Reflections of the New Mexico Tribal Drought Workshop

At the end of May, I had the opportunity to attend the 2-day New Mexico Tribal Drought Workshop in Albuquerque, NM as a coordinator, facilitator, and attendee. This workshop was organized by the Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), the South Central and Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Centers, and the USDA Southwest Climate Hub Since this workshop was part of the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center’s (SC CASC) Tribal Engagement efforts, there was a good turnout of New Mexico Pueblos and Tribes, as well as a few Tribes from Arizona, including staff of the Hopi Department of Natural Resources, my Tribe. 

On May 8, 2024, there was a pre-webinar session for attendees to introduce themselves and set intentions for the workshop. Jake Palazzi, the New Mexico Tribal Liaison for the South Central CASC, led the discussion and helped facilitate dialogue on “what drought means to you and your community?” The 2-hour webinar also included a presentation The 2-hour webinar also included a presentation titled “Defining Drought and Drought Risk in Change Climate and the Potential Future Drought Conditions in New Mexico”. in New Mexico. 

The main workshop was held at the Science and Technology Building on the SIPI campus, where participants enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and lunch, made by the Culinary Program at the school. I was able to facilitate a session on conversation mapping, which is a non-talking activity where participants write their thoughts on a large sheet of paper with a word in the middle prompting their response. For example, one of the word prompts was “Rio Grande 2023”. Participants were instructed to think about how or what the Rio Grande could look like in six years if drought conditions continue to persist in New Mexico and the southwest. 

These types of workshops specific to Tribes and Pueblos are needed, as they bring information to the local area and help with climate change planning in our beloved southwest. The participation of Tribes and Pueblos is important because the combination of local/traditional knowledge and data from our federal partners can increase our changes of climate adaptation. One conversation that I really remember from this workshop was on Indigenous Knowledges. We discussed how it is important, as place-based people, to know and understand our connection to the lands are deep. We have known the land for a long time, and we have seen and experienced the changes taking place.