ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On this week’s episode of New Mexico Gameday, Lauren Green has high school highlights from across the metro, including La Cueva vs. Volcano Vista, Cleveland vs. Centennial, and so much more. 

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico is not shy about using its natural resources to its advantage. The oil and gas industry is the state’s biggest moneymaker after all, and the scenic landscapes helped bring Hollywood to our doorstep.

But state leaders know the great outdoors has even more potential, and it seems local businesses are ready to cash in.

The state’s Outdoor Recreation Division recently conducted a survey and found out two-thirds of all outdoor business across the state are expecting to expand in the next three years. That’s all because more people are discovering New Mexico’s wild wonders.

“I feel like the five years of momentum is now at a place where people are really excited to see what’s next in the next five years,” said Karina Armijo, director of the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division. 

Armijo believes New Mexico’s outdoor economy is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with.

“It contributes $2.4 billion or 1.9% of the state GDP. So it’s a significant part of our economy, and it supports about 28,000 jobs,” said Armijo. 

It seems all three of those numbers will go up after a recent survey found 68% of outdoor businesses in New Mexico are expecting to expand over the next three years. 

“The trend that we’re seeing, is some more people exploring the outdoors that have never done it in the past, not to the extent that we’re seeing these days,” Armijo said. 

It’s happening in new places, like Farmington, where the outdoor economy is rarely front and center.

“This is our fourth season rockin’, and it’s really taken off here in the Four Corners,” said Ryan Dudgeon, owner of Desert River Guides. 

Dudgeon opened Desert River Guides back in 2021, offering family-friendly rafting trips down the San Juan and Animas rivers.

“When people think of whitewater rafting in this area, they think of Durango, or they think of Taos, and they don’t really think of Farmington,” said Dudgeon. “But we just want to get people to know that this is an option here.” 

She says it’s mostly New Mexicans floating down the rivers, which is not a bad thing, but they are eager to bring in more out-of-state tourists.

“It is just getting that marketing out there and getting your name out there,” Dudgeon said. 

She’s not alone. According to the survey, nearly 60% of outdoor businesses are looking to advertise outside of New Mexico, especially in Texas, Colorado, and Arizona.

Nearly 65% said that’s where the outdoor recreation division can help out.

“We know the need is out there. We heard it in the survey, and we hope to try to capture more funding so that we’re able to continue supporting that,” Armijo said.  

But it’s still smooth sailing even without the extra tourists.

“I feel like New Mexico’s push for the outdoor recreation was a great idea. I think it’s really gaining some traction,” said Dudgeon. 

Since its inception back in 2019, the Outdoor Recreation Division has invested $13 million in outdoor infrastructure projects across the state.

The Democratic National Convention concluded Thursday night with Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party’s nomination for president after days of primetime speeches in support of her and Gov. Tim Walz’s ticket. But that’s not all that was going on at Chicago’s United Center as delegates from across the country met to hash out the party’s platform.

As pro-Palestinian protesters outside the convention faced arrest by police in riot gear, New Mexico delegate Whitney Holland was part of a bloc that advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza from within the DNC. The president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico spoke with from Chicago with KUNM’s Nash Jones for New Mexico PBS.

WHITNEY HOLLAND: My understanding, based on some of the communication we’ve had amongst our delegate bloc, is there’s like, the approved, sanctioned group of activities. And some of those were not the activities of the delegate bloc. And I’m sure there’s some overlap in that, but I think there’s kind of two streams of activist work going on right now. Inside the building, inside those caucus meetings, there’s been some disruptions. There’s been some of those interruptions, as far as like speakers and having signs or demonstrations. But, for the most part, it’s been super respectful. I mean, there is, I think across the board, an understanding and shared beliefs. And I think they’re doing a really good job of navigating that, being respectful of that. We’ve gotten buttons and flyers to pass out. But, ultimately, things inside the process are moving smoothly, and I think there’s room for different perspectives on that issue.

NASH JONES: Do you believe a ceasefire in Gaza will become part of the official Democratic Party platform?

HOLLAND: That part I’m not sure of just yet. I think there’s still a lot of hesitancy at the higher levels of the party, but I think they’re making progress. There’s good conversations happening. I think we’re on our way. And I think even the fact that yesterday, during the actual convention, they were saying the words “ceasefire” and “Gaza” in a way that I don’t think we’ve heard before. And so, there is movement. Whether it’s enough I think will be determined. But I think there is progress.

JONES: Right. Even President Biden mentioned it in his address to the DNC.

HOLLAND: Yes, correct. Again, not as much as I would have hoped to see. But, I think for him, that’s movement. I would say, like, “progress, not perfection.” And so, we’re making progress.

JONES: Well, you’re also a labor organizer and a former educator. How do those identities, those experiences, play into what you’re advocating for?

HOLLAND: So, I’m trying to get my New Mexico delegation on board with labor. Though, we have a pretty decent labor presence. But, having conversations about what that means and what that looks like. Especially the education piece. Everyone knows a teacher, everyone has a relative who was a teacher, it seems like. And so, really saying what’s happening in classrooms today is what has happened in classrooms. Like, there are common issues across generations. And so, getting those shared understandings. A lot of that has been happening.

JONES: OK. And, in addition to some of these substantive policy debates that have been taking place at the convention, it’s also an event that is full of primetime speeches.

HOLLAND: Is it ever.

JONES: And your own fellow delegate, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, was among those speeches. Her address on health care was fairly brief, it was fairly broad. What did you think of it? And do you think it represented New Mexico on the national stage?

HOLLAND: I think, even though it was brief, it’s incredible to me that New Mexico gets that platform. We see some of these other larger delegations uplifted. We were kind of joking internally, like, our seating’s a little further up in the stadium. And so, we’re like, you know, we get left behind sometimes. We’re more rural, we’re not a swing state, we’re not really a state in play. And so, I think her having that role, we were proud. I mean, it’s exciting. And I think she really captured not just New Mexicans’ concerns, but across the country. Elections have consequences, and so what’s going to happen based on the election turnout?

JONES: Well, speaking of what’s going to happen, what’s going to happen for you all as the convention closes out? What’s next for the delegation and the New Mexico Democratic Party?

HOLLAND: I think our delegation, across the board, is going to go home and get a ton of sleep. We are going late into the night. I need to recover. And then, I think, based on the conversations we’ve had and the feedback we’re hearing from across the country, what other states are doing, what even these more specific populations — like unionists, educators, what they’re doing —I think that will kind of be woven in through our party as we move forward.

Watch this interview in its entirety Friday at 7 p.m. on New Mexico in Focus on NMPBS channel 5, the show’s YouTube page, or on the PBS app.