Five years ago, a mass grave was found in Albuquerque, known as the West Mesa murders. Now, thery have still not gotten justice. Albuquerque’s murdered and missing women deserve better.
Author: Laura Paskus
Laura Paskus is a New Mexico-based reporter and radio producer.
Sexual Exploitation of Native Women: Challenging the Shame
Last week, Indian Country Today published a story by independent journalist and photographer Mary Annette Pember (Red Cliff Tribe of Wisconsin Ojibwe) about generations of American Indian women who have been sexually exploited—in Duluth, Minn., of all places. Pember begins her story with Mary G.: Mary G. was born from the boats. Her children were […]
10 Things You Need to Know About Native American Women
It’s no exaggeration to say that American Indian women are missing from most media coverage, history books and classroom discussions. But at least journalism students, instructors and state educators in Nebraska are doing something to help end America’s ignorance of Native women and the contributions they make to their communities, their tribes and to the nation as a whole.
Frances Moore Lappe’s Grand Vision: Treat Markets as Ecosystems
The latest book from environmentalist Frances Moore Lappé–author of the bestselling Diet for a Small Planet—could not have been published at a better time. As Occupy protests across the United States challenge gross economic disparities, Lappé’s EcoMind calls for a drastic rethinking of how markets should work, in a grand vision that weaves together environmental […]
Of “Talent Scouts,” “Hunt Clubs” and Predatory Men
Since 2009, when the bodies of eleven women–many of whom worked as prostitutes–were found in a mass grave on the west side of Albuquerque, I’ve been researching and reporting on those still-unsolved murders. So as news of a prostitution ring here in New Mexico broke last week, I couldn’t stop reading about the investigation–and wondering […]
Honoring All Mamas on Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day, it’s easy to get caught up in the Hallmark image of Mom. Even in the 21st century, the idealized mother often appears as straight, married and, if not stately or stodgy, at least mature in years. But how many mothers actually fit that stereotype? The Strong Families Initiative (led by Asian Communities for […]
365 Take-Our-Daughters-and-Sons-to-Work Days
A few months ago I was scrolling through audio files of interviews on my computer when I was startled to hear the recorded cooing of my daughter when she was a baby. I had been hiking through dry arroyos in the desert west of Albuquerque with a biologist who was studying the decline of burrowing […]
The Disappearance of Phylicia Barnes
The media’s inattention to missing women of color is nothing new. Criticism of that trend isn’t either—and yet, it continues. Consider how names such as Elizabeth Smart, Natalee Holloway or JonBenet Ramsey rank in name recognition, even years after their disappearances. Then consider names such as Starr Snead, Artdrunetta Hobbs or Lachrica Jefferson. All are […]