Seminar 3 - Albuquerque, NM

NMAL Class 16 Social Issues & Cultural Awareness

Our third seminar was packed with great information to broaden our cultural awareness and understand critical social issues in New Mexico.

We visited the Roadrunner Food Bank and discussed food insecurity and Skarsgaard Farms where we learned about a unique way to access more freshly grown and local NM products. 

At a Veterans' Reintegration Center we learned about the struggles many veterans have after getting out of the military. The non-profit works with the Veterans' Administration and other programs to help veterans secure housing as well as other services. 

We invested much of our time in learning about different faiths. At the Islamic Center of New Mexico we were welcomed by Sheikh Dr. Mahmoud Eldenawi where he discussed the Islamic faith and food practices within the religion. He was open to answering any question we had and I was surprised by much of what I learned. I have a broader perspective regarding the Islamic faith. Dr. Eldenawi, who is originally from Egypt, shared a cake with us from his Egyptian culture. It was delicious.

We also met with Reverend Ross Whitaker, the Albuquerque District Superintendent for the United Methodist Church, this conversation was much more comfortable as it more closely aligned with my own beliefs.

We also stopped at the Kadampa Meditation Center and were introduced to the Buddhist Faith and led through a meditation by Gen Khyenwang. She was so gracious and welcoming. Her soft-spoken approach to sharing her faith was heartwarming. The beginning meditation was not comfortable for me. I see the value in calming your mind, but I think different approaches might be a better fit for me. I think going for a long walk or sitting on my back porch with my dogs would be a better way for me to clear my head of regular stresses. Fortunately, I think Gen Khyenwang would encourage us to use methods that work for us.

Finally, we visited the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas. This was the portion of the seminar I was least excited about. I have visited prison facilities in the past and have just been disheartened afterwards. However, I was very surprised with the facility and the programming at the prison. I also learned about the differences between Federal, County and State facilities which gave me a broader perspective of my previous experiences. I was really impressed with the push for education and finding skills that will improve the prisoners lives after they are released. The puppy training program and the crochet program were great to see as well.

Overall, I feel like I have a much broader understanding of some of the issues we face in New Mexico and a broader appreciation for those whose beliefs are different from my own.


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