A Lighthouse Keeper Hangs Up Her Bonnet

Celebrating the experiences of Sally Snowman, who will soon retire as the only female lighthouse keeper in the Boston Light’s 307-year history.

Written and photographed by Diana Cervantes for Hakai magazine

Dec. 19, 2023

On one of her final days on Massachusetts’s Little Brewster Island, Sally Snowman, the only remaining official lighthouse keeper in the United States, went ambling over the rocky terrain to caw into the wind with the gulls and say a blessing. She called, “the spirits from the beyond, the beyond, the beyond, to watch out for [the lighthouse] to ensure everything will remain safe up there.”

For 20 years, Snowman has served as the keeper and historian of the 307-year-old Boston Light. Dressed either in a coast guard uniform or a costume inspired by what a lighthouse keeper’s wife wore in the 18th century, she’ll ascend the 76 spiraling stairs up the lighthouse to clean the windows and polish the lenses of the light that keeps mariners from smashing into rocks; mow the grass that, in the summer, can reach her knees; check for anything needing maintenance; and clean. “Because we have six buildings and only one is heated, they get pretty grungy quickly with spiderwebs and bugs, things that accumulate,” she says.

For most of her tenure, she lived on the island, giving tours to visitors on Fridays through Sundays. The lighthouse once saw thousands of visitors annually. She was one of them, once: Snowman accompanied her coast guard–auxiliarist father to the island when she was 10 years old. As she stepped on shore, she declared she wanted to be married there someday. In 1994, she and her husband, Jay Thomson, held their wedding ceremony on Little Brewster Island near the base of the light.

Nine years after that, Snowman, a college professor in education and coast guard volunteer, successfully applied for the keeper job. The work has been “just the dream of dreams,” she says.

When a lack of potable water and various other problems with the aging buildings forced the coast guard to close the island to the public in 2018, Snowman switched to commuting by boat twice a week from nearby North Weymouth, a crossing that can take up to an hour and a half in her six-meter skiff. She is typically joined by two auxiliary coast guard members who help with her rounds. Their time on the island is always limited by the weather and tidal cycle, as high tides and tumultuous seas make docking and scrambling to or from the boat precarious. In winter, Snowman typically has less than an hour to complete her work. When the weather is particularly bad, she’s unable to visit at all; in May 2023, storms kept her away all but four days.

Aside from the two volunteers, Snowman’s main companions now are the gulls who use the island as a nesting ground. Their eggs lie nestled and unhatched beneath the stairs of the lightkeeper’s home; their spent bodies decay in puddles on the rocky cliffs.

“Birds either come to the island to give birth or die,” Snowman says. When she stopped living on-site, birds—especially gulls—took over, she says. With more birds living and nesting on the island, more are dying there, too. Nearly every time she visits, she conducts a burial at sea for a gull, cormorant, or oystercatcher.

Set to retire at the end of this month, Snowman has longevity on her mind. “I think one of the reasons why I am a healthy 71-year-old [now 72] is because of the spirit of the lighthouse. And I wonder, when I’m not with it anymore, if the aging process will kick in.”

Knowing that weather might prevent her from making more trips, she has already said her goodbyes to the Boston Light and Little Brewster Island. Once she hangs up her bonnet, she will be giving presentations about her time as lightkeeper, combing through thousands of historical lighthouse documents on her living room floor to hand over to the coast guard, and working on other endeavors that bring her joy, such as teaching yoga and sound healing.

The coast guard will continue the upkeep of the Boston Light until a new steward is found; timeline unknown.

view: hakai magazine

Carnivale on the Rio Grande boosts awareness for Albuquerque ecosystems

Art and environment blend to create fun experiences to grow conservation along New Mexico river

Written and photographed by Diana Cervantes for Source NM

Conservation Carnivale 1_DC.jpg

(1) Capucine Socquet, left, and Florian Gaussen set up costumes before Conservation Carnivale’s performance at the Tijeras Biozone in Albuquerque, NM on July 29, 2023. Conservation Carnivale aims to promote science education and celebrate Albuquerque’s local ecosystems.

Conservation Carnivale 2_DC.jpg

(2) Conservation Carnivale ringleader and founder, Endion Schichtel in the door frame of their traveling van. A 1974 converted Chevy van dubbed the “Green Machine,” due to its color. The van acts as a mobile museum, classroom, and interactive art exhibit.

Conservation Carnivale 3_DC.jpg

(3) A vintage chest filled with natural specimens mirroring a cabinet of curiosities.

Conservation Carnivale 5_DC.jpg

(5) A dead bird behind a glass cabinet inside the Green Machine. The van is filled with different specimens and interactive pieces for children and adults to ask questions and ponder the ecosystems of the Middle Rio Grande watershed.

Conservation Carnivale 6_DC.jpg

(6) Socquet left, paints the face of fellow carnie Summer Rain Solon dressed as the endangered silvery minnow native to N.M. and the Rio Grande River.

Conservation Carnivale 9b_DC.jpg

(9b—diptych) Right, Brenner laughs as bubbles float past her face. Brenner part of the NM Pod Squad teamed up with Conservation Carnivale for the Tijeras Biozone event.

Conservation Carnivale 13_DC.jpg

(13) Schichtel dances with the local community after Conservation Carnivale’s performance at the Tijeras Biozone. Schichtel believes in engaging with the community to foster positive change and education for the environment.

Conservation Carnivale 14_DC.jpg

(14) Left, Summer Rain Solon dressed as the endangered silvery minnow native to N.M. and the Rio Grande River, Laura Itriago also known as Yogi Cayote, and Ringleader Endion Schichtel welcome families to their science performance at the Valle Del Oro National Rain Solon dressed as the endangered silvery minnow native to N.M. and the Rio Grande River performs her aerial acrobat act on Oct 14, 2023.

Conservation Carnivale 15a_DC.jpg

(15a Left—diptych) Rain Solon dressed as the endangered silvery minnow native to N.M. and the Rio Grande River performs her aerial acrobat act on Oct 14, 2023.

Conservation Carnivale 15b_DC.jpg

(15b Right—diptych) Rain Solon dressed as the endangered silvery minnow native to N.M. and the Rio Grande River performs her aerial acrobat act on Oct 14, 2023.

Conservation Carnivale 16_DC.jpg

(16) Margarita Quintana, Miss Mermaid New Mexico 2021-2023 and founder of the NM Pod Squad, performs her water dance act as mer person of the Rio Grande at Valle del Oro National Wildlife Refuge on Oct 14, 2023. Quintana hopes her performance encourages and reminds people to “conserve and preserve our precious water resources.”

Conservation Carnivale 17_DC.jpg

Endion Schichtel looks up at the sun for the solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023.

Conservation Carnivale 18_DC.jpg

19. Endion Schichtel, left and attendees of the solar eclipse at the Valle Del Oro Wildlife Refuge, can be seen from the interior of “The Green Machine” on Oct. 14, 2023.

Conservation Carnivale 19_DC.jpg

Schichtel and Quintana look up at the solar eclipse at the Valle del Oro Wildlife Refuge on Oct. 14, 2023.

Nov. 10, 2023

Stepping inside the Conservation Carnivale van, dubbed “The Green Machine,” is like stepping inside a delightful cabinet of curiosities existing along the Upper Middle Rio Grande Watershed. Shells and specimens on the van’s walls invite viewers to touch and observe, and signs such as, “nature unites us,” speak of the central message of this traveling troupe of entertainers.

The group started in 2022 with funding from the city of Albuquerque and the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund with an idea to bring entertainment to engage people in environmental education along the Rio Grande ecosystem.

“Climate change, to me, is the most unifying thing we have as a species. No matter where you are in the world, climate change is affecting you, whether you feel it or [are] aware of it.” Endion Schichtel said.

Read Full story here

SFIS students celebrate school’s Feast Day

Words by Danielle Prokop. Images by Diana Cervantes for Source NM

*A dance group with Elvia Sanchez perform the Hopi Butterfly Dance, at the Santa Fe Indian School Feast Day on Oct. 9, 2023. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)*

100923_SFIS Feast Day 1_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 2_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 3_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 4_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 5_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 7_Diana Cervantes.jpg

100923_SFIS Feast Day 8_Diana Cervantes.jpg

Read Here

These NYC teens overcame school refusal and made it to graduation

Words by Amy Zimmer. Photos by Diana Cervantes for Chalkbeat

Myka, 17, who is standing in their Queens backyard, will be heading to college later this month after a long journey through high school, where they missed many days because of mental health challenges. | Diana Cervantes for Chalkbeat

Myka, 17, returned to their Queens home for senior year after spending junior year at a residential therapeutic program in Utah. | Diana Cervantes for Chalkbeat

Krystal Folk, 31, a middle school social worker, poses for a portrait in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn. | Diana Cervantes for Chalkbeat

Read Story here

Unseen Danger: One Day of Deadly Window Strikes for New York’s Birds

Go behind the scenes with the dedicated New Yorkers working to stop the flood of avoidable deaths that occur in the city each migration season.

Words by Audubon Editors. Contributing Photographer Diana Cervantes for Audubon Magazine

A dead Canada Warbler in Columbus Circle. Photo: Diana Cervantes

A dead warbler on the sidewalk in front of the Deutsche Bank Center on Tuesday May 16. The warbler likely collided with the windows of the building the night before during migration. The buildings proximity to the park and the reflections of the tre

Collision monitors Alice Winkler, left, her dog Sawyer and Laura Lincks, volunteers with Project Safe Flight arrive at the Deutsche Bank Center building where they find a dead male Canadian Warbler. As route volunteers they report any deceased or in

Winkler and Lincks walk around their designated Columbus Circle route to locate and report any injured or dead birds. These routes are chosen due to being migration and collision hotspots.

Winkler and Lincks walk around their Columbus Circle route to locate and report any injured or dead birds. They often look up to see if any birds have landed on awnings or other parts of buildings infrastructure.

Winkler and Lincks walk around their designated Columbus Circle route which includes the Deutsche Bank Center in order to locate and report any injured or dead birds. These routes are chosen due to being migration and collision hotspots.

A sparrow fluttering near the windows of the IBM building atrium near Madison and fifth avenue.

Hilary Berliner shows Zoe Grueskin a photo of the common yellowbird warbler prior to putting the bird in the paper bag. Berliner found the bird at Astor Place early Tuesday morning sitting on the sidewalk, alert but breathing heavily. Due to her hav

Berliner shares the photo she took of the common yellowthroat warbler she found earlier in the morning near Astor Place. She noticed he was not moving and breathing heavily.

Berliner says goodbye to the injured warbler. Prior to Grueskin picking up the injured bird Berliner was teaching a class where she kept the injured bird gently on her desk before Grueskin could transport the bird to the Wild Bird Fund.

The L Train arrives at Union Square as Grueskin holds the injured warbler to her chest. She worries about the noise of the trains causing further stress to the injured bird.

Chen holds a bird friendly piece of glass to demonstrate how its design helps prevent bird collisions during a visit to the New York City Audubon office Tuesday May 16. Bird-friendly glass is a great way to help migratory birds making their way thro

A fake nest, egg and feathers seen at the Audubon office in NYC on Tuesday May 16th.

Read Article

Honoring the Body Donors Who Are a Medical Student’s ‘First Patient’

Words by April Rubin, photographs by diana cervantes for the new york times

The Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center at Columbia University on the evening of April 20, 2023. The center is a medical and graduate education building where the anatomical donor ceremony is held. The ceremony aims to thank and honor the donors

Felicia Goodman, Senior Director of Student Affairs at Columbia University welcomes students and faculty to the anatomical ceremony on April 21. 2023. The ceremony offered poetry readings, musical performances, art and speeches from students to hono

Professor for the Department of Pathology and Director of the Donor Program Paulette Bernd, left, looks out onto the crowd as Jewelnel (CQ) Davis, University Chaplain and Associate Provost gives the opening remarks of the ceremony.

Evan Wright, first year medical student at Columbia University plays Johann Sebastian Bach’s Largo Espressivo on the violin as a personal tribute and gratitude to the donors who donated their bodies for science.

Evan Wright, first year medical student at Columbia University takes his seat after playing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Largo Espressivo on the violin as a personal tribute and gratitude to the donors that donated their bodies for science. Wright was on

Music sheets on a stand as more students await to pay their tributes to donors on the evening of April 20, 2023 at Columbia University. Columbia is only one of many colleges that commemorate anatomical donors across the country.

Nivi Ravi and Ryan Cohen, first year medical students perform 'In Paradisum' and 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot,' for the audience and as a tribute to the individuals that donated their bodies for science. As Professor Bernd stated in her opening remarks

Anthony Tang, first year medical student plays Meditation by Thaïs, in gratitude to the donors who gave their bodies for science. Anatomical donations allow students like Tang to get hands on experience with real human bodies in preparation for thei

Bree (CQ) Zhang, artist and Columbia dental student shares the art inspired by conversations she had in an exchange program on anatomy dissections in other countries. "This artwork is my commitment to always zoom out. To honor that there’s a story b

Bree (CQ) Zhang, artist and Columbia dental student presented art work inspired by conversations surrounding anatomy directions in other countries. In her speech Zhang mentioned she is a proud student of the donor from table fourteen, who she believ

read Online edition

Feet in 2 Worlds: Permanent Resident, Expiration: Never — “A Better Life?” Podcast

Words by Virginia Lora, Produced by Danny AbdelHameid, Photos by Diana Cervantes.

April 6, 2023

“Last year, nearly half a million people applied for a green card to permanently live and work in the United States. The process costs thousands of dollars and in some cases, can take years.

But what if there were no years-long backlogs, or lengthy visa-processing times? What if getting a green card took just 15 minutes? And what if everyone who applied was eligible and automatically approved?

That’s the world Philadelphia artists Xuan Liu and Youkun Zhou have created through The Fake Green Cards Project. At pop-up events at community fairs and art markets they issue hand-drawn “fake green cards” to anyone who would like one. Their art pieces have sparked conversations on the meaning and use of identification cards, the official terminology used to refer to immigrants, and of the immigration system as a whole.

Liu moved to the United States from China as a grad student to pursue a degree in Video Art at Syracuse University. The transition to life in the U.S. was difficult. It planted a seed that would eventually turn into the Fake Green Cards Project.

“I was speaking a language that I wasn’t that familiar with. Trying to make new friends, trying to figure out how do I go to [get] groceries,” Liu recalled. Things got even harder when she had to fill out her taxes as an international student for the first time.

“I was just thinking, oh, what if I have a green card?” said Liu. “I don’t have to file all this documentation I feel so detached from, just to prove who I am or just to prove that I am legal to be here–whatever that means.”

Listen and Read

Youkun Zhou left, and Xuan Liu prepare their booth for their Fake Green Cards Project at Brick Aux on Feb 5, 2023. According to Zhou’s and Liu’s artist statement The Fake Green Cards Project, “is a social engagement art project where you could apply for a green card from us and we will issue a green card by hand drawing it for you.”

Youkun Zhou lays out merchandise for their Fake Green Cards Project at Brick Aux.

Youkun Zhou, left, and Xuan Liu discuss their setup and prepare before the opening of the Market of Dreams. The fair featured various artists and vendors.

Xuan Liu before the market of dreams opens to the public on Feb. 5, 2023. According to Liu inspiration for this project began with the “frustration dealing with documentation and visa works, thinking if I have a green card I won’t have as [many] struggles. It was half an empowerment act and half a joke…”

Youkun Zhou reflected in a mirror. Zhou is also a collaborator with Liu for The Fake Green Cards Project and shares the same research interest as Liu.

Youkun Zhou left, and Xuan Liu prepare their booth for their Fake Green Cards Project. The artwork featured in the background is from artist Shawna Tang, who is a second-generation Taiwanese/Chinese American, her work is about finding happiness in the confusion and ambiguity of diaspora.

Xuan Liu left, draws participants while Youkun Zhou, middle, interacts, scans finished green cards and talks with participants Manman Li, middle right, and Ziyan Xin.

Xuan Liu adding color to a green card with color pencils.

Xuan Liu, left and Youkun Zhou smile as a friend arrives to the fair.

Leah Plante-Wiener smiles as Youkun Zhou hands her the completed fake green card. Plante-Wiener is from Montreal, Canada and has lived in NY for four and half years.

Xiaoyu Li shows her finished green cards at the fair at Brick Aux. Li is from China and has been in NY since 2016.

Xuan Liu, left, and Youkun Zhou with their personal fake green cards at the fair.

BE Journal: Visions of Wild HOPE

March 2023. Contributing photographer Diana Cervantes

Explore the next chapter for nature here.

CRISIS ON THE RIO GRANDE

Read Series

70 Million Podcast

December 26, 2022. Photographs by Diana Cervantes for 70 Million Podcast

Caption: Insha Rahman, Vice President of advocacy and partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice, stands for a portrait at the Vera offices in Brooklyn. In the backdrop are windows made by an artist meant to replicate windows used in jails. “Im passionate to do my part to make the world more just, more fair.” -Insha Rahman.

listen and read

Photoville & Fort Greene Park Conservancy: Community Heroes

Photographs by Diana Cervantes for Community Heroes and Fort Greene Park Conservancy

From August 2022 - July 2023 on the Park-hospital fence (Fort Greene)

It was an absolute honor to photograph Ketriana Yvonne for Community Heroes (@communityheroes.nyc) in partnership with Photoville (@photoville) and Fort Greene Park Conservancy (@fortgreenepark). Ketriana has been a vital member in the Fort Greene Community. I couldn’t express it better than Youth Writer on the project Emily Lin.

“Life is like shiny sequins, sometimes flashy most times you lose some pieces...Like the fabric of life in spite of a few tugs that leave a space or two without sequins. I still maintain and shine just the same."

This was the metaphor used in Ketriana Yvonne's book, Sequin Soul: Poetry from the Spirit. Previously in Patient Services, Community Outreach, and a Marketing Specialist for Brooklyn plaza medical center, Ketriana is now fully immersed in all creative things having become an inspiring poet, writer, and community influencer as a large part of her community arts and media institutions. She uses her words and ideas as her tool and hopes to pull people out of their struggles and fears. In a world full of negativity, Ketriana had become part of the bright sun of her surroundings. Ketriana's experience in first taking a New York Writers Coalition Writing Workshop and becoming a Certified Brooklyn Free Speech Producer led to her winning two B Free Awards for "Poetry for Change” and “Community Gardens". This experience allowed her to become a Workshop Leader during Covid -19 and is now to her own Sequin Soul Spirit Writers Workshop. Ketriana has been featured in the Fort Greene Poetry Festival, many open mics, and other talents of her own TV Show. As Host and Producer of "The Ketriana Yvonne Show "and now her Podcast "Like It Was Veterans Tales", she is able to use her own platform to share her ideas. This led to her becoming a County Committee Member and Judicial Delegate for the 57th District of Fort Greene. In a world where negative voices are so loud, it is hard for people to be the bright sun in their own life, yet people like Ketriana are not giving up on helping the people in her community. Ketriana has been a beacon of light and a pillar of hope in Fort Greene and for that

we thank you!

About Community Heroes:

“The goal of this project is to celebrate the everyday heroes of New York City — neighborhood by neighborhood. Heroes are residents who have taken it upon themselves to organize for good in the neighborhood.

We pair local photographers to take portraits of the heroes. These portraits are displayed in the neighborhood, and accompanied by writing about the subject’s heroism.

The project aims to:

Highlight the great stories that are already taking place in each neighborhood
Inspire and encourage viewers to take ownership of their community
Give witness the diverse leaders of each neighborhood to unify them together as heroes

By publicly sharing the stories of people who have advocated for the neighborhood for decades, we hope to spark ideas of how new residents can become ‘owners’ and not just ‘renters’ of the neighborhood. By showcasing a diverse roster of heroes, we hope to cross-pollinate and strengthen the good work each is doing. We hope this will also provide the audience a variety of entry points to engage in the good work happening in the neighborhood.”

Waterfront Alliance

March 24, 2022. Photograph by Diana Cervantes featured on Waterfront alliance

WATERFRONT Q&A RESILIENCE: Women on the Waterfront, Katie Mosher

link to q&A

Atlanta Celebrates Photography Special Exhibition: “Entitlements” for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights

Oct. 2020- July 2021, Featuring work by: Diana Cervantes, Jasmine Clarke, Meghan Dhaliwal, Stephanie Eley, Alexis Hunley, Danielle Villasana

Photo By: Diana Cervantes

Joshua holds his 8-month-old daughter, Luna, as protestors march in Manhattan demanding justice for George Floyd who was killed by Minneapolis Police on May 25.

Joshua said he wasn’t trying to make Luna raise her fist, she was doing it on her own because she understood the importance of this moment.

Joshua and Luna represent not only how racism impacts generations of families, but also the resilience to create change in a system that often neglects the rights of communities of color.

Exhibition Photos By: Lauren Tate Baeza

Screen Shot 2020-12-03 at 9.37.44 AM.png

As violence and inequality cause scarcity and displace populations, impacted groups are frequently discussed as data sets and given impersonal categorizations such as refugee and asylum seeker. This exhibit humanizes conflict and insecurity around the world through compelling images of children at play and at rest.

The children embody hope and inspire an urgency to uphold rights and protections detailed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (ratified 1989) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (established 1948) in order to offer a common standard of fundamental human rights for all people and all nations.

Featuring the photography of Authority Collective members, Entitlements is a global survey of childhood experiences. It celebrates the resilience of children denied the just and secure environments to which they are entitled.

This outdoor exhibition will be on display on the plaza of the NCCHR and does not require entry to the facility.

Partners: National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR) and Authority Collective

exhibition info here

Online Exhibition: The Pieces We Are

Images selected for Six Feet Photography Project Online Gallery

Screen Shot 2020-06-29 at 9.54.00 PM.png

Screen Shot 2020-06-29 at 9.54.18 PM.png

“Pieces We Are” references an adapted excerpt from the novel Beloved :

“She is a friend of my mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order.”

This gallery of images visually represents how, as womyn photographers of color, we have collectively gathered ourselves from the fog and confusion of the coronavirus pandemic and put ourselves back together. The photos speak to being in community with each other, valuing and elevating intimacy at home and beyond as we protest injustice and the pandemic of white supremacy while in the shadow of COVID.

This gallery was curated by Danielle Scruggs and Tara Pixley, both Board Members of Authority Collective and independent photo editors.”

Catchlight Behind the Lens Series with Authority Collective Photographers: images & reflections from the protests

June 8-June 14, 2020

“Authority Collective took over our Instagram feed this week (June 8-June 14, 2020) to feature images from around the United States as tens of thousands of people protest against police brutality and the systemic racism that contributed to the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and many others. Photographers Vanessa Charlot, Diana Cervantes, Lynsey Weatherspoon, Sarahbeth Maney, Tara Pixley, Rachel Elise Thomas, Chloe Collyer and Nora Williams share their photos and reflections from their recent work covering the protests. Special thanks to Danielle Scruggs and Tara Pixley for their curation support.”

link to gallery here

Visura.co

May 30, 2020 Photo essay on the George Floyd Protest in NYC published on Spotlight section of Visura.co.

Screen Shot 2020-05-30 at 11.08.43 PM.png

Screen Shot 2020-05-30 at 11.09.20 PM.png

National Geographic Your Shot

August 2, 2019 Image selected & published for National Geographic’s Your Shot “Photos of the Week”

link to story

Battles, Many and Hard Won: Judy Chicago

Photographs by Diana Cervantes for Pasatiempo Magazine

Judy Chicago at Through the Flower Art Space behind wallpaper she designed. The grand opening is set for July 20th through the 21st. The gallery of Chicago’s work has been at the center of controversy in the small town of Belen, N.M. due to differing outlooks on Chicago’s controversial work. The mayor of Belen and Chicago hope the art space will attract tourists to the struggling small town. Shot for Pasatiempo Magazine

Judy Chicago sweatshirts align the wall in the shop portion of Through the Flower Art Space. Above the sweatshirts are skate boards designed by Judy Chicago. From left to right, The Light Ripple skate board, Butterfly Ripple skateboard, and the Dark Ripple skateboard.

Chicago walks down Becker St, where she walks to and from the gallery and her home and headquarters across the street at the remodeled Hotel Belen.

Hotel Belen on Becker Avenue is the headquarters for Through the Flower Art Space and also serves as a home and studio to artists Judy Chicago and Donald Woodman. Chicago and Woodman moved to Belen in 1996 and renovated the hotel for those purposes.

The sculpture Find It In Your Heart is partially uncovered in preparation for Through the Flower Art Space’s grand opening on July 20 through the 21st. The sculpture was made by a professional woodcarver from Chicago’s marquette. It is adorned with Japanese gold embroidery, a stitched heart and the phrase “find it in your heart” in different languages.

Judy Chicago during an interview with the Santa Fe New Mexican at the headquarters of Through the Flower Art Space inside of the Hotel Belen on July 7.

Clips of Judy Chicago Feature for Pasatiempo Magazine

The_Santa_Fe_New_Mexican_Fri__Jul_19__2019_ copy.jpg

link to story

Amid Rancor, Advocates Scramble to Find Homes for Wild Horses

Written and photographed by Diana Cervantes for Bitterroot Magazine

Adelina Sosa delivers hay to the horses on the San Felipe Pueblo reservation prior to their rehoming. Originally from Panama, Sosa now 69, has been helping with the free roaming horses since she moved out to Placitas with her previous employer in 2000. She has tended to their wounds, nursed many back from near starvation and death and even helped deliver a foal that was stuck in the birth canal. To Sosa helping the horses is what she feels she was put on this earth to do and is glad to take up the burden. “I’m very happy to do (it) because it was nice to see those eyes (everyday),” Sosa said, “to have them come to you and talk to you, and to a degree they are saying ‘thank you,’ once they accept you as part of their herds they kind of greet you even better than people. They are just loving caring animals like us, and they suffer like us.” For my full written article and published images click clips or visit Bitterroots website. I followed this story for over two months in Winter of 2019 and conducted many interviews throughout New Mexico, this story was picked up and commissioned by Bitterroot Magazine.

Sosa carries a bale of hay to the horses out in the reservation. To feed all the horses, Placitas Wild purchases 120-150 bales of hay a week to feed the horses. Due to a spike in hay prices in recent years Placitas Wild has spent $1,600 a week on hay which is funded through donations, fundraisers and at times out of pocket by the women. “A horse eats a 1/3 of a bale of hay and we have 70 plus horses, and we didn't always give them that much because they could forage a little bit,” Johnson said. Due to the lack of forage and water in the area horses run a risk of dying of dehydration and starvation.

Adelina Sosa looks fondly at one of the horses she has taken care of out on the San Felipe preserve. The horse is staring at the left-over grain in the truck bed, to the right a giant water transport jug can be seen which is used by Sosa to deliver water to the horses.

Horses graze on hay brought by Placitas Wild to the preserve on Feb. 24, 2019.

Adelina Sosa, seen carrying a bale of hay to the horses on the San Felipe preserve in late February, has been helping with the free-roaming horses since she moved to Placitas 19 years ago. The 69-year-old has tended to their wounds, nursed starving horses, and helped deliver a foal that was stuck in the birth canal.

Adelina Sosa, a longtime volunteer for the nonprofit organization Placitas Wild, pets one of the free-roaming horses she cared for on a daily basis outside of Placitas, New Mexico, in February. A month later, Placitas Wild had to find new homes for all the horses that were living on a preserve in San Felipe Pueblo

Varied terrain on the reservation where Placitas Wild horses roamed freely for four years. Many of the horses from Placitas Wild were brought in from Placitas and the neighboring BLM land.

Gorgeous basks in sunlight at the reservation days before she is picked up by her adopter. Gorgeous now named Sierra, spends her days at Jackie Fleming’s ranch in Northern New Mexico with some of her family who were also adopted. Fleming is setting aside 100 acres for the Placitas Wild herd so they can live their lives free roaming.

This band wandered up to the preserve in recent years after they noticed food and water in the area, due to lack of space and funds this band would sadly be left behind at what used to be the preserve. Cofounder Sandy Johnson was distraught at leaving them behind. “It breaks my heart, but we can’t save them all,” Johnson said, holding back tears.

A group of curious free roaming horses approach me while at the San Felipe preserve on March 7, 2019.

A band of horses grazes on hay delivered to the San Felipe preserve by Adelina Sosa on Feb. 27, 2019.

Co-founder of Placitas Wild Sandy Johnson, 71, looks at co-founders Adelina Sosa and Karen Taylor. The women met at Johnson’s home on the evening of Feb. 25, to discuss which horses would go where.

Johnson speaks with John Irick co-founder of Mustang Camp as they prepare to clean stalls and clear weeds at the camp in Milan, in preparation for the horses arrival in a few weeks.

Sandy Johnson, looks out at the pens at Mustang Camp in Milan, New Mexico, on March 3. Mustang Camp agreed to train and assist in finding adoptive homes for 54 of the horses from Placitas Wild.

One of the Placitas Wild horses, Cheyenne, waited to be transported to Mustang Camp on March 18. There, he will be gentled and trained for adoption. Although Johnson and Sosa would have preferred for the horses to remain free-roaming, domestication seemed like one of the few solutions at their disposal.

Sosa, seen here saying goodbye to a horse, Happy Boy, as he waited to be transported to Mustang Camp, appreciates the connection she built with the horses. “I like animals. I observe them, I try to understand them. I read them and respect their boundaries, their space — they also do that with us,” she said. “You just have to pay attention to the animal’s behavior and know when to get in their space and when not to.”

When the horses arrived at Mustang Camp, Johnson thanked Patricia Barlow-Irick, its founder. Mustang Camp typically receives horses from BLM holding pens, but the federal government shutdown in December and January slowed their supply of BLM mustangs, creating an opening for the Placitas Wild horses.

“I felt bad for the people involved,” Barlow-Irick said. “Sandy Johnson has put a lot into doing this and trying to make it work. She basically was just being crushed by what was happening. I mean, that’s just a huge, devastating turn of events for her.”

The horses arrive at Mustang Camp to begin their journey to being gentled, but first they will acclimate to their new surroundings.

Los Lunas Animal Clinic veterinarian Donny McDougall gelds one of the Placitas Wild free roaming horses before they go off to their forever homes. Gelding of stallions is crucial to their overall health and population control.

Sterilization products and medicine lay next to a what was a wild stallion who is sedated.

Johnson visits the private property of Kimberly deCastro a native New Mexican and accomplished business women who sought to adopt ten horses from Placitas Wild. The horses would be free roaming on 160 acres with caretakers on the property including deCastro.

Johnson takes a look around deCastros home in San Juan, where a band of horses will live out the rest of their lives free roaming on the vast property.

Sosa thanks deCastro for her kindness and for taking in the horses the women hold dear.

deCastro, Webb and Sosa make a toast in deCastro’s home after deCastro is handed over the ownership of the ten horses. Adoptions like Fleming’s and deCastro’s have restored the faith for Johnson who wishes for outcomes like these for all of the horses. “It gave us hope it was just a wonderful thing,” Johnson said, “the minute we knew Kim would take five we said, who is most deserving? And so, I said I'd like to see Milagros go there he is near and dear to me and we've cared for them the longest,” Johnson said. Although all the horses are special to Sosa and Johnson, horses who they’ve known for over ten years hold a special significance to them and were considered first for homes like deCastro’s.

Tiny, Blossom, Rosita and Milagros explore their new home in San Jose where they will remain free roaming. A lot of preparation went into preparing the property for the horses according to deCastro. “Many things needed to be considered for feed and water, their safety ... When they first came home, I cried, it was a powerful experience for me watching them unload and run to explore what would be their home for the rest of all of our lives. I go to see them every day, and each day is different. They show me new parts of their personality with each meeting, I share a new part of me with them. Maybe a secret or two slips out, a smile, a tear, always a touch. We are learning,” deCastro said.

Sosa, left, and Johnson return to Mustang Camp to sort out paper work and check in on the horses.

Sosa kisses one of the horses she cared for out in the wild for many years, for Sosa it was difficult seeing once free-roaming horses behind pens. Here, she is giving them a treat.

Sundance ashes and mane in an urn surrounded by wild flowers at Johnson’s home. Sundance was the patriarch and fathered many of the horses that Sosa and Johnson went on to care for, Sundance passed away from colic.

A band of free roaming horses can be seen behind local plants on the preserve before being adopted to their new home where they will roam free on 1,000 acres.

A band of horses can be seen from one of the hill tops on the San Felipe preserve on Feb. 19, 2019.

July 7, 2019

In many areas of the rural West, wild horses present a fundamental controversy. They are bastions of frontier freedom to some, a nuisance to others. Proponents say they belong on the range, while opponents note the rangeland that holds them tends to be degraded. In New Mexico, nowhere is the debate around horses more heated than the tiny town of Placitas, 25 miles outside Albuquerque.

New Mexico’s wild horse population is relatively small — the Bureau of Land Management estimates about 240 live there, compared with more than 5,000 in Utah and a whopping 43,200 in Nevada — but many of those horses live in and around Placitas. There, the horses roam free both on federal and private land. For years, residents have fed and watered them, leading them into town and onto the highway, where numerous collisions have taken place. Nobody seems to know exactly what to do about them.

link to story

If You Graduate Right After A Mass Shooting, Good Luck: You’re On Your Own

may 17, 2019. Photographs by Diana Cervantes for Buzzfeed News

These images chronicle a day spent with survivor of the Aztec High School shooting, Sierra Sanders for an article for Buzzfeed News which examines the impact of trauma on students who graduated the year of a shooting. Sierra, a senior when the Dec. 7, shooting happened has decided to pursue a career in criminal justice due to her passion to end school shootings. Sierra was in the building where Casey Jordan Marquez, a senior, and Francisco Fernandez, a junior, lost their lives. The shooter took his own life a few doors down from Sierra’s classroom. Since the shooting she and her family, (her younger sister, Daniella, a freshman during the time of the shooting was in the classroom below Sierra’s, and has suffered from depression, PTSD and anxiety), have attempted to rebuild their lives. I spent a full day with her and her family and attended a ride along she had with New Mexico State Police. “I just knew I needed to do something. ... This is me trying to make a difference,” she said. Article by Amber Jamieson.

Adrianna, Sierra’s older sister messes with her hair while they wait for their younger sister Daniella (not pictured) to get out of class to head to her counseling appointment. Ever since the shooting, Daniella has suffered from PTSD, anxiety and depression. She was a freshman at the time of the shooting and in the classroom below Sierra’s.

Sierra stands in front of her former high school on Wednesday afternoon. Sierra was in the building to the left on the day of the shooting, her classroom was only a few doors down from where the shooter committed suicide.

Sierra’s dad, Bryan Sanders, thumps her drink during her lunch visit to the school on Wednesday afternoon. Sanders is an Athletic Director at Aztec High School and has been in the position for five years. Adrianna Sanders, Sierra's older sister also stopped by to visit her dad. Adrianna attends New Mexico State with Sierra and studies mechanical engineering. Bryan says adjusting to life after the shooting for teachers and administrators has been difficult. "...It's hard when you have kids that are struggling and you go, 'okay, is it struggling because of the residuals of the shooting or are they just struggling because they struggle,'" he said.

A stone statue in front of Aztec High School on May 15 . Days after the Dec. 7, shooting teachers, students and families left flowers and gifts on the letters and base of the statue.

Sierra can be seen from the backseat of a patrol unit during her ride along with New Mexico State Police on Wednesday morning. One of the key reasons for Sanders deciding to pursue a career in criminal justice was after the Aztec High School shooting on Dec. 7, 2017. She changed her major from education to criminal justice because of her passion to end school shootings. "I just felt like I needed to do something, I just can't sit back and watch it happen again and again. For me being a police officer that is me doing something. That's me trying to do what I can so that doesn't happen again."

Officer Nate Oliver demonstrates how to look up license plates during a routine traffic stop around Farmington, N.M. on May 15.

Sierra asks Officer Oliver a question outside the Farmington Court House. Sierra has gone on countless ride alongs with different law enforcement agencies in the New Mexico, including State Police, Las Cruces Police Department, and the Aztec Police Department.

Sierra teases her younger sister Daniella before dinner by taking away her birthday present. The family celebrated an early birthday dinner for Daniella while her oldest sisters were still in town.

Zachary Sanders, 12, jokes around in a clown costume before dinner on May 15.

The Sanders gather to eat dinner on Wednesday afternoon. The family celebrated an early birthday dinner for Daniella while her oldest sisters were still in town.

Daniella licks Sierra’s face as Sierra goes in for an embrace before dinner Wednesday evening. Both Sierra and Daniella are survivors of the Aztec High School shooting. For Sierra her Christian faith has been one of her main comforts in attempts to find healing.

Sierra relaxes on the couch with her cousin Wyatt Salisbury, 7, while she talks to her mom Charda about leaving for her summer job in the morning. Sierra will be a summer Camp Counselor in Glorieta, New Mexico from May until August before returning to NMSU.

Sierra and Daniella mess around with a clown costume before dinner.

Arriana, Sierra, and Daniella put their hair up in buns to see how identical they look in a photo during their little brothers baseball game on May 15.

Sierra, middle, and her sisters laugh at their selfie during their little brother Zachary's baseball game Wednesday evening in Farmington, N.M.

A note on Sierra’s rearview mirror.

link to story

At this Prom Everyone is Royalty

May 4, 2019 Photographs by Diana Cervantes for The Santa Fe New Mexican

Abel Romero 21, dances with his friend Faith Romero 19, who are both students at Pojoaque High School and who drove to Santa Fe to attend the event. /Shot for The Santa Fe New Mexican

Tiaras are displayed before the special needs gala for teens, kids and adults begins. Each person upon arrival is named king and queen.

Savaughna Chavez points at the white rabbits clock and exclaims, “late! Late!” This years prom theme was Alice and Wonderland.

Moriah Garcia, 9, yells with excitement as she is escorted into the prom by her grandmother. This was Garcia’s first time attending the event and got her ears pierced for the event. Garcia attends El Camino Rael Elementary School in Santa Fe.

Crystal Velasquez styles the hair of Courtney Roberts, 21, a junior in the Santa Fe Public’s Schools Kiva Program. Roberts has participated in the event for 3-4 years and always looks forward to dancing and seeing her friends. Velasquez was styling as apart of the New Mexico Pink Ladies, who are community advocates who help with homlessness, domestic violence among many other initiatives.

Volunteer, Genesis Baca, 18, left does the make up of Heaven Leigh Patterson, 19, for the fifth Annual Special Needs Prom. Patterson drove down from Pojoaque with her mother to attend the event and will be graduating from the school in two weeks. The gala was created by Yvonne Encinias and Angelique Chavez. Chavez and Encinias were inspired by Chavez’s kids who have disabilities and sought to create an event where people from all ages feel included.

Angelique Chavez greets Rogerio “Roe” Contreras, 23, during the special needs gala event. The event welcomes individuals with special needs from all ages. Chavez was inspired to begin the event due to her two children with special needs.

The_Santa_Fe_New_Mexican_Sun__May_5__2019_ copy.jpg

link to story

Inside a Wild Horse Ranch

Written and photographed by Diana Cervantes for Bitterroot Magazine

link to story

National Geographic Your Shot

December 10, 2018, Image selected for national geographic your shot best of 2018.

link to stort

Corrales man rides with, supports free-roaming horses

Written and photographed by Diana Cervantes for The Rio Rancho Observer

link to story

Felician Sisters in Rio Rancho devote life to prayer, service

Writen and photographed by Diana Cervantes for The Rio Rancho Observer

Screen Shot 2019-10-17 at 2.57.12 PM.png

Screen Shot 2019-10-17 at 2.56.52 PM.png

December 2, 2018 (Originally ran in Print)

The sound of hymns echoes through the hallway of the Felician Sisters Chapel on a crisp Wednesday morning in November.

It’s 7:15 a.m., and two of the three sisters have been up and going since 5 a.m.

Every morning, the sisters open the chapel to the public to join them in Mass. The women pray twice a day together and individually as needed.

“Well, the most important thing is our prayer life. We have to start our workforce with our prayer life and end with prayer life, or even when we walk, we pray,” said Sister Angela Parkins, the CEO of St. Felix Pantry.

For each sister, the calling of becoming a nun happened at different times in their lives, at different ages and different education levels. A calling is a spiritual leading or a sense of direction from God.

For Sister Jane Mary Gawlik, it was as young as 5 years old. Parkins had a full career before she entered the convent at 47, and Sister Barbara Kopecki at 17.

“I remember at the end of sophomore year (in high school), one of the girls said …‘I’ve been thinking of becoming a sister.’… I laughed out loud and said, ‘That is the last thing I will ever be,’” recalled Kopecki. “And then that summer, things just changed and I felt that’s what I was called to do. I was 17, and I’m now 77.”

Juggling their own ministries from their everyday lives isn’t easy. Parkins is caught between being a full-time CEO and being present at the convent.

“Well, to be honest with you, I get up at 5 a.m., assess what I have to do, then I go to chapel. I was late today because as you could see, the phone was ringing off the hook to set up schedules. I think I had five phone calls before I got to chapel this morning and then I had another one,” said Parkins. “The sisters know I try to be there whenever I need to be … I’m doing my best to balance it, but it’s all hours.”

According to Gawlik, living as part of a sisterhood can be a mix of emotions.

“Some people will say it’s the best thing, and it’s the worst thing, because No. 1, you have community, it’s your family. These sisters, you cry with them when there’s sad times and you laugh with them when there’s happy times, so you are family,” she said. “But we are human, too, and there are personalities and sometimes you want to tear your hair out.”

Comfort and the companionship of sisters who share the same goals and are supportive of each other are the redeeming qualities of living life in a convent, according to Kopecki.

Despite their busy days, the sisters make time in the afternoons to pray together in their private chapel, followed by dinner together.

Afterward, the women read or catch up on sports. For Parkins, it’s watching the Ohio State University football team during Monday night football.

The convent is undergoing a renovation to better accommodate the women.

“Transition is much needed in keeping with the times,” Gawlik said. “We need to be good stewards of our land and our property. It is important to look at how best to use the land and the building.”

The Felician Sisters Convent is located at 4210 Meadowlark Lane and has been a part of the Rio Rancho community since 1976. If you are a woman interested in more information on how to become a Felician sister, contact Gawlik at 892-8862.

Honoring the Saints, blessing the Ojo spring

By Diana Cervantes/For the Mountainview Telegraph (Now MVT)

June 23, 2018

Clouds of dirt swirled around the matachines feet as they danced up the Tijeras hills to bless the Ojo spring on a smoldering Saturday morning in June.

As they danced they were covered from head to toe in copilas resembling a bishops mitre, veils over their eyes, and black decorated blazers with ribbons and rattles. Maneuvering up the winding and at times narrow hills was not an easy feat, yet, the matachines did not miss a step as they moved in mesmerizing unison.

According to legend the Ojo dried up one year when the church father failed to bless the spring. The procession carries on 200 years later for the faithful churchgoers of San Antonio Church. Those in the procession hope each year that once again water will flow from the hilltop.

At the helm of such procession are generations of families that have taken up the mantel to pay homage to the local church’s patron saints such as the Chavez family.

Ted Chavez, 53, has been leading the danza or dance as title of Monarca (monarch) for 20 years, but has participated in the procession for 37 years.

“I started dancing when I was 16, and I’m 53 now,” Chavez said. “It’s a great family tradition for me, my dad used to dance [and I] had two uncles who were monarcas. My dad danced for years.”

Chavez’s granddaughter, 8-year-old AnnAlycia Trujillo has started leading the procession alongside Chavez in the role known as La Malinche, who represents purity and all that is good.

Apart from the homage of the procession, the church fiestas also consist of visperas, feasts and plays that bring together all members of the community.

Next year San Antonio Church will be celebrating their bicentennial.

Bizz Buzz: Family Farm Celebrates 50 Years

Written by: Leota Harriman, Photos by: Diana Cervantes for The Independent

Dean Schwebach breaks up the soil of crops Thursday morning at Schwebach farms in Moriarty. The Schwebachs have lived on their farm for 16 years, but the farm has been in the family for 50 years. The farm has recently acquired a Community Supported Agriculture model, or CSA, that allows members of the community to invest in a local farm by paying for a share of the season’s harvest in advance. /Shot for The Independent

Addie Schwebach, 9, attempts to wrangle a chicken Thursday morning at Schewbach farm in Moriarty, New Mexico.

Ivellise Schwebach looks through recently picked tomatoes from the farm in their family kitchen.

A raspberry awaits picking at the farm. Raspberries are one of the many crops the Schwebach’s grow.

Freddie Bennett strings up some tomatoes early Thursday morning. Bennett has worked at Schwebach farms for 9 years.

Work attire aligns the wall early Thursday morning at Schwebach farm. The farm not only employs regular staff but also receives help from frequent volunteers and their families.

Link to story

DACA: Dreaming Past the New Political Landscape

By Diana Cervantes/ For the Daily Lobo

April 6, 2017

Since the election of President Trump, the future of students under DACA is unknown and many Dreamers are worried not only about what this means for their future, but also for the safety of their families.

Medical student Yazmin Irazoqui Ruiz remembers the moment when her world didn’t seem so certain anymore, just five days after President Trump’s inauguration.

“Jan. 25 was the first border security executive action, and that was the proof I needed to realize that Trump was going to go after what he said he was going to do,” Ruiz said.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was first enacted by the Obama administration in June 2012, and the UNM Dream Team estimates that there are approximately 500 undocumented students at UNM alone.

Trump’s hard-hitting executive order has awakened the long held dormant fears of the undocumented student population.

For Ruiz, this meant taking a leave of absence from the UNM School of Medicine.

“Before I took my leave of absence in February, I was doing fine, up until the inauguration," she said. "Then the border executive order happened...and that is where mental health plays a huge deal, not just in your own mental and emotional health, but physical health as well. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t focus. It was really difficult, because here I was studying for an exam — I felt wasn’t going to do anything for my community.”

Josue de Luna Navarro, a chemical and biological engineering student, understands what it’s like to sit in class attempting to learn, yet deal with more pressing things on his mind.

“It’s like your mind can’t stop because you’re in class learning about whatever it is you’re learning about, but what you’re learning about feels so disconnected to your real-life problems,” Navarro said. “You’re worried about the assignment and out-of-class real life issues, like ‘Are my parents going to be deported?’”

Although DACA holders are not protected against ICE and deportations, they are on lower priority on deportation lists and do have certain benefits.

One of the benefits is the ability to obtain a worker permit, which would allow the individual to work in the U.S. without the need of a social security number.

For one UNM alumni, who seeks to remain anonymous due to her work status, DACA afforded her the means to pay for college, as she could obtain a work permit.

“Prior to DACA I didn’t have a job, I didn’t want to risk anything by getting a fake identity or social (security number)," she said. "So, I paid for my undergrad through scholarships. The latest thing that DACA has done for me is the ability to be a counselor, get my Masters and work in a field that I’m passionate about. I was able to get my license with no problems, basically everything that a person needs to survive.”

Undocumented students not only face the pressure to maintain scholarships, but deal with the uncertainty of possibly having family members deported.

So much so, that the UNM Dream Team Field Coordinator Felipe Rodriguez has helped devise Deportation Protection Plans for students and their families.

“We are starting to implement deportation emergency plans, which includes a list of documents that will help families in case someone gets detained, to start a campaign to stop the deportation,” Rodriguez said. “We are still figuring parts of it out, but it’ll be through 'Know Your Rights” trainings.'”

With so much on the line, some say it seems almost impossible to have a moment of tranquility. For Navarro, he finds solace in meditation.

“I like to meditate to a point I don’t feel anything," Navarro said. “To the point where you are so relaxed you are almost floating. It’s just a way to kind of keep myself grounded and remind myself that I am a human being, and that in itself is powerful. This is something no immigration policy or fear can take away.”

For Ruiz, tranquility comes in the form of dancing “bachata,” a style of romantic music and dance from the Dominican Republic. She also finds solace in speaking Spanish and being a part of the Dream Team.

“I came back to the Dream Team," Ruiz said. "I had been gone for almost a year because of school and I came back to my people and my community because we are all experiencing the same thing in the same magnitude. We deal with it differently. Josue meditates; some people cling to their families. I have taken up dancing bachata in my living room. Just being in my culture and community has been very healing for me.”

Link to story