By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. — As Albuquerque prepares to welcome a new queer gathering space, the owners of VERS say the project is about much more than opening another bar. The new LGBTQ-focused venue is expected to open in June, just in time for Pride Month and arrives at a time when many queer […]
Sara Atencio-Gonzales
Sara Atencio Gonazales is a features reporter for nm.news and The Paper. She is a native of Albuquerque.
Posted inAlbuquerque
Women Who Run ABQ: Nicole Sterling-Bruton balances business and personal at FemCity ABQ
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper – Nicole Sterling-Bruton did not expect to become president of FemCity ABQ. “I was doing Christmas shopping in her shop,” Sterling-Bruton says of the organization’s former president. “And she said, ‘Do you want it?’” Two days before Christmas, the offer was made. By the day after Christmas, Sterling-Bruton was preparing […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Winrock Town Center reopens summer stage for weekly music concerts
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper – Winrock Town Center is bringing back its free summer concert series for a second year, offering Albuquerque residents a place to gather for live music, local vendors and community connection on Friday nights throughout the summer. The Live @ Winrock Park concert series returns beginning May 29 and will […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Waiting For Godot returns to Vortex for theater’s 50th anniversary
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – At The Vortex Theatre, the road to Godot looks a little different this time around. The theatre’s newest production of Waiting for Godot, directed by Lauren Albonico, reimagines Samuel Beckett’s classic absurdist play in a contemporary setting while honoring the production’s deep connection to the Vortex’s history. Waiting for […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
After two-decade hiatus, QueerJoyFest welcomes LGBTQ+ community back for a night of joy, celebration and community
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. — For two decades, WIMINFEST offered Albuquerque’s lesbian community a place to gather, celebrate and feel safe being fully themselves. Now, after a 20-year absence, organizers are bringing that spirit back in a new form through QueerJoyFest, a one-night festival designed to celebrate the broader LGBTQIA2S+ community at a time […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Sabaku Con gets animated this weekend in ABQ
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper – Anime, cosplay, gaming and community will take center stage this weekend as Sabaku Con returns to Albuquerque for another year of fandom-focused entertainment and programming. The convention, which has been running in Albuquerque for nearly a decade, is one of the Southwest’s longest-running anime and gaming conventions. Organized by […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Women Who Run ABQ: Roberta Ricci at Hispano Chamber of Chamber of Commerce
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – Roberta Ricci knows what it means to build a life through hard work, community and opportunity. As the Chief Experience Officer of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Ricci oversees membership, marketing, convention and tourism efforts while helping connect small businesses across New Mexico with the resources they need […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
The sonic culture of Sound Baths in New Mexico
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – In a city known for its deep spiritual roots and wellness culture, sound baths are quickly becoming one of the most sought after ways to slow down. Across Albuquerque, these immersive listening experiences are popping up in cathedrals, yurts, studios and wellness spaces, drawing in people from all walks […]
Posted inFood & Drink
ABQ Food Park rolls to a new spot
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper – After recently announcing the closure of its longtime Northeast Heights location, the ABQ Food Park is preparing for a fresh start at a new home on Eubank Boulevard. Earlier this month, vendors at the food park’s former San Antonio Drive location learned they would need to vacate the property […]
Posted inJobs, Workers & Economy
STEM Educator Shelly Gruenig and her robots are a ‘force for good’
By Sara Atencio-Gonzales, The Paper. – Shelly Gruenig did not set out to build one of New Mexico’s most impactful STEM organizations. Twenty-one years ago, she was simply a homeschool mom looking for something fun for her son to do. “I stumbled across this robotics competition, and I was like, ‘Oh, we could do that. […]