John Traub General Manager at Albuquerque Isotopes | Official Website
The Albuquerque Isotopes have continued to use their platform to connect with the local community through art and culture, highlighted by their recent victory in Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión program. The club, which adopts the Mariachis identity during Copa events, has now claimed its third championship in the initiative, following previous wins in 2018 and 2019.
“If you talk to people in New Mexico, they won't really tell you that they're artists. It's just sort of in the soil here. Everyone is in some way connected to art,” said Ana Romero, co-founder of the New Mexico Academy of Rock and Blues (NMARB).
As part of this year’s Copa win, the Isotopes received a $5,000 donation from Nationwide, the official insurance partner of Copa de la Diversión. Isotopes general manager John Traub explained how NMARB was chosen as the beneficiary.
“[NMARB does] a lot of great things in the community with kids and exposing them to music and culture and art,” Traub said. “We've had players go out to their businesses and learn music along with the kids. And they do these player experiences where we bring them out into the community. They're great things.”
Founded 12 years ago by Romero and her husband Keith Sanchez, NMARB started as a music-based educational program but has since expanded to include various forms of art. The organization offers activities such as lyric writing workshops led by poet laureates, photo-poetry exhibits that integrate technology and art, and museum curation demonstrations.
The relationship between NMARB and the Isotopes has grown over recent years under the guidance of Michelle Montoya, director of community relations for the team. In 2023, Tobias Sanchez—son of Romero and Sanchez—painted a mural titled “Orbit’s Dream” at Isotopes Park with mentor Francisco Lefebre.
According to Sanchez, support from Nationwide will help NMARB pay stipends to artists who teach children about potential career paths through experiential learning.
“We're able to reach out to pay stipends to all these incredible artists, journalists, writers, photographers to bring the kids in and teach them that these are [potential] career paths and teaching through a more alternative form of education that's experiential,” Sanchez said. “We're trying to make it so that kids have access to not only arts programs, but literacy. … through a cultural lens of their own community.”
Romero and Sanchez attended this season’s Mariachis celebration at Isotopes Park with students from NMARB. The event featured performances by musicians and dancers throughout the stadium as well as a concert by Al Hurricane Jr., who has been active in New Mexico’s music scene for five decades.
A Mariachis jersey giveaway attracted fans early on game day. “It was just one of those memorable, incredible evenings at the ballpark that will go down as one of the tops in the season for sure and of our existence, no doubt,” Traub said.
Before first pitch, Nationwide presented Romero, Sanchez, and several students with a ceremonial check on field.
“[The students] just felt like VIPs,” Romero said. “And so some of them had never been to a ballgame before. They felt so important and so seen. And so, like, they mattered. And it was fantastic. They stayed for the whole thing. They asked lots and lots of questions. And they were in awe being on that field. They were so nervous. And it was just so much fun.”
For more information about Copa de la Diversión visit https://www.milb.com/fans/copa-de-la-diversion.
Details about Rockies affiliates can be found at https://www.milb.com/rockies/affiliates/.
