County NAACP companions with KRWG for Black Historical past Month civil rights panel discussions

From Bobbie Green, Ph.D., President Doña Ana County NAACP

Black History Month is the shortest month of the year, but its importance has never increased more than it did in 2021. Repeated attempts to undermine the will of the people, frivolous lawsuits aimed at reversing election results, and an insurrection in our US -Capitol on January 1st. 6 could not hinder progress. The determination of the American people, fed up with the status quo, was evident in vivid color during the inauguration.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris now have the opportunity to change the direction of this country, much to the relief of many but to the dismay of some. Our new President’s cabinet reflects a diversity that matches the demographics of this country. Those who find these cabinet appointments problematic have ignored the inevitable and the handwriting that has been hanging on the wall for decades.

We recognize, however, that communication is an important bridge to a civil society in which we can respect our differences and appreciate our similarities. During Black History Month 2021, Doña Ana County is partnering with the KRWG to broadcast a series of panel discussions on some of our most pressing issues such as civil rights, health inequalities and policing in the 21st century.

Our first panel discussion on civil rights will air on Thursday, February 4th at 7:00 p.m. Panellists include newly elected Doña Ana District Attorney Gerald Byers and Sheriff Kim Stewart, both appointed to the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission. The program will repeat on Saturday, February 6th at 5pm and on Sunday, February 7th at 7pm.

The second panel, which will air on Thursday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m., will address health and wellness issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic that disproportionately affects people of color, and the fair distribution of the vaccine. Award-winning attorney and Chair of the New Mexico Black Democratic Caucus, Pamelya Herndon of Albuquerque, who is also President and CEO of KWH’s Legal Center for Social Justice and Change, will be our panelist. The program will repeat on Saturday, February 13th at 5pm and on Sunday, February 14th at 7pm.

The third panel discussion, which will air on Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m., will focus on police reform. We are very happy that the newly appointed chief of the Las Cruces Police Department, Miguel Dominguez, has accepted the invitation to be our panelist. The program will repeat on Saturday, February 20th at 5pm and on Sunday, February 21st at 7pm.

In the fourth week of February we will continue the discussion on police reform. Our guest speakers will be our own Las Cruces Mayor, Ken Miyagishima, and Councilor (District 4) Johana Bencomo. The fourth panel discussion will be broadcast on Thursday, February 25, at 7 p.m. The broadcast will be repeated on Saturday, February 27th at 5pm and on Sunday, February 28th, at 7pm.

Dona Ana County’s NAACP looks forward to keeping lines of communication open. Working with the KRWG is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach our community in a meaningful way. We hope we can do more of this in 2021.

The panel discussions will also be published on the KRWG website www.krwg.org and the DAC NAACP website www.naacpdac.org.

“KRWG Public Media is proud to partner with the NAACP on this project,” said Fred Martino, KRWG content director. “We are always looking for ways to highlight important topics in our community. We are grateful that the NAACP supports this.” Effort.”

If you have any questions about civil rights, health and wellness, or police reform, email your questions to [email protected].