Gerard observes that at that time the emphasis was on safety and the use of force to keep the animal on track so that no one got hurt and the animal did their job. The techniques that were used came from the military in World War II where horses had been trained for battle. The people were expected to be the masters. She persisted and as her experience grew. Her own philosophy on animal training evolved. Although she’d been pressured to work with the traditional methods of dominating animals in order to train them, she began to see that there was another way, one she calls simply “loving kindness.”
Jane Gerard, of Jane Trains, says to succesfully work with animals ’taking the time to know the animal is key.’
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JANE TRAINS from page 51
A TRAINING EXPERIENCE with Jane Trains
Gerard provided a training session for my dog, Dennis, so that I could see a demonstration of how her method works. Dennis is a 95-pound, 8-year-old lab/shepherd mix who pulls to get at other dogs while on a leash; something Gerard calls “leash reactivity.” Gerard quickly sees that he is fearful, not aggressive towards other dogs or people. She walks by Dennis again and again, which would normally make him very nervous, but she praises him and instructs me to do the same and reward his increasingly calm behavior with his favorite
Above: Using positive reinforcement, Jane Gerard instructs Cindy Brown on how to keep her dog, Dennis, relaxed in the presence of other dogs on Feb. 10 at Gerard’s Lower Las Colonias home.
treats. Soon, Dennis is less reactive to her and then she reappears with 1 1/2-year-old dog Magpie. We repeat the exercise with Gerard
Jane Gerard kisses Magpie on Feb. 10 during a training session.
and her dog Magpie passing closer and closer. Dennis gradually lays down and yawns – signs he is relaxing, and he is rewarded with more praise and treats. By the time the training session is over, Dennis is noticeably calmer and more relaxed, and almost certainly has a highly positive association with this training session, thus opening the door to more learning in the future. For more information, visit
janetrains.com and find her on Facebook, or call (575) 758-4430.
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JANE TRAINS from page 52
Right: Jane Gerard instructs Magpie to demonstrate skills she has learned.
Below: One-and-a-half-year-old Magpie leaps from the couch alongside dog trainer Jane Gerard of Jane Trains and 15-year-old Lala on Feb. 10 in her Lower Las Colonias home.
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’Taking a lot of time to know the animal is key. I would spend hours on the side of the pool up until late at night with the dolphins. I was fascinated and completely in love with it. Dolphins were so intelligent that they reciprocated. They actually taught me.’
CHANGING APPROACHES Animal training philosophy in general began to evolve in the ’80s and ’90s, as the public started to develop a different consciousness about animals and didn’t want to see them being dominated. Marine mammals in captivity had a lot to do with bringing about changes for animals in zoos today, according to Gerard. “Any modern accredited zoo is using positive reinforcement training
on big dangerous animals like rhinos, elephants, lions and tigers,” she says. When she started to get really difficult cases as a dog trainer, Gerard saw even more clearly that dominating techniques didn’t work. She did her own research to continue to evolve her approach using positive reinforcement. That led her to train with the Karen Pryor Academy, which is focused on force-free training techniques that are backed by behavioral science. Gerard earned her certification as a professional dog trainer (KPA CTP). She is also certified through Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. Although there is no requirement for dog trainers to be certified, such credentials assure a high level of professionalism and care.
WORK WITH DOGS AND HORSES In Taos, Gerard has worked with Stray Hearts and founded the Complete Pet Ranch in Tres Piedras.
She managed a horse sanctuary in Alabama, but felt the call of Taos and returned in 2016 to consult with Stray Hearts and continue to build Jane Trains. She offers training for dogs and horses, as well as doggy day care two days a week and boarding for dogs that have trained with her. In describing her approach Gerard says, “My goal is to communicate in a way that doesn’t stress the animal and that they can readily understand. When they volunteer the desired behavior — that’s how we know that they have learned the behavior permanently.” She has been successful with her positive reinforcement method working with dogs who seem to be aggressive. “I have a case right now where the dog is highly reactive. He has already bitten three people. We have been pairing the things the dog is having an emotional response to — including people and other dogs, and using food to change the emotional response. We reinforce good behavior,
which makes the dog calm and less aggressive. The dog is now turning away from the perceived threat. The owner can see the difference and so can her neighbors.” This is the essence of counter conditioning — a way to make a formerly threatening experience now related to a positive association.
LOVE OF THE WORK AND TAOS Gerard’s biggest thrill is working with an owner who really understands the positive approach to dog training. “It’s really exciting. To help families improve their relationship with dogs, so they can keep their dogs and live well together.” Looking out at Taos Mountain from her training facility on Lower Las Colonias, Gerard says, “This is what I love most: being here with the dogs, the horses, the birds, the space. I’ve always loved it here. I feel this is my home.” d
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Fear, loathing, love
Kristina Ortez, executive director of the Taos Land Trust, on motivation, self-care, compromise and environmental advocacy STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM O’DONN E L L
The following conversation took place February 14, 2019, between Kristina Ortez, and writer and photographer Jim O’Donnell. Ortez and O’Donnell have been friendsfor over five years. O’Donnell currently works part-time as the communications and policy director for the Taos Land Trust. JIM O’DONNELL (JOD): We hear the phrase “the radical middle” a lot in New Mexico. It’s catchy. But is there anything to that? Kristina Ortez (KO): When you’re in the business of protecting land and water there are times when we have to rely on compromise. I struggle to find a way to talk to people who have completely opposite views of mine, but I increasingly recognize that my job is to focus on the middle. It’s radical. And I have to tell you it hurts.
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FEAR, LOATHING, LOVE from page 56
T H E R E A R E C E R T A I N T I M E S when there is no room for compromise. For example, the rights of LGBTQI people, civil rights, rights for women. But when you’re talking about land and culture there is utility in opening yourself up to listening, even though it might confront your own deeply ingrained beliefs. When I go to the state Legislature and I hear things that are utterly ridiculous I have to spend some mental energy figuring why someone would say something so absurd. Where are they coming from? Why do they have such opposite view points of my own, which is clearly the right one!
To change your community you have to be part of your community.
JOD: IS COMPROMISE HARDER THAN IT USED TO BE? KO: It’s easier. I find myself at the age of 45 more understanding of the foibles of my own deeply ingrained way of thinking. At the same time, I want folks to see my way. So, I have to disentangle what is a deeply held belief and what is right. JOD: WHY COMPROMISE? KO: We get something that meets some of the needs for the greatest number of people. Not all of the needs of all of the people. That’s not possible. But something can happen in our community. And I don’t think that change needs to happen gradually. It can happen immediately through compromise. JOD: WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENT? WHAT IS THE LINE ON COMPROMISE? KO: We are now in a rapid adaptation phase. We are responding to things that 20 years ago we couldn’t comprehend. But now we’re in it. We must adapt to bigger storms, bigger droughts. These are things we can’t compromise on like policies that would reverse these terrible things from happening. But when we are talking about long-term land management there is a place for the art of compromising. There has to be. We are talking about people and culture. In Northern New Mexico we are talking about people who have been on the land for millennia. JOD: HOW DO YOU COMPROMISE WITH PEOPLE WHO DON’T SEE COMPROMISE AS A LEGITIMATE TOOL AND HOW DO YOU COMPROMISE WITH SOMEONE WHO IS ILL-INFORMED? KO: You have to look at the long game. People are changing. This is where hope comes into the equation. We need to have a dogged, hopeful determination that things will keep moving forward. We have to make slow, steady change. It’s true that there are punctuated events where things change all of a sudden. But we also need to put our heads down and just make it happen while hanging on to hope and faith. JOD: FAITH, AS IN OPTIMISM? KO: Yes. That has to be a part of how you approach big problems. JOD: WHY DOES THE WORK WE DO AS CONSERVATIONISTS MATTER? KO: I used to work on big, landscape-scale public lands protection, like you. Wilderness campaigns are so long and forward thinking, and you just assume you’re going to be in the trenches for 10, 15 years or more. Then, every once in a while, there is going to be
someone like Senator (Tom) Udall or Senator (Martin) Heinrich who is like, ’We’re going to do this. Now.’ And all of a sudden things change in a way that is surprising. Think about this public lands bill that just passed. (On Feb. 12, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan public lands bill that safeguards more than 2 million federal acres.) Who would have thought this would have passed in this senate? So, things like this come up and it seems surprising, but it isn’t when you look at that long, methodical steady work that went into it. The question I pose to myself and others doing this kind of work is: How do you keep yourself from going crazy? How do you keep motivated? Real change does happen over the long haul, and how do we self-care while we’re doing the work? What gives me solace, true comfort and rejuvenation is my tribe. My community. I’m highly energized and boosted by my community. Taos has it. Even with all of its issues, I feel uplifted by what we have in this town. t the end of the day, we will take care of each other. JOD: YOU ONCE JOKED TO ME THAT YOU’RE MOTIVATED TO DO THIS WORK BY “FEAR AND LOATHING”. AND WHILE I KNEW IT WAS A JOKE, IT STUCK WITH ME BECAUSE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IT GOT TO MY MOTIVATION. KO: I don’t want to die. I don’t want to fight my neighbors over water. I don’t want my children or grandchildren to worry about where their food is going to come from. And those things are real. Those things could very well happen in our lifetime. And that motivates me to work in community and invest in community. JOD: AND THE LOATHING PART? KO: I don’t want to let the bastards win. Oh, and I have to tell you…there is a part of it where I’m motivated by someone underestimating my abilities. continues page 61
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Kristina Ortez addresses the crowd gathered at the Taos Land Trust’s 2018 Matanza. ’When you’re in the business of protecting land and water there are times when we have to rely on compromise,’ she says. ’I struggle to find a way to talk to people who have completely opposite views of mine, but I increasingly recognize that my job is to focus on the middle.’
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At the end of the day, we
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will take care of each other. — Kristina Ortez
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from page 58
’When we are talking about long-term land management there is a place for the art of compromising. There has to be. We are talking about people and culture. In Northern New Mexico we are talking about people who have been on the land for millennia.’ — Kristina Ortez
JOD: THERE IS AN EGO IN THERE?
Previous page: A map of the Río Fernando Park redesign during the Taos Land Trust’s 2018 Matanza.
FEAR, LOATHING, LOVE
KO: Oh boy, there is ego in there. JOD: THERE IS THE FEAR AND THE LOATHING, BUT ISN’T THERE A THIRD LEG TO THAT STOOL? KO: Love. Love for myself. My community. This place. Love is the necessary third leg. JOD: DOES THE LOVE PIECE GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO COMPROMISE? KO: It must. You can be successful with just fear and loathing. But it’s pretty empty. It’s pretty exhausting. Look, we have strong ideas about things. And we’re all close-minded about things. But we have to understand our motivations. Are people who drill for oil driven only by greed because that’s the story we’ve told ourselves as environmentalists? Or is there more to the story? JOD: EMPATHY? CAN WE HAVE EMPATHY FOR OUR OPPONENTS? KO: Yes. It gives us the power to change their minds.
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JOD: DOES EMPATHY HELP US WITH STRUCTURAL RACISM? HOW ABOUT WITH THE STRUCTURAL CAPITALISM THAT IS EATING US ALIVE? KO: Empathy is not going to cut it alone. This is where we talk about those punctuated changes that need to happen. We are in oligarchy right now and the ramifications are real. And people are starting to see that the leadership of this country doesn’t care. There is empathy and then there is just forcing the change because it has to happen. JOD: WHERE TO NEXT? KO: We need to continue to align our priorities with what is sustainable in our communities. When you’re investing in community, you’re empowering members to understand their own needs and to be able to vocalize their priorities. What we have to do as a non-profit is continue to create that space, create the venues where people can have those discussions. We can provide the venues in ways that other entities can’t. To change your community you have to be part of your community. d
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575.758.2462
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TAOS CAREER WOMEN TO KNOW
Morgan MorganTimms/The Timms/TheTaos Taos News News
L I N D A
Title(s) and work responsibilities:
Animal control officer under the town of Taos Police Department
S A N C H E Z
How many years in present occupation?
List any involvement with groups/nonprofits:
Since Dec. 24, 2014.
I work with several groups that are nonprofit on and off the job. These are just a few: Las Carmelitas de Chamisal is a Roman Catholic society whose mission is to love, help and pray for the people. It closely resembles the Hermanos of the Roman Catholic Moradas and their purpose. Stray Hearts Animal Shelter who also helps the community and offers low-cost but effective animal humane care for animals in Taos and Taos County. FOE (Fraternal Order of Eagles), an organization whose focus is for the greater good of all. They are involved in events throughout the community that benefit and also fundraise to help Taos, Taos County and its residents.
What do you think is the most pressing issue for women in the workplace? Equal pay on career opportunities with more to come.
I also work closely with other departments within the town of Taos and its many facets.
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If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self anything, what would it be?
To continue my education and to strive to be a stronger more involved person in the community. To not be afraid to speak on the behalf of women who struggle because they are not considered beautiful, successful, talented, smart, etc., and to help as many people that I can and to always strive for the greater good of all humanity.
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P H O T O B Y K AT H A R I N E E G L I
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to
get your FUN on
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Morgan Timms/The Taos News
J U D Y
E S Q U I B E L
Title(s) and work responsibilities:
Community events coordinator for the town of Taos My responsibilities include planning and coordinating the following community events: Touch-a-Truck, Taos Halloween Community Event, Taos Youth Flight Rally, Wet ’n’ Wild Easter, Yuletide Tree Lighting and Electric Light Parade, Read Across America Annual Reading Celebration and Celebration of Dr. Seuss Birthday, Valentine Craft Making, Mother’s Day Project, Father’s Day Project, Ornament & Craft Making, “El Vibaron” for the Fiesta de Taos Children’s Parade and Pitch, Hit and Run. In addition, I bring in outreach programs such as Mini-Explora and The Wildlife Center Tour. Other events that I assist with are Movies on the Green, Hometown Fourth of July Celebration and New Year’s Eve Celebration. Part of my responsibilities includes assisting with the seasonal holiday decorations throughout the town and the coordination of the annual, month long, lighting of farolitos
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at the Taos Plaza. Along with planning and coordinating events, I assist in the development of public relations and media efforts, promotions and advertising campaigns. I prepare, for publication, a variety of calendars, letters, posters, news releases, flyers and related communications regarding events. I also select and order supplies for events, and recruit presenters and entertainers. I enjoy creative working relationships with numerous outside organizations, town staff and a cadre of volunteers, bringing these teams together to work on the many town of Taos community events.
How many years in present occupation? I have worked for the town of Taos for 21 years. As quoted by Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This position was created for me, and I have been the only one to this day to fill this position.
What do you think is the most pressing issue for women in the workplace? Child care to me is the most pressing issue when both parents work or if you are a single parent. If you do not have the support at home, get paid enough
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to pay for day care and still be able to survive on what you have is a challenge facing too many women today. It is imperative that women are able to find safe, accredited childcare that allows them to feel comfortable when leaving their children while they have to work, is essential. We are living in a world of hard times; it is time to support moms, by making it a safer and easier world for all.
List any involvement with groups/ nonprofits: I support and assist the Taos Cancer Support Services through Holy Cross Medical Center. This program helps our locals diagnosed with cancer with several services. For more information on the program, please contact them at (575) 751-8927. If you are looking for a nonprofit to support in donations or be part of their fundraising opportunity this, in my opinion, is the nonprofit to help.
If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self anything, what would it be?
I would go back and tell myself prepare for your journey ahead—it will have its up and downs, but it will be a fulfilling life. My life may not be perfect, but I am content. I am blessed with two beautiful
daughters whom I am extremely proud of. My oldest daughter, Sabrina, is a health and wellness director for Rehabilitation Partners, and is a lieutenant with a Medical Support Unit for the U.S. Army Reserve. My youngest, Angelica, has been serving in the U.S. Army for seven years and is currently a drill sergeant. My daughters are successful women in their careers and are appreciative, contributing women in their communities. I have been with my soul mate, Henry, since we were both in high school. He is the school resource officer for the town of Taos and has a wonderful, entrusting relationship with our community youth. In life, we are given obstacles to overcome. Five years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This was the hardest obstacle life has hit me with—emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. I am not upset it happened to me, it changed me. It helped me become a stronger person, to appreciate life, to know it is okay to be scared, learn to eat healthier, exercise, cherish each day as a blessing and have incredible people in my life. I am very thankful. God gives us what we can handle and gives us our obstacles for a reason. I am not the perfect human, but I try to be a good person. Since then I have traveled to Europe, South Carolina, North Carolina and San Antonio, Texas. I have enjoyed amazing food and great company; I have checked off a few items from my bucket list, spent time with family and enjoy every day.