El Palacio, the official magazine of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, has released its Winter 2025–26 issue. The publication will host a public reading and discussion with four contributors on January 11, 2026, at FUSION | 708 in Albuquerque.
Editor Emily Withnall notes in her editor's letter that the edition examines how New Mexico’s landscapes and cultural traditions influence our understanding of history and future. The issue includes various articles, essays, photography, and poetry exploring how communities preserve stories across generations.
Highlights from the Winter 2024–25 issue include Laura Paskus's report on an excavation at Acoma Pueblo that integrates archaeological practices with Indigenous knowledge. Myrriah Gómez provides a feature on the roles of women and children in the 1970s Chicano Movement in Las Vegas, N.M., using Adelita M. Medina's black-and-white photography to illustrate these narratives. Rica Maestas contributes an essay about two installations at SITE SANTA FE’s Once Within a Time exhibition that challenge visitors to reconsider power systems and historical assumptions. Santana Shorty’s "Sun Series" poetry invites readers to reflect on everyday moments shaping our connection to land and community.
The event will feature live readings by Paskus, Gómez, Maestas, and Shorty, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Withnall. Attendees can purchase copies of the winter issue and books by the contributors.
Laura Paskus is known for her work "At the Precipice: New Mexico’s Changing Climate." Myrriah Gómez is an associate professor at the University of New Mexico and author of "Nuclear Nuevo México." Rica Maestas is an artist and writer focusing on lived wisdom. Santana Shorty is a poet from New Mexico whose work has appeared in various publications; she is also a member of the Navajo Nation.
For more information or to explore El Palacio's issues, visit elpalacio.org.
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