Albuquerque

Albuquerque is New Mexico’s most populous city. At just over half a million people, Albuquerque is home to a quarter of the state’s entire population. It is geographically framed by the Sandia Mountains to the east and the volcanic rock formations of the Petroglyphs to the west. Flowing between these dramatic landscapes is the Rio Grande, the region’s life force, which nourishes the surrounding Bosque—the largest stretch of cottonwood trees in the world. This lush ecosystem provides shade, sustenance, and recreation for people and wildlife alike. Centrally located within the state, Albuquerque sits nearly equidistant from the northern border with Colorado and the southern border with Chihuahua, Mexico. While the city’s name reflects Spanish and US colonial rule, the land has been—and remains—Indigenous territory for millennia. Today, the primary languages spoken are English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Diné, and Tiwa. Historically, Albuquerque is most associated with the frontier lore of the “Wild West,” the romanticized idea of the open range where Anglo Protestant culture would further “progress” in the region. For Latino studies scholars, New Mexico—and by extension Albuquerque—is an important region to study and to correct dominant narratives that erase the Indigenous and Mexican people who have lived here for centuries, and the more recent refugee, immigrant and non-Indigenous people of color communities who call this place home. Today, the city is 49% Hispanic/Latino, 37% white alone, 3% African American, 5% American Indian, 3% Asian alone, and 18% two or more races. The median income in 2022 was $61,503.00, and the number of persons in poverty was 16%. Albuquerque is the fourth-largest city in the Southwest, and residents enjoy the perks of living in a larger city, while also not foregoing the benefits of a smaller town, like commuting, with only twenty minutes being the average time people spend in traffic. Major economic industries in Albuquerque include the University of New Mexico (UNM), Albuquerque Public Schools, Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and more recently film and entertainment companies like Netflix Albuquerque Studios. Cannabis has also been a burgeoning industry, spurring economic growth and development in the city since its recreational legalization in 2021. The following selection of readings presents scholarship in Latinx studies and related fields, offering insights into Albuquerque’s rich history and evolving present.