Shendo Won't Avoid the Difficult Issues like Rape and Domestic Violence

Benny Shendo, Jr. was in attendance today at a lecture by Yale professor and Santa Fe Institute Fellow, Elisabeth J. Wood, on what we can learn from wartime rape and sexual violence.

Shendo (shown in picture at left with event MC, actress and activist, Ali MacGraw) has been clear in his campaign, "Rape and domestic violence is a troubling matter that we must make a priority here in New Mexico, across the U.S. and around the world. The experts agree, prevention is the key and that means addressing the issue comprehensively. We cannot keep sweeping this issue under the rug just because it makes people uncomfortable. Our families are at stake and we must work harder to keep them safe."

Barbara Goldman, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Rape Crisis and Trauma Treatment Center which sponsored the lecture and fundraiser, expressed her admiration for Shendo for making the issue a central part of his campaign. "No one wants to talk about this stuff, and it takes real courage for a political candidate to take it on."

Denver Fund- and Fun-Raiser Big Success

Benny was in Denver this evening for a fund-raising event that was also a reunion of old friends and colleagues from Benny's days as a student and later an Administrator at University of Colorado at Boulder.

The event raised over $10,000 for his campaign and raised quite a bit of fun as well, as old stories were shared.

Benny Meets with Global Warming Expert Bill McKibben

Benny Shendo, Jr. conferred with author/activist Bill McKibben today at a workshop on fighting the global climate crisis given at UNM in Albuquerque. McKibben is known for his book, THE END OF NATURE -- published in 1989 and widely considered to be the first book for general readership about the pending global climate crisis -- and for organizing the largest public demonstration to date to fight global warming with hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating in every state across the country in the Fall of 2007. He and Benny discussed the importance of New Mexico in the worldwide push to create a new economy based on clean, sustainable energy such as solar, wind, geo-thermal and other renewables, for our national security, for jobs, and for a healthier future for our children, ourselves and our planet.

Benny Steps Out in Style at Gala

Benny Shendo, Jr. was "in the house" at the stylish gala supporting the Human Rights Alliance in Santa Fe this evening. The non-profit organization, founded in 1998 with the primary goal of ending discrimination of all kinds and building coalitions with groups who will work for the civil rights of all New Mexicans, seeks "to promote basic human and civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people through education, legislation and advocacy."











Benny met with Governor Bill Richardson (pictured at right), who in 2004 appointed Benny to serve in his Cabinet as the first Secretary of Indian Affairs, and conferred with other community leaders in support of equal rights for all members of our wonderfully diverse society here in northern New Mexico.

Shendo Discusses Iraq Options with Experts

Benny Shendo, Jr. discussed exit strategy options with counter-insurgency experts following a panel presentation and Q & A session at Santa Fe Institute last night.

Benny strongly opposed the war from the beginning and strongly supports bringing the troops home as soon as possible. In the photo at left, Benny confers with Dr. Stephen Biddle, Senior Fellow for Defense Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, who stated in the Washington Post in June 2007, "If the surge is unacceptable, the better option is to cut our losses and withdraw altogether."

Shendo Walks in Solidarity with Tibetans

Benny Shendo, Jr. joined with the Santa Fe Tibetan community in a candlelight vigil on the Plaza this evening. The vigil, which will be held each night this week, is intended to draw attention to recent events in Tibet as well as the long-standing need for justice in Tibet.

Participants walked in contemplative silence or chanted and sang, while displaying handmade signs calling for a "Free Tibet" and to "Stop Genocide in Tibet."

After the event, Benny reflected, "We need to stand with our brothers and sisters from Tibet who share the same longing we all have: for peace and justice and human rights for their homeland."

Iraq War 5-year Anniversary Solemn Day for Shendo

The 5th anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq was a solemn day for Benny Shendo, Jr. as he visited memorials to the soldiers who died.

"In my role as Cabinet Secretary, I had the sad duty to attend the funerals of some of these young people listed here," Benny quietly reflected as he looked on the roster of "fallen" soldiers. "It was heartbreaking to see the devastation in the faces of the family members, the loved ones whose lives are forever changed by this unjust war that never should have been allowed to happen in the first place.











"The cost of this unjust war is staggering, to our families, to our national reputation, to our economy, to the trust of our young people. Meanwhile, the ones who misled us into it are profiting outrageously. We must work harder to put an end to the occupation and to make sure that this sort of thing never happens again."

Benny participated in a sunset vigil at the Round House in Santa Fe.

Shendo Support Strong at State Convention

Today was an exciting day for Benny Shendo, Jr. supporters at the Star Center in Rio Rancho where the Democratic Party of New Mexico held its annual Pre-Primary Convention. Benny gave what most in attendance agreed was the most intelligent and the most inspiring speech of the day, emphasizing his campaign's main message: "The people of northern New Mexico deserve a strong voice in Washington, DC that represents all of us, not just the well-connected few."

Todd Doherty, campaign manager for Benny Shendo, Jr, and David Gomez, former Santa Fe Democratic Party Chair, gave nominating statements for Benny. Doherty spoke about Benny being the most qualified candidate to represent all of us, whether Native, Hispanic, Anglo, African-American or Asian. Dave Gomez told how Benny left a prestigious job at Stanford University in order to save the little school that had served his home village of Jemez for almost one hundred years when its funding was cut.

At the end of the day, when the speeches were over and the votes counted, Benny Shendo, Jr. was in the top tier of the race, an encouraging outcome since it was a public vote of party insiders.

"It was exciting to see a number of delegates switch over to Benny, even though they risked reprisal from the party powers, " stated Doherty. "And many people told us that while they had to vote for the insider candidates today, they were switching to Benny for the actual primary election on June 3rd now that they had had a chance to see and hear him speak."

Shendo at First Annual National GREEN JOBS Conference

Benny Shendo, Jr. was in Pittsburgh, PA this week participating in the First Annual National GREEN JOBS Conference. The historic event was sponsored by the Blue-Green Alliance, which brings together the United Steel Workers Union and the Sierra Club to work on creating a new economy of green jobs based on clean, renewable energy.

During the three-day conference, Benny met with leaders from across the country, including Sierra Club National President Carl Pope (pictured below), to discuss ways to move communities, states and our nation toward a more sustainable economy.





Benny was there to share information about the opportunities here in New Mexico as well as to learn from other representatives about initiatives that are being created around the country and around the world. Green Jobs are jobs that fight global warming either directly, like building wind turbines, or indirectly, like replacing old industrial jobs with cleaner, healthier and more sustainable jobs in high-tech fields and also in low-tech fields, such as local tourism and culture--all of which are especially relevant to New Mexico.

Benny Digs In (to help restore rivers)

Benny Shendo, Jr. and several of his supporters joined with high-school students from Santa Fe and other volunteers to help restore river banks with native-appropriate trees this weekend. The event was sponsored by WildEarth Guardians of New Mexico.

"I grew up helping to protect and steward the natural environment here in New Mexico. In fact, in my home of Jemez Pueblo, each spring since I was old enough to work a hoe and to this day, I have helped clean and preserve the waterways that feed our community. So I'm plenty comfortable with this kind of work," Benny explained and added, "It's especially exciting to see the young people coming out on a Saturday and caring for our natural environment".

"Bingo for Benny" was Big Bonanza!!!

Bingo is serious business in Benny's home town of Jemez Pueblo. So it was no surprise when local supporters wanted to put on a bingo event at the Senior Center to raise funds -- and friends! -- for Benny Shendo, Jr. for U.S. Congress.

The Center's main room was packed wall-to-wall, with added tables bursting out into the lobby area, as locals came out in big numbers for a little bingo fun and to support local boy Benny Shendo, Jr.

Boogie-ing For Benny!!!

Benny's home-town community held a family dance last Saturday night (pictured at left) at the Jemez Community Center.















A Jemez Enchilada breakfast was served the following morning (pictured at right) at the Senior Center in order to raise funds for Benny's campaign.













The local "Kids for Benny" group (pictured at right) raised money, and helped get the word out about the events.

Together the events raised a lot of funding, a lot of awareness and support from the community, and a lot of fun!

Shendo Rocks at Los Alamos Candidate Forum

Benny Shendo, Jr. outshone the other candidates at the Los Alamos County Democratic Party Candidate Forum last night with what The Bomb Town News Observer called, "calming, intelligent oratory." The local reporter went on to say that Benny Shendo, Jr. was a candidate "I could easily see actually serving in Congress."

Benny was the only candidate that clearly articulated HOW the mission at the Los Alamos Labs could be shifted to a primary focus on creating clean, safe, renewable energy from sources like solar, wind, geo-thermal power and on exploring new areas in nanotechnology. "The labs cannot change the mission. That would have to come from Congress," Benny explained, "But it can be done. In fact it needs to be done. And done with the same sense of purpose and urgency that fueled the first historic mission here."

Benny brought the standing-room-only crowd to roaring applause when, in answering the question from the audience about the influence of lobbyists in DC, he said simply, "Don't take their money and don't listen to them."

Shendo Confers with NM Global Warming Expert

Benny Shendo, Jr. consulted with global warming expert, Bill Brown, a senior trainer with Al Gore's Climate Project who lives in Taos.

After the meeting, Benny remarked, "It is patently clear that we are facing a global climate crisis which poses the gravest threat there has ever been to the future of our children, and we must take urgent action. People like Bill Brown are the heroes on the front lines of that action."

Benny Helps Honor Legendary New Mexico Nurse

Benny Shendo, Jr. joined numerous members of New Mexico's public health, medical and social services community today to honor the lifetime work of Josephina Trujillo Waconda, a pioneer in public health in New Mexico.

From the podium, Benny shared with the audience of Waconda's family and friends how when he was a boy, Josephina was the traveling nurse who would come to his little village of Jemez Pueblo. He related that not only was she providing much needed medical care, but she was also a living role model for young native women in particular, demonstrating by her very presence the power of education.

Benny himself was inspired by Waconda and others like her to pursue not only his own education, but to dedicate his early professional career to helping other young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to get a college degree -- especially in areas not as accessible to them, like engineering -- at Stanford University, University of Colorado, and University of New Mexico.