WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.879 Welcome back to the Deep Dive, where we take 00:00:01.879 --> 00:00:04.280 a mountain of information articles, research, 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.219 historical archives, and drill down through the 00:00:07.219 --> 00:00:09.519 cultural and geographical layers to hand you 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:13.199 the pure, distilled essence. Today, we are focusing 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.679 on a place that is, I think it's fair to say, 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:17.980 consistently one of the most misunderstood and 00:00:17.980 --> 00:00:20.969 complex states in the Union. New Mexico. That's 00:00:20.969 --> 00:00:23.289 putting it mildly. It's misunderstood on a really 00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:25.629 fundamental level. Right. I mean, when you dig 00:00:25.629 --> 00:00:27.870 into the source material, it's clear the state 00:00:27.870 --> 00:00:31.429 has been fighting this identity crisis that's 00:00:31.429 --> 00:00:34.789 almost laughable, but it's entirely real. The 00:00:34.789 --> 00:00:38.159 constant confusion that it is not, in fact. the 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:39.920 country of Mexico. It's not just an occasional 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:42.920 mistake either. This is a systemic, long -running 00:00:42.920 --> 00:00:45.020 issue. You mentioned the New Mexico magazine. 00:00:45.299 --> 00:00:47.479 They've run a recurring feature for years called 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:50.100 One of Our 50 is Missing. I love that feature. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:52.439 It details all the mail sent to foreign countries 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:54.719 or the times New Mexico residents were asked 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:57.100 for their passports at the airport. It's a perennial 00:00:57.100 --> 00:01:00.079 problem, but one that really highlights the state's 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:03.810 deep... non -Anglo roots. It's so common, in 00:01:03.810 --> 00:01:05.989 fact, that New Mexico is the only state that 00:01:05.989 --> 00:01:08.709 specifies USA right there on its license plates. 00:01:08.769 --> 00:01:11.469 Just to be clear. Exactly. It's a pragmatic solution 00:01:11.469 --> 00:01:15.430 to a constant geographical and political confusion. 00:01:15.810 --> 00:01:17.909 But, you know, when you move past the jokes, 00:01:18.069 --> 00:01:21.290 the state's official nickname, the Land of Enchantment, 00:01:21.390 --> 00:01:25.030 and its state motto, Crescent Undo. Which means 00:01:25.030 --> 00:01:27.689 it grows as it goes. Yeah, poetically, it grows 00:01:27.689 --> 00:01:30.090 as it goes. I think those two phrases capture 00:01:30.090 --> 00:01:32.890 the true spirit of its resilience and its incredibly 00:01:32.890 --> 00:01:36.170 deep history. So our mission today is to unpack 00:01:36.170 --> 00:01:38.549 all the incredible sources we have detailing 00:01:38.549 --> 00:01:41.730 New Mexico's history, its surprising environmental 00:01:41.730 --> 00:01:44.349 and demographic diversity, and its unique, world 00:01:44.349 --> 00:01:46.510 -changing role in American science and identity. 00:01:47.260 --> 00:01:49.400 We're going to try to move far beyond the simplistic 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:52.640 images of, you know, chili peppers and arid desert 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:54.859 landscapes to really understand the intricate 00:01:54.859 --> 00:01:56.920 layering of sovereignty and culture that makes 00:01:56.920 --> 00:01:59.099 this place so unique. And I think to set the 00:01:59.099 --> 00:02:01.519 stage, we absolutely have to start at the historical 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:04.859 and geographical epicenter, Santa Fe. It holds 00:02:04.859 --> 00:02:07.780 the distinction of being the oldest state capital 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:10.319 in the United States, founded way, way back in 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:13.139 1610 as the government seat of the Spanish province 00:02:13.139 --> 00:02:16.340 of Nuevo Mexico. 1610. That's a decade before 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:18.800 the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. That really 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:21.439 puts things in perspective. It does. And what's 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.360 equally dramatic is its physical location. At 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:28.360 6 ,998 feet above sea level, it is also the highest 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:31.199 state capital in the U .S. That elevation contrast, 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:33.860 that sense of being both ancient and physically 00:02:33.860 --> 00:02:36.419 dominant, is actually a perfect synthesis of 00:02:36.419 --> 00:02:39.020 the state itself, isn't it? Our sources show 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:41.919 the scale is just massive. New Mexico is the 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.860 fifth largest state by area in the U .S. I mean, 00:02:44.860 --> 00:02:47.020 just think about how physically vast that is. 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:49.439 But then you look at the population and it ranks 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:52.500 only 36th, which makes it 45th in population 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:55.879 density. It is quite literally huge and sparse. 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:58.659 It is. And that combination of vastness and sparsity 00:02:58.659 --> 00:03:01.520 creates really the ideal setting for its demographic 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:03.900 situation, which I think is our first real hook 00:03:03.900 --> 00:03:06.259 into the state's complex identity. And what is 00:03:06.259 --> 00:03:09.069 that hook? New Mexico is one of only seven majority 00:03:09.069 --> 00:03:12.349 minority states in the country. And crucially, 00:03:12.469 --> 00:03:14.389 it boasts the highest percentage of Hispanic 00:03:14.389 --> 00:03:17.710 and Latino populations nationally at nearly 48 00:03:17.710 --> 00:03:19.949 percent and the second highest percentage of 00:03:19.949 --> 00:03:22.069 Native American populations right after Alaska. 00:03:22.530 --> 00:03:26.889 That deep layering of original Pueblo, then subsequent 00:03:26.889 --> 00:03:29.129 Spanish and then eventual American cultures. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.180 That defines everything we are about to discuss. 00:03:32.419 --> 00:03:34.819 OK, so let's unpack this land itself. When we 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:36.900 talk about New Mexico's size, we really need 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:39.599 to place it geographically. It's landlocked and 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:42.120 famously, it shares the Four Corners region. 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.240 Right. That unique geographical spot in the northwest 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:48.159 where it meets Utah, Colorado and Arizona. It's 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:50.080 the only place in the country where four states 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:52.639 intersect like that. A perfect right angle. A 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:54.840 cartographer's dream. Exactly. And of course, 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:56.759 to the south, it shares a lengthy international 00:03:56.759 --> 00:04:00.000 border with Mexico, extending nearly 180 miles. 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:02.900 It specifically borders the Mexican states of 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:05.900 Sonora and Chihuahua. And it's mostly Chihuahua. 00:04:05.939 --> 00:04:08.180 That's a key detail. Chihuahua actually makes 00:04:08.180 --> 00:04:11.240 up the vast majority, about 90 percent of that 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:13.719 entire. international stretch. The state also 00:04:13.719 --> 00:04:16.300 has a few geographic oddities that are tied directly 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:19.379 to his history. There's that southwestern area 00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:22.379 known as the Bootheel. Ah, yes, the Bootheel. 00:04:22.579 --> 00:04:25.819 A very distinct rectangular piece of land. And 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:28.079 it wasn't just a random line on a map. It was 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:30.399 acquired through the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:32.540 And that purchase wasn't just about dragging 00:04:32.540 --> 00:04:34.980 land. It was strategic, wasn't it? entirely. 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:37.879 It was specifically designed to secure a viable 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:40.259 right -of -way for a future transcontinental 00:04:40.259 --> 00:04:43.519 railroad, bypassing the extremely rugged mountain 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.120 terrain farther north. This little detail shows 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:48.500 you how transportation and commerce literally 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:51.680 drove the final shape of the territory. What's 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:53.899 fascinating to me here is how often New Mexico 00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:57.100 is superficially depicted as just an arid, homogenous 00:04:57.100 --> 00:04:59.560 desert. I mean, that's the stereotype. That narrative 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:02.819 is fundamentally misleading. The geography is 00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:05.019 incredibly varied. It just completely defies 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:07.459 that simple stereotype. In what way? Well, our 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:09.860 sources consistently show that close to a third 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:11.800 of the state is actually covered in timberland 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:14.899 and heavily forested mountain wildernesses. dominated 00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:17.540 by the Rockies in the North. A third. That's 00:05:17.540 --> 00:05:21.079 huge. It is. And furthermore, over four -fifths 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:24.160 of the state sits higher than 4 ,000 feet above 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.139 sea level. This is absolutely one of the high 00:05:27.139 --> 00:05:29.360 mountain plateau states. It's not a low -lying 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:31.839 desert. So it's not just desert. It's this high 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:34.620 altitude mix of mountains, plains, and valleys. 00:05:34.899 --> 00:05:37.660 So what are the major physiographic regions we 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:39.939 should focus on to really understand this diversity? 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.879 You can really break it down into four distinct 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.240 provinces. The rugged and dramatic north is dominated 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:48.860 by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These are 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:50.540 the southernmost stretch of the mighty Rocky 00:05:50.540 --> 00:05:52.199 Mountains. And they get pretty high up there. 00:05:52.379 --> 00:05:54.879 Oh, yeah. They reach elevations over 13 ,000 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:56.879 feet, which supports significant winter sports 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:00.319 and, more importantly, acts as a massive watershed. 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:04.399 Then moving east, the Great Plains extend into 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:07.680 the state, notably forming the Llano Estacado. 00:06:07.899 --> 00:06:11.089 The Staked Plain. Such an evocative name. Where 00:06:11.089 --> 00:06:13.129 does it come from? It's believed to come from 00:06:13.129 --> 00:06:15.269 the idea that early Spanish travelers needed 00:06:15.269 --> 00:06:17.329 to place stakes in the ground to find their way 00:06:17.329 --> 00:06:20.069 across the vast, dry, featureless expanse. So 00:06:20.069 --> 00:06:22.629 they wouldn't get lost. Exactly. It speaks to 00:06:22.629 --> 00:06:25.329 the sheer disorienting scale of that landscape. 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:29.060 Then you have the Colorado Plateau occupying 00:06:29.060 --> 00:06:31.279 the northwestern quadrant, which is characterized 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.699 by unique volcanic formations, dramatic mesas, 00:06:34.699 --> 00:06:37.860 and pinyon -juniper woodlands, classic western 00:06:37.860 --> 00:06:39.740 movie territory. Right, and the fourth region. 00:06:39.939 --> 00:06:43.000 And finally, in the south, you have the massive 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:45.860 Chihuahuan Desert. It's the largest desert in 00:06:45.860 --> 00:06:48.639 North America, stretching deep into Mexico and 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:50.579 defining the climate of the southern half of 00:06:50.579 --> 00:06:54.060 the state. So given this really varied landscape 00:06:54.060 --> 00:06:57.040 and the generally arid conditions, the water 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.720 systems must be pivotal. I mean, without a reliable 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:03.259 water source, none of the historical or modern 00:07:03.259 --> 00:07:05.740 settlement patterns make any sense at all. Absolutely 00:07:05.740 --> 00:07:07.519 pivotal. The single most important geographical 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.500 feature historically, ecologically, and politically 00:07:10.500 --> 00:07:13.500 is the Rio Grande. Of course. It runs dramatically 00:07:13.500 --> 00:07:15.800 from north to south, cutting a fertile valley 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:18.439 almost right through the state center. It's tied 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:20.660 for the fourth longest river in the entire U 00:07:20.660 --> 00:07:23.110 .S. and its fertile riparian valley is what created 00:07:23.110 --> 00:07:25.910 the Bosque habitat. A Bosque being a kind of 00:07:25.910 --> 00:07:29.250 forest. A very specific kind. It's a cottonwood 00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:31.589 and willow forest. And that's what has supported 00:07:31.589 --> 00:07:34.629 human habitation since prehistoric times. It's 00:07:34.629 --> 00:07:37.410 why settlers, both Pueblan and Spanish, concentrated 00:07:37.410 --> 00:07:39.870 their populations right along its length. And 00:07:39.870 --> 00:07:42.370 the scarcity of water means that the Rio Grande 00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:45.589 isn't just an ecological feature, it's a political 00:07:45.589 --> 00:07:47.649 one, right? I mean, there must be constant fights 00:07:47.649 --> 00:07:50.920 over it. It creates perpetual tension. The sources 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:53.139 we looked at really highlight that New Mexico 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:55.600 sits at the nexus of interstate and international 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:59.199 water compacts. For decades, it has been in legal 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:01.319 battles with states downstream, particularly 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:04.300 Texas, over water allocations. Stemming from 00:08:04.300 --> 00:08:06.500 old agreements. Agreements signed over a century 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:09.459 ago. This struggle emphasizes that water rights 00:08:09.459 --> 00:08:12.060 are not just about farming. They are about sovereignty, 00:08:12.279 --> 00:08:15.300 political power, and frankly, survival in the 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:18.050 arid West. What other major river systems? are 00:08:18.050 --> 00:08:20.819 at play here it's not just the Rio Grande No, 00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:22.920 there are four others that define the regional 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:26.540 watersheds. The Pecos River flows roughly parallel 00:08:26.540 --> 00:08:29.540 to the Rio Grande to the east, feeding its own 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:33.279 unique ecosystems. The Canadian River rises in 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.820 the mountains and flows eastward across the Great 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:38.179 Plains, eventually draining into the Mississippi 00:08:38.179 --> 00:08:40.539 system. Into the west. West of the Continental 00:08:40.539 --> 00:08:42.779 Divide, we find the San Juan River in the northwest 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:45.580 and the Gila River in the southwest. But it's 00:08:45.580 --> 00:08:47.779 a sobering reminder that with the exception of 00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:50.490 the Gila, All these major rivers are heavily 00:08:50.490 --> 00:08:53.269 dammed to provide crucial irrigation and flood 00:08:53.269 --> 00:08:56.840 control. It just underscores the relentless human 00:08:56.840 --> 00:08:59.480 modification required for settlement here. That 00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:01.720 constant push and pull between water availability 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:04.320 and arid land must also lead to some dramatic 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:07.519 climate swings, which just reinforces this land 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:10.259 of contrast theme. It certainly does. While the 00:09:10.259 --> 00:09:12.500 overall climate is classified as semi -arid to 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:14.899 arid, tempered by alpine climates at the highest 00:09:14.899 --> 00:09:17.559 elevations, the temperature range is just extreme. 00:09:17.659 --> 00:09:20.250 How extreme are we talking? Well, the mean minimum 00:09:20.250 --> 00:09:22.529 temperature statewide in January sits around 00:09:22.529 --> 00:09:26.070 21 .7 degrees Fahrenheit. But average high temperatures 00:09:26.070 --> 00:09:28.710 in July at lower desert elevations can easily 00:09:28.710 --> 00:09:32.370 push up to 99 degrees. That is a huge seasonal 00:09:32.370 --> 00:09:35.960 swing. But the historical extremes I saw in sources 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:38.879 are just shocking. The record low for the state 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:42.120 is a brutal minus 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Minus 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:46.100 57. And the record high is 122. You're dealing 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:49.559 with almost 180 degrees of variability across 00:09:49.559 --> 00:09:52.320 the state, from alpine tundra to scorching desert. 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:54.740 It's incredible. The climate, however, provides 00:09:54.740 --> 00:09:57.399 a critical modern advantage, doesn't it? It does. 00:09:57.539 --> 00:10:00.779 The dry, temperate nature combined with the sparse 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:02.820 population and minimal development translates 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:06.360 directly into exceptionally clear skies and extremely 00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:08.539 low light pollution. And that connects directly 00:10:08.539 --> 00:10:10.580 to the state's cutting -edge scientific identity. 00:10:10.840 --> 00:10:12.850 Precisely. This environmental characteristic 00:10:12.850 --> 00:10:15.690 makes New Mexico a global hub for major astronomical 00:10:15.690 --> 00:10:18.210 research. You see this reflected in sites like 00:10:18.210 --> 00:10:21.750 the famous Very Large Array, or VLA, near Socorro. 00:10:21.789 --> 00:10:23.509 That's the one with all the huge satellite dishes 00:10:23.509 --> 00:10:26.769 in a Y shape. The massive complex of 27 radio 00:10:26.769 --> 00:10:29.590 telescopes. And you also have the Apache Point 00:10:29.590 --> 00:10:32.470 Observatory. This is a perfect case where the 00:10:32.470 --> 00:10:35.690 physical geography literally dictated a high 00:10:35.690 --> 00:10:38.139 -tech future for the state. Let's pivot to the 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:40.980 conservation legacy. Given that New Mexico is 00:10:40.980 --> 00:10:43.840 the fifth largest state, how much of this unique, 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.519 varied land is actually protected or owned by 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:49.080 the federal government? A very substantial amount. 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:52.879 Roughly one third of all New Mexico land. We're 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:55.120 talking twenty four point seven million out of 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:58.570 seventy seven point eight million acres. is federally 00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:00.710 owned. A third. So where does that put it nationally? 00:11:00.950 --> 00:11:03.049 It makes it the 10th highest percentage in the 00:11:03.049 --> 00:11:05.269 country for federal land ownership. And it's 00:11:05.269 --> 00:11:07.450 managed primarily by agencies like the Bureau 00:11:07.450 --> 00:11:09.549 of Land Management and the U .S. Forest Service. 00:11:09.669 --> 00:11:11.669 I found a detail here about conservation history 00:11:11.669 --> 00:11:14.389 that is just globally significant. It blew my 00:11:14.389 --> 00:11:16.649 mind. You must be referring to the Gila Wilderness. 00:11:16.789 --> 00:11:19.389 Yes. This area, located in the southwestern corner 00:11:19.389 --> 00:11:21.669 of the state, was designated as the world's first 00:11:21.669 --> 00:11:25.450 official wilderness area way back in 1924. This 00:11:25.450 --> 00:11:27.409 was largely thanks to the incredible work of 00:11:27.409 --> 00:11:30.289 conservationist Aldo Leopold. So New Mexico was 00:11:30.289 --> 00:11:33.129 the blueprint. It was the blueprint. This designation 00:11:33.129 --> 00:11:36.070 cemented New Mexico's central pioneering role 00:11:36.070 --> 00:11:38.350 in the early 20th century conservation movement. 00:11:38.750 --> 00:11:41.429 It established the standard for wilderness protection 00:11:41.429 --> 00:11:44.450 across the entire globe. And beyond that single 00:11:44.450 --> 00:11:47.190 pioneering site, the state is a national leader 00:11:47.190 --> 00:11:50.509 in protected areas in general. It truly is. New 00:11:50.509 --> 00:11:53.350 Mexico hosts nine national monuments, which is 00:11:53.350 --> 00:11:56.529 second only to Arizona in sheer number. This 00:11:56.529 --> 00:11:58.850 includes El Morro, which was the second oldest 00:11:58.850 --> 00:12:01.090 monument designated in the country, established 00:12:01.090 --> 00:12:04.330 by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. But the most impressive 00:12:04.330 --> 00:12:06.529 statistic, which I think highlights its rich 00:12:06.529 --> 00:12:09.230 heritage of both natural and human history, is 00:12:09.230 --> 00:12:12.149 the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yes. New Mexico 00:12:12.149 --> 00:12:15.129 has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites wholly 00:12:15.129 --> 00:12:16.950 contained within the state. That's more than... 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:19.519 any other single U .S. state. Three contained 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:22.700 sites is highly unusual. What are they and what 00:12:22.700 --> 00:12:24.620 do they represent about the state's identity? 00:12:24.860 --> 00:12:27.360 They perfectly encapsulate its identity. First, 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:29.820 you have Chaco Culture National Historical Park, 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:32.559 which showcases the monumental structures and 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:35.179 engineering of the ancestral Pueblones. Mind 00:12:35.179 --> 00:12:38.320 -boggling stuff. Second, Taos Pueblo, which is 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.620 recognized as a living Native American community, 00:12:40.899 --> 00:12:43.679 continuously inhabited for over a thousand years. 00:12:44.019 --> 00:12:47.059 It's not a ruin, it's a home. A living world 00:12:47.059 --> 00:12:51.490 heritage site. Exactly. And third, Carlsbad Caverns 00:12:51.490 --> 00:12:53.750 National Park, highlighting the dramatic geology 00:12:53.750 --> 00:12:56.710 of the Chihuahuan Desert region. That cluster 00:12:56.710 --> 00:12:59.350 ancient architecture, living culture, and dramatic 00:12:59.350 --> 00:13:02.590 geology that really solidifies New Mexico's claim 00:13:02.590 --> 00:13:05.809 as the land of enchantment. Building on that 00:13:05.809 --> 00:13:07.850 rich heritage, let's jump back in time because 00:13:07.850 --> 00:13:10.470 the history of New Mexico is absolutely defined 00:13:10.470 --> 00:13:12.450 by those layers of sovereignty we mentioned. 00:13:12.649 --> 00:13:16.870 Indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and finally, American. 00:13:17.830 --> 00:13:19.840 Let's start with the name itself The sources 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.379 clarify that the etymology of Nuevo Mexico is 00:13:22.379 --> 00:13:24.600 often confused with the country that gained independence 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.659 much later. That's right. It's a fundamental 00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:28.720 misconception that trips people up all the time. 00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:31.740 The name Nuevo Mexico was established in 1581 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:33.840 during the Chemoscato and Rodriguez expedition. 00:13:34.179 --> 00:13:36.120 Which was decades before the country of Mexico 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:38.940 won its independence from Spain in 1821. Exactly. 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:41.899 It's a classic case of history preceding geopolitics. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:44.100 The name came first. So the Spanish didn't name 00:13:44.100 --> 00:13:46.000 it after a future country. They named it after 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.379 something much older. Really an idea. Precisely. 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:53.259 The name derives from the Spanish conquest of 00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:56.320 the powerful Aztec Empire in the early 16th century. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.500 The Spanish conquistadors, driven by, you know, 00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:02.100 insatiable ambition and often fantastical rumors, 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:04.879 were hoping to find equally wealthy indigenous 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:07.440 cultures farther north. The seven cities of gold. 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:10.340 The mythic seven cities of gold. They called 00:14:10.340 --> 00:14:13.059 the supposed northern empire Yanquic Mexico, 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:16.259 which literally translates from a mix of Nahuatl 00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:19.899 and Spanish to a new Mexico. When the legendary... 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:22.399 riches failed to materialize, the area was still 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:25.019 colonized, and the name referring to that hopeful 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:28.100 new land of opportunity just stuck. Moving back 00:14:28.100 --> 00:14:30.940 even further, the land was populated long, long 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:34.100 before any European explorers arrived. What are 00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:36.759 the earliest markers of human life we have? Well, 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:38.980 the initial human presence is usually traced 00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:41.019 back to the Clovis culture of Paleo -Indians. 00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:43.379 But here's an incredible fact from our sources 00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:45.960 that just reshapes the entire timeline of human 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:48.419 presence in the Americas. Footprints discovered 00:14:48.419 --> 00:14:51.720 in 2017 at White Sands suggest that humans may 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:53.879 have been present in the Revan as far back as 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:58.220 21 ,000 to 23 ,000 BC. 23 ,000 BC. That's right 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:00.519 in the middle of the last ice age. It is. It 00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:03.039 pushes the timeline back thousands of years. 00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:05.799 Later, of course, the sophisticated ancestral 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:08.980 Pueblos and the Mogollon culture emerged, leaving 00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:11.200 behind these advanced settlements, including 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.720 the monumental structures and complex road systems 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:16.399 found at Chaco Canyon. And it was the legend 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.120 of this highly sophisticated unseen northern 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:22.320 empire that spurred the Spanish exploration in 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.059 the first place, leading men like Coronado on 00:15:25.059 --> 00:15:27.620 that famous and ultimately fruitless search. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:31.169 Exactly. When Spanish colonial rule was officially 00:15:31.169 --> 00:15:33.870 cemented, Pedro de Peralta established Santa 00:15:33.870 --> 00:15:36.830 Fe as a permanent capital in 1610, making it 00:15:36.830 --> 00:15:38.389 the seat of government for the vast northern 00:15:38.389 --> 00:15:41.830 territory of New Spain. But Spanish control wasn't 00:15:41.830 --> 00:15:43.950 absolute. Far from it. You're talking about the 00:15:43.950 --> 00:15:48.039 Pueblo Revolt. The Pueblo Revolt in 1680. It 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.480 was a powerful, successful indigenous uprising 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:53.399 that famously drove the Spanish completely out 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:56.059 of the area for over a decade. It's one of the 00:15:56.059 --> 00:15:58.799 most significant, successful indigenous rebellions 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.960 in North American history. That moment, the successful 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:04.960 pushback, is so crucial because when the Spanish 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.580 did eventually return, the whole dynamic had 00:16:07.580 --> 00:16:10.169 shifted, hadn't it? It's absolutely key to the 00:16:10.169 --> 00:16:12.690 state's cultural synthesis. Following the death 00:16:12.690 --> 00:16:15.929 of the Pueblo leader, Pope, Diego de Vargas restored 00:16:15.929 --> 00:16:19.830 Spanish rule in 1692. But this return came with 00:16:19.830 --> 00:16:22.169 a much greater understanding and acceptance of 00:16:22.169 --> 00:16:24.169 cultural and religious liberties for the Pueblo 00:16:24.169 --> 00:16:26.490 people. So it wasn't a simple reconquest. No, 00:16:26.490 --> 00:16:29.090 it was a negotiation. This remote region, so 00:16:29.090 --> 00:16:31.149 far from the central control of Mexico City, 00:16:31.350 --> 00:16:33.929 fostered a degree of pragmatic cooperation and 00:16:33.929 --> 00:16:36.169 cultural melding between the Pueblo peoples and 00:16:36.169 --> 00:16:38.340 the colonists that you just didn't see. and many 00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:40.159 other parts of New Spain. This colonial lifestyle 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.299 seems to have been highly dependent on communal 00:16:42.299 --> 00:16:44.919 engineering and social cooperation, all necessitated 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:47.539 by the scarcity of water. It was entirely dependent 00:16:47.539 --> 00:16:50.279 on sophisticated water management, much of which 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.399 was inherited from indigenous practices. Spanish 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:56.019 land grants encouraged settlement, but due to 00:16:56.019 --> 00:16:58.580 chronic water scarcity, the population, about 00:16:58.580 --> 00:17:02.879 25 ,000 non -indigenous settlers by 1800, concentrated 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:05.579 almost exclusively along that narrow, fertile 00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:08.420 strip of the Rio Grande Valley. And they lived 00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:10.960 in these communal, walled, adobe settlements. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:13.500 Right, and they relied entirely on a sequoias. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:16.019 The sequoias are so much more than just irrigation 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:18.359 ditches, though. They represent an entire system 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:20.640 of political and social organization, don't they? 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:23.559 They do. They are community -owned and operated 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:26.200 irrigation canals, and they define the state's 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:29.220 water law even today. Their governance is incredibly 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:31.259 democratic and traditional. How did that work? 00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:34.480 Local officials, known as mayordomos, are elected 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.720 annually to oversee the cleaning, the maintenance, 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:39.299 and most importantly, the water allocation based 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:42.680 on historical seniority. This system of communal 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:45.900 reliance on water predates American law and is 00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:48.019 a living legacy that still influences property 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:50.839 rights disputes today. Okay, let's fast forward 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:54.180 to the turbulent 19th century. New Mexico shifted 00:17:54.180 --> 00:17:56.779 from a Spanish colony to a Mexican territory. 00:17:57.140 --> 00:18:00.039 Yes, in 1821, New Mexico became part of the first 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:02.299 Mexican empire when Mexico gained its independence 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:05.339 from Spain. This immediately led to external 00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:07.400 conflict when the recently formed Republic of 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:10.140 Texas claimed all the land east of the Rio Grande. 00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:13.019 Which triggered the failed Texan Santa Fe expedition. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.059 Exactly. Internally, this era saw New Mexico 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:18.799 increase its economic reliance northward toward 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:22.059 the burgeoning U .S. via the famed Santa Fe Trail, 00:18:22.220 --> 00:18:24.940 bringing in American goods and critically American 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:27.380 influence. And inevitably, after the Mexican 00:18:27.380 --> 00:18:30.299 -American War, that economic reliance turned 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:33.480 into full -blown U .S. annexation. Mexico ceded 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.539 its northern territories to the U .S. in 1848 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:39.099 through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which 00:18:39.099 --> 00:18:41.720 included New Mexico. The transition was immediately 00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:44.359 met with hostility. Because of the harsh treatment 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:47.099 from the American military. Right. Which culminated 00:18:47.099 --> 00:18:51.200 in the Taos Revolt in 1847. Despite this conflict, 00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:53.799 the U .S. military eventually appointed a local 00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:56.359 governor and vowed to respect the land rights 00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:58.599 of the Nuevo Mexicanos and grant them citizenship. 00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:01.640 That promise was often symbolized by the Lincoln 00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.059 Canes, which were gifted to the Pueblo leaders, 00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:06.740 recognizing their sovereign status within the 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:09.779 new territory. Then the Civil War hit, even in 00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:12.619 this remote territory. We often think of the 00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:15.519 Civil War as an eastern theater conflict, but 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:18.019 how critical was the New Mexico territory strategically? 00:19:18.829 --> 00:19:21.390 It was strategically vital, particularly to the 00:19:21.390 --> 00:19:24.230 Confederacy. Their goal was to seize control 00:19:24.230 --> 00:19:26.690 of the gold fields of California and the ports 00:19:26.690 --> 00:19:30.009 of the Pacific. It was an ambitious Western strategy. 00:19:30.289 --> 00:19:32.930 So they needed New Mexico as a corridor. Precisely. 00:19:32.930 --> 00:19:35.650 Both the Union and Confederacy claimed the territory. 00:19:36.109 --> 00:19:38.390 Confederate forces briefly occupied parts of 00:19:38.390 --> 00:19:40.609 the South, but their power was effectively broken 00:19:40.609 --> 00:19:42.930 following the Union victory at the Battle of 00:19:42.930 --> 00:19:46.410 Glorieta Pass in 1862. That battle is often called 00:19:46.410 --> 00:19:48.680 the Gettysburg of the West. A fitting name. It 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:50.839 permanently secured the Southwest for the Union 00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:54.319 and prevented the Confederacy from accessing 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:56.559 the gold and ports it so desperately needed to 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:58.779 fund its war effort. So post -Civil War, the 00:19:58.779 --> 00:20:01.240 arrival of Anglo -Americans, which the sources 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:03.180 note included African -Americans and European 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:05.380 immigrants following the military and the railroads, 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:08.460 intensified. And this led directly into the brutal 00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:11.990 American -Indian wars. This is a very dark period 00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:14.329 in the state's history. Brigadier General James 00:20:14.329 --> 00:20:16.589 Carlton and the famed frontiersman Kit Carson 00:20:16.589 --> 00:20:19.890 implemented a scorched earth policy aimed at 00:20:19.890 --> 00:20:22.589 forcing hostile tribes onto reservations. Powerful 00:20:22.589 --> 00:20:24.849 groups like the Navajo were subdued during the 00:20:24.849 --> 00:20:27.670 Long Walk, which was just a brutal forced relocation. 00:20:27.950 --> 00:20:30.609 A horrific chapter. And the Apache were similarly 00:20:30.609 --> 00:20:33.809 confined to barren, remote reservations, changing 00:20:33.809 --> 00:20:36.029 the political and geographical landscape permanently. 00:20:36.529 --> 00:20:39.690 These actions left a lasting, deep scar on the 00:20:39.690 --> 00:20:41.430 relationship between the federal government and 00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:44.390 the indigenous population. And yet, despite the 00:20:44.390 --> 00:20:46.650 territory having sufficient population and organization, 00:20:47.210 --> 00:20:50.349 New Mexico was delayed. It wasn't until January 00:20:50.349 --> 00:20:53.930 6, 1912, that it finally became the 47th state. 00:20:54.609 --> 00:20:57.029 Sixty years of eligibility were just wasted. 00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:00.220 Why the extraordinary delay? The sources are 00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:03.039 overwhelmingly clear on this. The primary reason 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:05.700 for the delay was deep seated prejudice and political 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:07.940 resistance from the established American political 00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:10.420 class, mostly in the East. And what was the prejudice 00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:13.289 based on? They perceived New Mexico's majority 00:21:13.289 --> 00:21:16.109 Hispanic, Spanish -speaking Catholic population 00:21:16.109 --> 00:21:19.390 as alien to U .S. culture and political values. 00:21:19.670 --> 00:21:22.549 There were real documented concerns that the 00:21:22.549 --> 00:21:24.430 population was illiterate, that they couldn't 00:21:24.430 --> 00:21:26.349 govern themselves democratically and would be 00:21:26.349 --> 00:21:28.269 politically mitigated. So it was essentially 00:21:28.269 --> 00:21:30.930 a refusal to grant statehood to a large, non 00:21:30.930 --> 00:21:33.950 -white, non -English -speaking population. Exactly. 00:21:34.130 --> 00:21:37.109 It speaks volumes about the early 20th century 00:21:37.109 --> 00:21:40.009 anxiety over the racial and cultural composition 00:21:40.009 --> 00:21:43.089 of the union. When statehood was finally granted, 00:21:43.289 --> 00:21:46.029 it was only after significant effort was made 00:21:46.029 --> 00:21:48.509 to prove loyalty, including the territory passing 00:21:48.509 --> 00:21:51.369 laws, mandating English education and showing 00:21:51.369 --> 00:21:53.410 robust support for the federal government. But 00:21:53.410 --> 00:21:55.950 when New Mexico finally entered the union, they 00:21:55.950 --> 00:21:57.950 went all in on showing that loyalty, didn't they? 00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:00.940 particularly in the World Wars. They did. New 00:22:00.940 --> 00:22:03.279 Mexicans volunteered in huge numbers during both 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:05.599 World Wars, often serving in segregated units. 00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:08.319 The state suffered more casualties per capita 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:11.420 than any other state in World War II. Wow. It's 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:13.500 a fact residents take immense pride in as proof 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:16.059 of their patriotism. And that war effort was 00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:18.140 the single greatest catalyst for the state's 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:20.400 entrance into the modern scientific age. And 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:23.059 here's where the state's identity pivots so sharply 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:25.160 and where we start to see that internal paradox 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:28.579 emerge. the atomic age this is the moment new 00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:30.920 mexico was chosen to host the most secret world 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:33.299 -changing scientific endeavor in human history 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:36.900 the manhattan project key facilities included 00:22:36.900 --> 00:22:39.359 los alamos national laboratory and sandia national 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:42.019 laboratories and it was also the site of the 00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:46.140 first nuclear test trinity in 1945 right This 00:22:46.140 --> 00:22:48.880 established a massive, lasting federal and military 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:52.079 presence. White Sands Missile Range, Kirtland 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:54.960 Air Force Base, which translated into a sudden, 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:57.220 immense influx of federal spending and highly 00:22:57.220 --> 00:23:00.279 skilled personnel. It created this massive intellectual 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:02.839 and economic corridor right alongside the rural 00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:05.420 traditional economies. That high military presence 00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:07.339 wasn't always smooth, though. There were incidents. 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:10.630 Far from it. The legacy of these sites is complex 00:23:10.630 --> 00:23:13.690 and includes some terrifying accidents. On May 00:23:13.690 --> 00:23:17.769 22, 1957, a B -36 accidentally dropped a nuclear 00:23:17.769 --> 00:23:20.529 bomb near Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. 00:23:20.710 --> 00:23:23.269 It dropped a nuclear bomb. It did. Thankfully, 00:23:23.430 --> 00:23:26.289 only its conventional explosive triggered detonated 00:23:26.289 --> 00:23:28.630 scattering radioactive material but not causing 00:23:28.630 --> 00:23:31.309 a full nuclear yield. But the proximity of such 00:23:31.309 --> 00:23:33.910 an incident to a major city highlighted the inherent 00:23:33.910 --> 00:23:36.549 risks of having the atomic age concentrated in 00:23:36.549 --> 00:23:39.509 one area. to circle back briefly to post -war 00:23:39.509 --> 00:23:42.430 civil rights, because despite that immense wartime 00:23:42.430 --> 00:23:45.430 patriotism, discrimination absolutely persisted. 00:23:45.450 --> 00:23:48.390 It did. Even after fighting for the U .S. overseas, 00:23:48.809 --> 00:23:51.349 Jim Crow laws were unfortunately enacted against 00:23:51.349 --> 00:23:53.430 Hispanos and indigenous affiliated individuals. 00:23:53.930 --> 00:23:57.730 The landmark case here is the 1948 ruling won 00:23:57.730 --> 00:24:00.589 by veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. of Auleta Pueblo. 00:24:00.769 --> 00:24:02.640 What did he accomplish? Trujillo successfully 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.259 challenged state laws that had previously prohibited 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:07.440 Native Americans living on reservations from 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:09.619 voting if they were exempt from paying state 00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:12.799 taxes. His victory overturned those discriminatory 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:15.900 state provisions and significantly expanded voting 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:18.400 rights across the state. Now we shift gears to 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:21.059 the modern economy because New Lexico is not 00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:23.940 just sand in history. It is a high tech frontier 00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:26.660 fueled by that federal legacy. The state's total 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:29.440 GDP was over one hundred and five billion dollars 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:32.740 in 2023. So what are the key economic drivers 00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:34.700 today and how do they relate to that internal 00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:37.440 paradox we started sensing? The economy is heavily 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:39.759 diversified now, shifting away from its traditional 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:42.720 reliance on, say, ranching and resource extraction. 00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:45.220 The oil and gas remain massive sectors. Especially 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:47.279 in the Permian Basin. Absolutely, particularly 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:49.740 in the Permian Basin region of the southeast. 00:24:50.180 --> 00:24:52.980 But the major modern sectors include aerospace, 00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:56.920 media, and film. And that federal presence established 00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:59.180 during the Manhattan Project still translates 00:24:59.180 --> 00:25:01.660 into an extraordinary concentration of scientists 00:25:01.660 --> 00:25:04.660 and engineers. Los Alamos County, for example, 00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:06.940 is consistently ranked as one of the most highly 00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:09.720 educated counties in the U .S., measured by the 00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:12.440 percentage of residents holding PhDs. And that's 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:14.940 the paradox right there. One county packed with 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:17.839 PhDs and federal salary money, existing right 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:20.839 alongside some of the poorest, most rural economies 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:23.500 in the entire country. It's almost two different 00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:26.869 states coexisting within the same borders. That's 00:25:26.869 --> 00:25:29.230 the clearest way to describe the economic reality. 00:25:29.529 --> 00:25:31.910 The science corridor along the Rio Grande Valley 00:25:31.910 --> 00:25:34.170 is vastly different from the agricultural plains 00:25:34.170 --> 00:25:36.490 or the Native American reservations. However, 00:25:36.690 --> 00:25:39.029 historically, the land has always served as a 00:25:39.029 --> 00:25:41.529 critical transportation corridor, which helps 00:25:41.529 --> 00:25:43.829 pull these disparate regions together. Let's 00:25:43.829 --> 00:25:46.230 track those ancient and historical roads. Well, 00:25:46.329 --> 00:25:50.029 trade and migration define its history. Pre -Columbian 00:25:50.029 --> 00:25:52.329 trade routes eventually gave way to the Spanish 00:25:52.329 --> 00:25:55.849 colonial route, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:58.960 the royal road of the interior land right and 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:02.019 this was one of the four crucial royal roads 00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:05.319 of new spain stretching over 1500 miles from 00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:08.819 mexico city all the way to santa fe it was arguably 00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:11.759 the longest continuously used road in north america 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:15.319 for centuries then came the santa fe trail which 00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:17.880 was crucial for later u .s westward expansion 00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:20.549 and commerce These routes set the stage for the 00:26:20.549 --> 00:26:22.589 dramatic rail boom of the late 19th century, 00:26:22.670 --> 00:26:24.430 didn't they? Oh, completely. The construction 00:26:24.430 --> 00:26:26.730 of the Southern Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka, 00:26:26.769 --> 00:26:29.990 and Santa Fe, the ATSF railroads, prompted a 00:26:29.990 --> 00:26:32.250 massive population boom, commercial development, 00:26:32.450 --> 00:26:35.910 and ushered in the era of tourism. The ATSF in 00:26:35.910 --> 00:26:38.029 particular was brilliant at marketing the exotic 00:26:38.029 --> 00:26:40.569 Southwest. They heavily promoted Native American 00:26:40.569 --> 00:26:42.930 imagery to attract travelers from the East. And 00:26:42.930 --> 00:26:45.190 their famous Super Chief train became a legend. 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:49.000 A legend for its luxury, its speed, and its exoticness. 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:51.660 The cars were named after regional tribes and 00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:54.000 decorated with local art, and it cut the trip 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:57.220 from Chicago to Los Angeles to under 40 hours, 00:26:57.420 --> 00:27:00.460 which was revolutionary at the time. Rail gave 00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:03.400 way to the automobile. But New Mexico still faces 00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:06.480 modern transportation challenges, mainly due 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:09.519 to its sparse population and just massive terrain. 00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:12.500 Indeed. It has one of the most minimal interstate 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:15.400 systems in the U .S. It's tied for the fewest 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:17.940 primary routes with only I -10 running east -west 00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:20.500 across the south. I -25 running north -south 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:22.759 through the center. And I -40 running east -west 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:25.609 across the north. In Albuquerque, I -25 and I 00:27:25.609 --> 00:27:28.650 -40 meet at the massive, famous Big I interchange. 00:27:29.089 --> 00:27:31.730 And running parallel to I -40 is the ghost of 00:27:31.730 --> 00:27:35.250 U .S. Route 66. U .S. Route 66, the nation's 00:27:35.250 --> 00:27:38.309 mother road. It was absolutely critical for migrants 00:27:38.309 --> 00:27:40.490 and commerce, especially for those fleeing west 00:27:40.490 --> 00:27:42.890 during the Dust Bowl and World War II. It was 00:27:42.890 --> 00:27:45.690 replaced mostly by I -40. But here's a quirky 00:27:45.690 --> 00:27:47.809 but important piece of transportation history. 00:27:48.029 --> 00:27:51.329 New Mexico was home to U .S. Route 666. The Devil's 00:27:51.329 --> 00:27:53.630 Highway. The naming alone sounds like it caused 00:27:53.630 --> 00:27:55.690 problems. What's the story there? The name itself, 00:27:55.869 --> 00:27:57.869 combined with the fact that it ran through some 00:27:57.869 --> 00:28:00.829 incredibly remote and sparsely policed areas, 00:28:01.069 --> 00:28:04.549 became steeped in superstition. It also had a 00:28:04.549 --> 00:28:06.789 consistently high fatality rate. So it was a 00:28:06.789 --> 00:28:09.269 dangerous road with a scary name. A bad combination. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.940 Due to a combination of crashes, the numerical 00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:15.420 designation, and requests from various religious 00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:18.559 and civic groups, the route was ultimately decommissioned 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:23.769 and renamed US Route 491 in 2003. It's a great 00:28:23.769 --> 00:28:26.009 example of how culture and superstition can actually 00:28:26.009 --> 00:28:28.609 influence infrastructure policy. But regardless 00:28:28.609 --> 00:28:30.750 of the road name, the sources we looked at highlight 00:28:30.750 --> 00:28:33.490 that poor physical infrastructure remains a really 00:28:33.490 --> 00:28:35.509 serious problem in the state. That's a major 00:28:35.509 --> 00:28:37.950 point. Despite the state's wealth in oil and 00:28:37.950 --> 00:28:41.509 gas production, a 2022 report cited poor road 00:28:41.509 --> 00:28:43.829 conditions, which stem from a chronic lack of 00:28:43.829 --> 00:28:46.450 state and local funding, as a major factor contributing 00:28:46.450 --> 00:28:49.109 to the state's continually high traffic fatalities. 00:28:49.109 --> 00:28:51.210 It's just too big and empty to pave effectively. 00:28:51.710 --> 00:28:53.829 The sheer size of the state and the amount of 00:28:53.829 --> 00:28:56.869 federally owned, untaxable land make maintaining 00:28:56.869 --> 00:28:59.410 the infrastructure an enormous financial burden. 00:28:59.670 --> 00:29:03.849 Between 2015 and 2019 alone, nearly 1900 people 00:29:03.849 --> 00:29:06.230 were killed in automotive crashes in New Mexico. 00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:09.000 But in complete contrast to its struggling road 00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:11.339 infrastructure, New Mexico is literally looking 00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:13.900 far above the road into space. Here is where 00:29:13.900 --> 00:29:16.160 the high -tech frontier really comes to life, 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:18.440 a direct descendant of that Manhattan Project 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:22.680 legacy. New Mexico hosts Spaceport America, located 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:25.079 near the town of Truth or Consequences. Read 00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:27.700 name. Isn't it? And what makes the spaceport 00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:30.680 unique is that it is the world's first operational, 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.059 purpose -built commercial spaceport. It was designed 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:36.079 from the ground up for private companies, not 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.039 government launches. That sounds like something 00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:40.099 out of a futuristic novel, but it's entirely 00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:42.779 real and functional, proving New Mexico's commitment 00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:44.799 to the next phase of science and exploration. 00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:47.960 It is, and it's already achieved major milestones. 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:51.859 In 2021, New Mexico became only the third U .S. 00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:54.710 state. after California and Florida, to launch 00:29:54.710 --> 00:29:57.849 humans into space. That was via Virgin Galactic's 00:29:57.849 --> 00:30:01.539 VSS Unity flights. This facility is also crucial 00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:05.079 for testing new aerospace technology, like SpinLaunch's 00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:07.759 suborbital accelerator technology, which aims 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:10.460 to provide a far more economical and fuel -efficient 00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:12.900 satellite launch alternative to traditional rockets. 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:15.539 This facility represents a massive investment 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:17.599 in the future of the state's economy. And in 00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:20.480 New Mexico's deep involvement in high tech predates 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:23.099 the spaceport by decades, stretching all the 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:25.359 way back to the dawn of the computing age. Much 00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:27.740 earlier, Albuquerque was the founding location 00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:30.079 of micro instrumentation until telemetry systems 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:33.839 or MITs. They built the Altair 8800 microcomputer 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:36.839 in 1974. And that's the machine that captivated 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:39.160 the imagination of two young programmers who 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:41.039 then moved to Albuquerque to write software for 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:44.240 it. Bill Gates and Paul Allen. That company's 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:46.119 work led directly to the founding of Microsoft 00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:49.309 in Albuquerque. Today, the state continues to 00:30:49.309 --> 00:30:52.630 host major tech giants like Intel, with its massive 00:30:52.630 --> 00:30:56.250 F11X facility in Rio Rancho, and HP Inc. just 00:30:56.250 --> 00:30:58.950 reinforcing that image of a state split between 00:30:58.950 --> 00:31:01.710 ancient culture and cutting -edge science. We've 00:31:01.710 --> 00:31:03.890 covered the land, the history, and the economy. 00:31:04.190 --> 00:31:06.490 Now let's look at how these elements fuse together 00:31:06.490 --> 00:31:09.589 to create a distinct New Mexican identity. starting 00:31:09.589 --> 00:31:12.029 with the people themselves and that crucial demographic 00:31:12.029 --> 00:31:14.470 structure. As we mentioned at the top, the demographic 00:31:14.470 --> 00:31:16.910 situation is just crucial to understanding anything 00:31:16.910 --> 00:31:20.829 about the state. 47 .7 % Hispanic or Latino and 00:31:20.829 --> 00:31:23.730 10 .0 % Native American. It's one of the most 00:31:23.730 --> 00:31:25.769 demographically diverse states in the nation. 00:31:25.990 --> 00:31:28.170 And the sources highlight a crucial distinction 00:31:28.170 --> 00:31:30.250 within the Latino community that is central to 00:31:30.250 --> 00:31:33.230 the state's internal politics and history. The 00:31:33.230 --> 00:31:35.390 difference between Hispanos and Mexican -Americans. 00:31:35.690 --> 00:31:37.730 This is a really nuanced point that often gets 00:31:37.730 --> 00:31:40.079 lost outside. the Southwest. Can you explain 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:42.880 that distinction for the listener? Sure. Hispanos, 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:44.819 or Nuevo Mexicanos, are typically descendants 00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:47.299 of the Spanish colonial settlers who established 00:31:47.299 --> 00:31:50.200 communities in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. 00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:53.579 Their roots predate the American and Mexican 00:31:53.579 --> 00:31:56.960 national borders by centuries. And they're concentrated 00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:59.059 mostly in the northern part of the state. Right, 00:31:59.160 --> 00:32:01.519 particularly along the Rio Grande corridor and 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:04.329 in the mountains. And interestingly, some in 00:32:04.329 --> 00:32:06.970 this group claim crypto -Jewish ancestry through 00:32:06.970 --> 00:32:09.809 descendants of conversos, Jews who were forced 00:32:09.809 --> 00:32:11.670 to convert during the Inquisition among those 00:32:11.670 --> 00:32:14.170 early colonists. It's a legacy that's still being 00:32:14.170 --> 00:32:16.490 explored today. And Mexican -Americans. Mexican 00:32:16.490 --> 00:32:18.950 -Americans, by contrast, are generally defined 00:32:18.950 --> 00:32:21.650 as more recent arrivals, migrating during and 00:32:21.650 --> 00:32:24.430 after the Mexican War era. And they reside mostly 00:32:24.430 --> 00:32:26.930 in the South, though, of course, this is a generalization. 00:32:27.109 --> 00:32:29.490 And that long isolation that defined the colonial 00:32:29.490 --> 00:32:33.190 period actually created a unique linguistic New 00:32:33.190 --> 00:32:36.730 Mexican Spanish. Exactly. This is a unique dialect 00:32:36.730 --> 00:32:39.150 insulated for centuries from the evolution of 00:32:39.150 --> 00:32:42.369 standard Spanish in both Mexico and Spain. It 00:32:42.369 --> 00:32:45.410 preserves older elements like forms of 17th century 00:32:45.410 --> 00:32:47.990 Castilian that you just don't hear anymore globally. 00:32:48.210 --> 00:32:50.470 And it borrows words, too. It does. It incorporated 00:32:50.470 --> 00:32:52.710 numerous Native American words for local features, 00:32:53.049 --> 00:32:56.430 plants, animals, places, and later adopted anglicized 00:32:56.430 --> 00:32:58.809 words to express modern concepts as American 00:32:58.809 --> 00:33:01.670 influence grew. However, while the heritage is 00:33:01.670 --> 00:33:04.089 strong, the sources do show a decline. native 00:33:04.089 --> 00:33:06.609 speakers, with less than 4 % of the population 00:33:06.609 --> 00:33:09.029 speaking Navajo at home, and the traditional 00:33:09.029 --> 00:33:11.869 New Mexican Spanish dialect also facing attrition. 00:33:12.029 --> 00:33:14.329 What is the official language status? Is New 00:33:14.329 --> 00:33:17.670 Mexico truly a... bilingual state in a legal 00:33:17.670 --> 00:33:20.109 sense. This is a highly nuanced legal issue, 00:33:20.210 --> 00:33:22.690 and it's rooted in that resistance to statehood 00:33:22.690 --> 00:33:24.950 we talked about. The state constitution does 00:33:24.950 --> 00:33:27.490 not declare any language official. That's surprising. 00:33:27.650 --> 00:33:29.890 It is, but the historical and constitutional 00:33:29.890 --> 00:33:33.329 requirements are strong. For 40 years post -statehood, 00:33:33.390 --> 00:33:35.970 the constitution mandated that all laws and legislative 00:33:35.970 --> 00:33:38.470 journals be published in both English and Spanish 00:33:38.470 --> 00:33:40.670 to ensure the rights of the Spanish -speaking 00:33:40.670 --> 00:33:44.069 majority were protected. Today, bilingual ballots 00:33:44.069 --> 00:33:46.470 are constitutionally required. for referendums 00:33:46.470 --> 00:33:49.089 on constitutional amendments, and the state has 00:33:49.089 --> 00:33:51.490 a constitutional obligation to provide bilingual 00:33:51.490 --> 00:33:54.029 education where students are primarily Hispanophone. 00:33:54.470 --> 00:33:57.349 This is an explicit legacy of that struggle for 00:33:57.349 --> 00:33:59.890 political integration. Let's turn to the culture 00:33:59.890 --> 00:34:02.809 that visually defines the state, starting with 00:34:02.809 --> 00:34:05.509 the architecture. It's so immediately recognizable. 00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:08.619 The architecture is a beautiful, deeply rooted 00:34:08.619 --> 00:34:11.920 fusion. It merges the ancient, organic, indigenous 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:14.500 Pueblo architecture, which is characterized by 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:17.219 those earth -colored adobe materials, flat roofs, 00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:20.380 and exposed wooden beams called vigas with Spanish 00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:23.280 colonial influences, like enclosed courtyards 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:25.780 and wooden detailing. And this gave rise to the 00:34:25.780 --> 00:34:28.260 distinct Pueblo revival and territorial styles 00:34:28.260 --> 00:34:30.239 that you see everywhere in cities like Santa 00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:33.389 Fe. Exactly. A famous example is the Kimo Theater 00:34:33.389 --> 00:34:35.869 in Albuquerque, built in the dramatic Pueblo 00:34:35.869 --> 00:34:38.710 Deco style in the 1920s. It blends indigenous 00:34:38.710 --> 00:34:41.630 motifs with Art Deco geometry. It's stunning. 00:34:41.909 --> 00:34:44.869 Santa Fe has such a massive reputation as a global 00:34:44.869 --> 00:34:48.559 art center. What makes it such a magnet for artists 00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:51.880 and creativity, attracting figures like Georgia 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:54.519 O 'Keeffe? It hosts a thriving artistic community 00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:58.219 built upon that deep cultural foundation. Santa 00:34:58.219 --> 00:35:01.260 Fe hosts the annual Santa Fe Indian Market, which 00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:03.719 is recognized globally as the oldest and largest 00:35:03.719 --> 00:35:06.500 juried Native American art showcase. It's a huge 00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:09.000 event. And Albuquerque complements this with 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:10.960 its own institutions. Right. Albuquerque hosts 00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:13.179 the National Hispanic Cultural Center, which 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:15.280 is dedicated to preserving and promoting his. 00:35:15.309 --> 00:35:18.110 Hispanic culture and perhaps most famously, the 00:35:18.110 --> 00:35:20.710 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the 00:35:20.710 --> 00:35:22.969 largest hot air balloon festival in the world. 00:35:23.070 --> 00:35:24.730 The performing arts side of the Spanish heritage 00:35:24.730 --> 00:35:27.500 is also incredibly strong. It absolutely is, 00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:30.360 especially in classical Spanish traditions. Old 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:32.460 Spanish traditions like zarzuelas, which are 00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:35.400 kind of light operetta and flamenco, are incredibly 00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:38.039 popular and fiercely protected. The University 00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:40.380 of New Mexico is particularly noted for having 00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:43.119 the only dedicated degree program in flamenco 00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:45.840 in the world outside of Spain. The only one. 00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:48.579 The only one. And Albuquerque hosts the Festival 00:35:48.579 --> 00:35:51.059 Flamenco International, which is recognized as 00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:53.300 the largest and oldest flamenco event outside 00:35:53.300 --> 00:35:55.639 of Spain. And of course, the state is immortalized. 00:35:55.690 --> 00:35:58.469 in film and literature, both historical and modern. 00:35:58.909 --> 00:36:01.650 The Western genre, basically. New Mexico is the 00:36:01.650 --> 00:36:04.530 origin of so many famed Western folklore figures, 00:36:04.650 --> 00:36:07.409 from Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett to El Fuego 00:36:07.409 --> 00:36:10.670 Baca. It's where the Wild West truly intersected 00:36:10.670 --> 00:36:13.449 with Spanish law and culture. In modern media, 00:36:13.590 --> 00:36:16.289 it's a powerhouse. The state's generous financial 00:36:16.289 --> 00:36:18.750 incentives and highly diverse geography, from 00:36:18.750 --> 00:36:21.429 snowy mountains to vast deserts, have made it 00:36:21.429 --> 00:36:23.909 ideal for production. Most notably, the entire 00:36:23.909 --> 00:36:25.929 Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul franchise, 00:36:26.409 --> 00:36:29.050 which was set and filmed entirely in Albuquerque. 00:36:29.130 --> 00:36:31.710 Right. Supported by Albuquerque Studios and the 00:36:31.710 --> 00:36:34.829 presence of giants like Netflix and NBCUniversal, 00:36:34.829 --> 00:36:37.750 it's a major economic driver. Finally, we have 00:36:37.750 --> 00:36:40.070 to talk about the unique cuisine. You cannot 00:36:40.070 --> 00:36:42.949 have a deep dive into New Mexico without addressing 00:36:42.949 --> 00:36:46.309 New Mexican cuisine. It's so distinct from Tex 00:36:46.309 --> 00:36:49.309 -Mex or standard Mexican food. This is the definitive 00:36:49.309 --> 00:36:52.389 cultural marker. And the absolute key, the heart 00:36:52.389 --> 00:36:54.590 of it all, is the New Mexico chili pepper, specifically 00:36:54.590 --> 00:36:57.449 the varieties grown in the Hatch Valley. The 00:36:57.449 --> 00:36:59.869 fundamental question every visitor must answer 00:36:59.869 --> 00:37:03.260 is the culinary identity statement. Red or green. 00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:05.300 Referring to the color of the chili sauce they 00:37:05.300 --> 00:37:07.579 want on their food. Exactly. And this cuisine 00:37:07.579 --> 00:37:10.300 is a true fusion of indigenous dishes and Spanish 00:37:10.300 --> 00:37:12.739 -Hispano flavors, emphasizing local ingredients. 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:16.460 Iconic dishes include sopapillas. A light, airy, 00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:19.119 fry bread -style pastry, often served with honey. 00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:22.199 Delicious. Enchilada montada, where the tortillas 00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:24.739 are stacked flat, not rolled. Green chili stew. 00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:27.679 And bizcochitos, the steak cookie, which is flavored 00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:30.019 with anise and cinnamon. Let's turn to the state's 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:32.179 political identity, which is arguably the biggest 00:37:32.179 --> 00:37:34.460 surprise given its history of delayed statehood 00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:37.070 and its unique cultural makeup. New Mexico is 00:37:37.070 --> 00:37:39.449 now generally considered a Democratic stronghold 00:37:39.449 --> 00:37:42.070 in national elections, but historically it was 00:37:42.070 --> 00:37:44.610 a major swing state and its underlying political 00:37:44.610 --> 00:37:47.369 culture remains strongly moderate. That's a key 00:37:47.369 --> 00:37:50.469 point. A substantial 36 percent of New Mexicans 00:37:50.469 --> 00:37:53.510 identify as political moderates. This means that 00:37:53.510 --> 00:37:56.050 individual candidate profile, local outreach 00:37:56.050 --> 00:37:59.369 and specific issue stances often matter a lot 00:37:59.369 --> 00:38:02.250 more than rigid national party ideology. And 00:38:02.250 --> 00:38:04.250 they have a truly unusual government structure 00:38:04.250 --> 00:38:06.610 at the state level that. contributes to this 00:38:06.610 --> 00:38:09.329 decentralized feeling? They operate with a citizen 00:38:09.329 --> 00:38:12.090 legislature. Lawmakers are essentially volunteers 00:38:12.090 --> 00:38:15.289 who receive only a modest daily stipend while 00:38:15.289 --> 00:38:17.949 they're in session. This highly unusual tradition 00:38:17.949 --> 00:38:20.389 dates back to statehood. And what was the principle 00:38:20.389 --> 00:38:22.269 behind that? It was founded on the principle 00:38:22.269 --> 00:38:24.690 that the legislature should be composed of citizens 00:38:24.690 --> 00:38:27.489 temporarily leaving their normal lives, not career 00:38:27.489 --> 00:38:30.389 politicians. What impact does that citizen legislature 00:38:30.389 --> 00:38:56.639 status have on governance today? Yet. Despite 00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:59.440 this unique, sometimes slow structure, there 00:38:59.440 --> 00:39:02.239 are leaders nationally in representation, particularly 00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:04.960 for women of color. Absolutely. New Mexico has 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:06.940 elected more women of color to public office 00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:09.659 than any other state. Our sources show that two 00:39:09.659 --> 00:39:11.559 -thirds of all non -white women who have ever 00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:14.300 been elected governor in the entire U .S. are 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:16.650 from New Mexico. Two thirds. That's an incredible 00:39:16.650 --> 00:39:19.250 statistic. It is. And this legacy of inclusion 00:39:19.250 --> 00:39:21.369 and representation goes back a century, starting 00:39:21.369 --> 00:39:24.110 with Soledad Chavez Chacon, who became the first 00:39:24.110 --> 00:39:26.510 Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in 00:39:26.510 --> 00:39:29.230 the U .S. way back in 1922 as secretary of state. 00:39:29.489 --> 00:39:31.929 OK, let's review some of the unique policy and 00:39:31.929 --> 00:39:33.949 lawmaking choices that reflect this moderate 00:39:33.949 --> 00:39:36.190 independent streak, which can be progressive 00:39:36.190 --> 00:39:38.730 on some fronts and then deeply conservative on 00:39:38.730 --> 00:39:41.670 others. The laws are fascinatingly disparate. 00:39:42.380 --> 00:39:44.880 on one hand the state is highly progressive on 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:47.400 certain social issues It abolished the death 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:50.400 penalty in 2009. Okay. It has also pioneered 00:39:50.400 --> 00:39:52.920 permissive cannabis laws, legalizing medical 00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:56.940 use in 2007, recreational use in 2021, and it 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:59.860 was the first state to decriminalize drug paraphernalia 00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:03.000 back in 2019. Furthermore, regarding abortion 00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:05.780 access, New Mexico is among the most permissive 00:40:05.780 --> 00:40:08.340 in the nation, with procedures legal at all stages. 00:40:08.699 --> 00:40:11.340 The governor even issued an executive order protecting 00:40:11.340 --> 00:40:13.400 providers from out -of -state litigation after 00:40:13.400 --> 00:40:15.719 the Dobbs decision. But then you have the complete... 00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:18.099 opposite approach to firearms. It's a total reversal. 00:40:18.380 --> 00:40:20.860 That is the ultimate expression of New Mexico's 00:40:20.860 --> 00:40:22.940 political moderation and its strong sense of 00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:25.920 frontier individualism. The New Mexico Constitution 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:28.699 explicitly enshrines the right to bear arms and 00:40:28.699 --> 00:40:31.099 critically prevents local governments from regulating 00:40:31.099 --> 00:40:33.099 gun ownership. So the laws have to be uniform 00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:36.329 statewide. Exactly. And it is a shall issue state 00:40:36.329 --> 00:40:38.570 for concealed carry permits, meaning applicants 00:40:38.570 --> 00:40:40.449 have a presumptive right to receive a license. 00:40:40.750 --> 00:40:43.210 This combination of highly progressive social 00:40:43.210 --> 00:40:46.409 policy and staunch protection of gun rights underscores 00:40:46.409 --> 00:40:48.610 the complexity and the deep independence of New 00:40:48.610 --> 00:40:51.590 Mexico's political identity. Hashtag tag outro. 00:40:52.090 --> 00:40:54.750 So what does this all mean for you, the listener? 00:40:55.159 --> 00:40:57.940 New Mexico is clearly not a forgotten state or 00:40:57.940 --> 00:41:00.519 a homogenous desert. It is this intricate blend 00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:03.920 of millennia -old indigenous heritage, evidenced 00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:06.059 by the living traditions of the ancestral Pueblans 00:41:06.059 --> 00:41:08.380 and the presence of Taos Pueblo, and the communal 00:41:08.380 --> 00:41:11.289 governance of the Esequias. And this is all deeply 00:41:11.289 --> 00:41:13.809 layered with a profound Spanish -Hispanic culture 00:41:13.809 --> 00:41:16.170 that fought for centuries to maintain its identity. 00:41:16.369 --> 00:41:18.570 But simultaneously, New Mexico is defined by 00:41:18.570 --> 00:41:21.050 its cutting -edge 21st century science, from 00:41:21.050 --> 00:41:23.110 the foundational world -altering research at 00:41:23.110 --> 00:41:25.269 Los Alamos and Sandia that ushered in the atomic 00:41:25.269 --> 00:41:27.510 age and created that unique educating class, 00:41:27.769 --> 00:41:30.289 to the commercial space launches happening today 00:41:30.289 --> 00:41:33.269 at Spaceport America. It's a place where ancient 00:41:33.269 --> 00:41:35.469 roads literally meet commercial spaceflight, 00:41:35.570 --> 00:41:38.949 a place of extreme stark contrasts. A place where 00:41:38.949 --> 00:41:40.969 that internal paradox we've been talking about, 00:41:41.090 --> 00:41:43.889 low rankings in education and wealth coexisting 00:41:43.889 --> 00:41:46.329 with a high concentration of PhD holders and 00:41:46.329 --> 00:41:49.849 federal power, is just inescapable. And that 00:41:49.849 --> 00:41:52.409 paradox, combined with its unique, complicated 00:41:52.409 --> 00:41:55.110 history of being denied statehood for decades 00:41:55.110 --> 00:41:58.469 due to its majority non -Anglo population and 00:41:58.469 --> 00:42:00.550 the ongoing legacy of forced Native American 00:42:00.550 --> 00:42:04.710 reservations, raises a really important, provocative 00:42:04.710 --> 00:42:07.550 question for you to consider. Okay. Given New 00:42:07.550 --> 00:42:10.429 Mexico's long conflicted path to political integration 00:42:10.429 --> 00:42:13.050 and its enduring status as a majority minority 00:42:13.050 --> 00:42:16.150 state, how does this legacy of delayed inclusion 00:42:16.150 --> 00:42:18.909 and racial prejudice manifest in its modern political 00:42:18.909 --> 00:42:21.789 culture, a culture which, despite its national 00:42:21.789 --> 00:42:24.150 democratic leanings, remains strongly moderate 00:42:24.150 --> 00:42:26.849 and focused on individual candidate profile rather 00:42:26.849 --> 00:42:30.070 than rigid ideological purity? It suggests that 00:42:30.070 --> 00:42:31.949 the historical struggle for identity continues 00:42:31.949 --> 00:42:34.269 to inform how New Mexicans choose to be governed 00:42:34.269 --> 00:42:36.980 today, demanding representation and compromise 00:42:36.980 --> 00:42:37.960 over dogma.