Changed by New Mexico

I recently returned from a work trip to New Mexico and I just might be forever changed. For those of you who read my column often, you already know my thoughts on the matter: I think it is imperative for folks to drive across this country at least once in their lifetime. I am fascinated by the diversity of this large nation in all senses of the word: The geographic, racial and ethnic, topical, and cultural diversity is just the beginning conversation. 

While I was in New Mexico, I was fascinated by the rich history of this large, flat state. New Mexico has always had a history of incorporating indigenous, Mexican, and Spanish culture into the literal fabric and origins of the state. Although the population is only 3 percent African American, there are interesting and complicated questions about the inclusion and incorporation of all cultures in the state.

The state relies heavily on oil and gas production, but most people in New Mexico know that gravy train will not last forever. As the state seeks to diversify its major funding stream, it made me think of New York State and other states that rely on industries that may be dying out or phased out in the next decade or so. As New York moves away from its economic reliance on the prison industry and fracking, what will replace these industries and create a more equitable and safer New York?

I took some amazing photographs while I was driving through New Mexico. I wondered what the state looked like 50 or even 100 years ago. Since I am a trustee of the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side in New York City, I often think about what cities, and New York City in particular, looked like decades ago. I sometimes forget to think about other states with smaller populations and a lot more land mass. How has climate change affected their landscape or even migratory patterns of small groups of people? 

For context, New Mexico is a state of just over 2 million people. Yes, you read that correctly: The entire state has fewer people than the borough of Brooklyn. However, New Mexico is the fifth-largest state in land mass. Basically, New Mexico is almost roughly half the size of Texas. And in case you’re wondering, New York is the 27th-largest state in area. 

New Mexico was vast and the clouds hung in the sky like massive cotton balls waiting to be plucked. I’m not saying I’m ready to move west, but I would encourage folks to spend a little time exploring our massive and beautiful country. I learned so much about indigenous communities, complex economic circumstances, and divergent histories that bind us all.

Christina Greer, Ph.D. is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC and host of The Blackest Questions podcast at TheGrio.