It is an incredible honor to share that I have been recognized with the 2025 Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award. The award was presented by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, which for more than two decades has celebrated those who defend transparency and the rights of the people of New Mexico.
But this award is not just about me. It is about the people of Cibola County and the basic American principle of representation that defines our Republic. It is a reminder that even when no one is paying attention — even when our voices feel small — local journalism can, and does, make a difference.
When we stand up for what is right, when we shed sunshine on the darkness, our communities benefit.
Through my reporting on House District 6 late last year through this year’s first legislative session, I exposed a local government that attempted to step on the rights of the people it was meant to serve. That effort was about more than a single legislative seat. It was about protecting the fundamental American principle of representation for more than 29,000 New Mexicans.
Cibola I promise you this: Corruption will never find quarter while I am around.
But I cannot do it alone.
Transparency must be embraced at every level of government. That is why I am calling on the Cibola County Board of Commissioners and the Village of Milan Board of Trustees to begin streaming their public meetings to social media or Youtube.
The City of Grants already streams its meetings — and that is a good thing. It must continue.
Streaming meetings does more than ensure transparency. It preserves posterity and builds trust. Across New Mexico, many local governments already have the taxpayerfunded equipment to record and broadcast their meetings. Yet some of those systems sit unused. I wonder if the new technology installed in the Cibola County Commission chambers to record meetings has ever even been turned on.
Posting a meeting notice on a door may meet the legal standard, but it is not enough. It is not good enough for the 80-yearold grandmother who can’t sit through five hours of government business but still deserves access to her government.
It is not enough for the residents who work late, live far, or simply want to understand what their leaders are doing.
Do not be afraid of transparency. It is good for our communities. It is good for Cibola County.
Sunshine is good for New Mexico.