NMiF looks at 50 Years of LGBTQ Pride in Albuquerque

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Albuquerque celebrates 50 years of LGBTQ Pride. Author and community leader Dr. PJ Sedillo joins Host Nash Jones to look back at the city's first Pride parade. Later, Sedillo walks viewers through the parade's long history, including the move in the late '90s to incorporate and grow Albuquerque Pride.

The New Mexico Higher Education Department has created a new scholarship for Native American students. The program offers a full ride to certain colleges and universities in the states surrounding New Mexico. Nathana Bird, director of the Higher Education Department's Indian Education Division, spoke to Nash about why she wants to help Indigenous students pursue higher education outside the state.

A new study released by the state Health Department shows that fewer New Mexicans - adults or children - are smoking. Anthony Garcia, director of the department's Nicotine Use Prevention and Control Office, joins Nash to break down the numbers.

The Glade Run recreation area outside Farmington is an outdoor haven for hikers, birders and dirt bikes. NMIF correspondent and Capital & Main reporter Jerry Redfern takes viewers to the northwest New Mexico trails, where the area is not only home to piñons and junipers - but hundreds of oil and gas wells as well.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, May 29, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 31 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host
Nash Jones

NMiF Segments
Albuquerque Pride's First Years
and
How Albuquerque Pridefest 2026 Honors Its Roots
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
PJ Sedillo, author, "If These T-Shirts Could Talk..."

Scholarship Helps Native Students Attend Out-of-State Colleges
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Nathana Bird, director, Indian Education Division, New Mexico Department of Higher Education

New State Data Shows Fewer Kids are Smoking, Vaping
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
Anthony Garcia, director, Nicotine Use Prevention and Control Office, New Mexico Department of Health

Capital & Main: Oil Wells on the Bike Trail
Correspondent
Jerry Redfern

Guest
Mike Eisenfeld, Energy and Climate Program manager, San Juan Citizens Alliance

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, educational, and art issues, exploring them in depth with a critical eye to provide context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. The producer is Antonio Sanchez, and the multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.