AFROMUNDO FESTIVAL — TROUBLED TERRITORIES: THE WILL TO HEAL
April 12th through 19th
In times of uncertainty and challenge, organizations and communities rise together, drawing strength from their shared histories, cultures, and dreams. Through resilience, creativity, and solidarity, they find the courage to endure, resist, heal, and reclaim joy.
AfroMundo invites you to participate in a powerful weeklong Arts & Humanities Festival—a multilingual, cross-cultural celebration of storytelling in all its forms. Immerse yourself in a dynamic tapestry of music, literature, film, visual and culinary arts, and communal dialogues that transcend state and national borders. Experience the transformative power of art, engage in thought-provoking conversations, forge meaningful connections and honor the voices and narratives that shape our world. Come for the inspiration—stay for the community.
EXPERIMENTS IN CINEMA: FUTURE TRENDS IN CULTURAL REPRESENTATION
IN PERSON: April 16th – 20th — VIRTUAL: April 28th – May 10th
Experiments in Cinema (EIC) is an annual, transnational festival celebrating the current trends and history of international cinematic experimentation. EIC is a non-competitive festival produced by Basement Films. This year Basement Films is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a host of unique screenings (100 films from 30 countries). EIC also features special lectures, discussions and curated programs. The goal of EIC is to bring the international community of moving image artists to NM to then inspire a new generation of movie makers to recognize the value of their media-voices and create films in ways we never imagined possible. Each day of the festival features 4 to 5 screenings, discussions or programs! Please visit ExperimentsinCinema.org for a complete schedule and film descriptions
JOURNEY INTO THE MIST OF TIME: NEW MEXICO’S COLORFUL PAST
Presented by Alan Osborne
We’ll journey back to the pre-Columbian New Mexico cultures, the coming of Spain, Indian- Spanish relations, and the Mexican and American takeovers. New Mexico is maligned, if mentioned, in American history books and this presentation will correct some of the cultural stereotypes and misinformation common outside the Southwest.
SOMOS WRITERS SHOWCASE: RACHEL COVENTRY
Society of the Muse of the Southwest (SOMOS) is hosting a reading by their 2025 featured poet, Rachel Coventry at the SOMOS Salon Coventry will be traveling from Galway, Ireland, and reading selections from her two books. Her debut collection Afternoon Drinking in the Jolly Butchers (2018) is published by Salmon Poetry and her second collection, Detachable Heart, was published in 2022 (Salmon Poetry). Free and open to all.
TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN: HOW COMICS ANIMATE CULTURE
Presented by Jeff Benham
Modern comics are generally considered to have risen from sociopolitical cartoons around the turn of the twentieth century. Despite their “grown-up” inception, comics quickly came to be considered merely “kid stuff.” Reflection on their actual history reveals comics to not only offer up a mirror of our fears and beliefs, but to in fact be an active force in the evolution of our culture.
Delight as the limits of creativity are shattered! Escape with the unexpected monsters of our dreams! Thrill as the Captains of America tackle the Axis! Tremble as Congress contemplates comics’
delinquency! Raise a fist as The Man pulls comics underground! Celebrate as comics unloose the broad American voice!
Look! Up in the Sky! It’s not a bird! It’s not a plane! It’s comics fighting for us all! (And we don’t always agree!) This program is best suited for adult audiences.
CLOSING CONVERSATION: REFLECTIONS ON THE BORDER DOOR PROJECT
Enjoy a panel discussion and reflections on the Puertas fronterizas / Border Doors project! The conversation will feature Claudio Pérez, teacher from Sandia Preparatory School, Dr. Jesus Pérez, professor at Cascadia College, and Rose Mary Sánchez-Guzmán, pastor from Cristo Rey Centro Lutherano, will discuss the evolution of the Puertas fronterizas / Border Doors project. Since 2014, this initiative has fostered a deeper understanding of immigration by connecting students with educators and immigrants on the U.S./Mexico border. The mixed-media doors, created by Pérez’s students upon their return to Albuquerque, are interpretative collages and paintings of issues relating to immigration and artificial intelligence among others. Panelists will explore the exhibition’s role in shaping broader conversations about the border and the human face of immigration.
The exhibition will be on view at the museum through May 4th, 2025.
*PAST* VISIONARY VOICES THEN AND NOW — LAS CRUCES
The opportunity to hear historical characters bring to life their thoughts and perceptions from their lifetime is a moving experience. It is the chance to be taken back in time to really sense those moments in history and what brought them about. With Visionary Voices, the New Mexico Humanities Council is sponsoring a very unique event.
In a live performance, three historical characters of great importance will be gathered together as a panel with a moderator to answer questions and to pose questions to each other. The theme is Conservation Philosophy and Ethics.
Our Visionary Voices are Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, John Muir and Aldo Leopold. These three people had a tremendous impact on the Conservation movement in the United States and beyond borders. Please join us as these historical characters share their stories and bring to life the times in which they lived.
*PAST* VISIONARY VOICES THEN AND NOW — ALBUQUERQUE
The opportunity to hear historical characters bring to life their thoughts and perceptions from their lifetime is a moving experience. It is the chance to be taken back in time to really sense those moments in history and what brought them about. With Visionary Voices, the New Mexico Humanities Council is sponsoring a very unique event.
In a live performance, three historical characters of great importance will be gathered together as a panel with a moderator to answer questions and to pose questions to each other. The theme is the history of conservation.
Our Visionary Voices are Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, John Muir and Aldo Leopold. These three people had a tremendous impact on the Conservation movement in the United States and beyond borders. Please join us as these historical characters share their stories and bring to life the times in which they lived.
*PAST* NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN NM STATE CONTEST
The NHD in NM State Contest is a celebration of student scholarship and achievement. After working for months on their research projects (exhibits, papers, documentaries, performances, and websites), and successfully competing at school and regional contests, students grades 6-12, are invited to share their work at the state contest. The top two projects from each category will advance to the NHD National Contest June 8-12, at the University of Maryland, in College Park, MD.
*PAST* 48TH ANNUAL JACK WILLIAMSON LECTURESHIP
April 10th through 12th
Multiple campus buildings
Join Eastern New Mexico University for the 48th annual Jack Williamson Lectureship, in Portales, a celebration of science fiction, storytelling, and the enduring legacy of author Jack Williamson, a pioneer of speculative fiction and an early board member of the New Mexico Humanities Council. This year’s in-person event will feature Guest of Honor Darcie Little Badger, with special appearances by Connie Willis and Melinda Snodgrass and a stellar lineup of award-winning authors. Events are free and open to the public, with registration required for the luncheon and writing workshop.
For more information visit the the Jack Williamson Lectureship webpage.