COMMUNITY News:Voices of Los Alamos Monthly Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22.
Agenda:
Recap of past events:
- Dec. 9 LWV citizen advocacy (Cristina)
- School Board unanimously passed the Immigration Policy and Regulations which give guidance to staff on how to implement the Immigrant Resolution that was passed last fall (Ellen).
- Jan. 10 LWV legislative preview where house and senate representatives gave a recap on the upcoming legislature (Elena/Barbara)
- Jan 14-21 Diversity week organized by One Los Alamos (see below for events).
- Jan 21 Women’s March in Santa Fe
Announcements
- Jan. 30 Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety is organizing an advocacy day in Santa Fe at the Roundhouse at 9:15 a.m. (see below for legislature supported by the group).
- League Day at Roundhouse Feb. 1, 8 a.m. committee hearings, 10:15 a.m. education on League issues; Well Woman Advocacy Day at Capitol Jan. 31, 9:30 a.m. (Cristina)
- Community Conversation Group (Becky)
- Next month speaker: Renee Athay from Santa Fe Indivisible, Indivisible training in TorC Jan. 19–21
Speakers
Michele Altherr and Bill Hargraves will present proposal for new charter school.
Miranda Viscoli, New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, on activism for gun safety.
—
One Los Alamos extends a warm invitation to the community to celebrate Diversity Week, proclaimed by LA County, from Jan. 14–20, 2018.
- Culture on Tap at UnQuarked: The Los Alamos Creative District presents Culture on Tap at UnQuarked, 145 Central Park Square, Tuesday, January 16, 5:30 p.m. Guest speaker is author Stephanie Sydoriak, a Los Alamos living treasure born of Ukrainian immigrant parents, with an introduction by Jim Nesmith, an immigration advocate of over 30 years. International bites from Sirphey will be available for purchase.
- Potluck Community Dinner: Rainbow Day — fostering diverse community: The Unitarian Church’s Social Justice Committee, in collaboration with Prism, LANL’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, and the LA High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance invite the Los Alamos LGBTQ+ allies to a potluck celebration for an evening of building bridges, short talks, and food on Thursday, January 18, 6–8 p.m. at the Unitarian Church, 1738 N Sage Loop. Guest speaker is structural biologist Dr. Karissa Sanbonmatsu, presenter of a widely popular TEDTalk, “Epigenetics, Stress and Gender Identity.”
—
Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety has TWO bills going to the legislature in this short session that starts January 15. Both are memorials. One will ask the NICS federal background check system to inform local law enforcement whenever a prohibited purchaser attempts a purchase at a federally licensed dealer in NM. The other asks the Department of Public Safety and CYFD to collect data statewide on gun-related deaths and injuries so lawmakers can make changes that will save the lives of kids.
—
Speakers’ Bios
Michele Altherr started her New Mexico teaching career in 1997 and has taught grades K-6. Currently, she teaches sixth grade science and is serving as a New Mexico Public Education Department Teacher Leader School Liaison. She served as a founding board member and past president of the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, with the vision of establishing the Los Alamos Nature Center. In 2017, she won the Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award for her environmental education programs for children. She is a graduate of Leadership Los Alamos and has served on the Parks and Recreation Board. Michele received a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Florida Institute of Technology, a teaching certification from UNM, and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership degree from Highland’s University.
William Hargraves is currently an LAPS School Board Member but is working on the Polaris team as a private citizen to avoid conflict of interest concerns. Bill is a parent of two Los Alamos High School graduates. He is retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Bill earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute Of Technology. He worked in academia, NM State Government, Federal Government, private sector, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Miranda Viscoli received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at New York University as well as a Bachelor of Arts from California State University at Long Beach. In the summer of 2009 she completed her masters in Latin American art history at California State University Long Beach where her masters thesis won the Outstanding Thesis Award for the College of the Arts. After the Sandy Hook shooting, Miranda Viscoli suspended work on her PhD at UNM in order to research and write about the problem of gun violence both in New Mexico and the United States. Miranda Viscoli is co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. She has worked with schools, school boards, police departments, legislators, and city councils to implement gun violence prevention measures throughout the state. NMPGV is a non-partisan organization whose sole purpose is the prevention of gun violence in New Mexico. She serves as a regional board member for States United Against Gun Violence and was awarded the 10 Who Made a Difference award in 2016 for her work on gun violence prevention.
