Laura Paskus is a journalist who has spent decades documenting the New Mexico environment. You can probably find her walking along the riverbank or basking in the New Mexico sunshine. Paskus is not only interested in exposing the scientific views on these topics but also wants people to feel connected to their landscapes, and communities.
Paskus thrives outdoors and loves to learn about the world around him. Paskus is currently working as a producer and correspondent. New Mexico PBS, Paskus explores a variety of environmental-related work on the air.
Paskus explained that his goal is to help people understand topics such as climate change or community resilience. Paskus highlighted a special segment on New Mexico’s early wildfire season. The Longest Season: An Our Land Wildfire SpecialThe episode, which aired last Thursday, will be rebroadcast May 5 and 11.
It’s like expressing love for a community by being a local reporter. Paskus explained that the deeper I get to understand New Mexico, the more I feel compassion and connection.
Jeff Proctor, a close colleague and news editor at The, said that the topics she is reporting on aren’t abstract or purely theoretical because the environment affects everyone. Santa Fe Reporter.
Conceptual or detached from the human experience, things like climate change, sustainability, water and the American West don’t exist. They have an impact on people, and Laura has always focused people in her reporting and storytelling, Proctor stated.
John Fleck, writer in residence at UNM’s School of Law at the UTTON Center, has known Paskus since over 15 years. Both Paskus and Fleck met as environmental journalists. They have shared similar career interests throughout their lives. Fleck highlighted Paskus’ devotion to her work and the environment.
Laura is a part of the world Laura writes about. Fleck said that she isn’t just talking about the river to people; she is walking along its banks, looking down at it, and thinking about it very deeply.
Paskus is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists’ board. She published her book At the Precipice, New Mexico’s Changing Climate through the University of New Mexico Press for publication in 2020.
Fleck stated Paskus has been a leader and convener within the journalistic community for many years.
Proctor said, “I think she’s been a huge inspiration not only to a lot young reporters but also to a lot us who are the same as Laura She’s just kind of hung there and been there when people are really serious about doing it for the right reasons.”
Paskus graduated from college with a degree of anthropology. Her first job after college was in archeology. Paskus moved to New Mexico to pursue this career. However, she was unhappy with archeology’s destructive nature and decided to pursue journalism. She remained in New Mexico, the landscape she had fallen for.
Paskus stated, “I believe there’s something to being in one place and trying understand all of our different communities, different ecosystems.”
Proctor states that it takes courage to stay in one place when writing about controversial topics, such as the environment.
Reporting for a long time takes a lot. In Laura’s case, it took a couple decades. Proctor said the same thing about me, on the same issues, in roughly the same geographical areas. This is especially true when there is a lot of doom, misery, destruction, and human fuckery.
Proctor says that staying in one place allows for trust to be built within the community, which helps in diversifying voices. This is especially true in communities that are heavily impacted environmental issues, which are usually minority communities.
Proctor said that she’s built a lot of trust and a hugely diverse group from different sections of people. Proctor explained that she does this by making sure their voices are heard in her storytelling.
Paskus stated that there should be more people of color in environmental journalism. Paskus said that the Society for Environmental Journalists has been working hard to address diversity issues. Paskus also mentioned the outstanding work of Uproot Project, a new network of environmental journalists of color.
It is crucial, especially in New Mexico, that coverage includes many different people and communities. Because New Mexico is a very diverse state. If you only tell the stories of white people, you are missing out on the vast majority and your content is boring. Paskus stated, “Diversity is what makes us stronger” and “makes us more interesting.”
Paskus recalls her 20-year-old start in journalism when an older white man was the standard for environmental journalism. This standard for objectivity was very black, without any room for bias or emotion. Paskus believes this idea isnt true.
I won’t quote anyone who isn’t telling the truth in order to have balance in a story. And I won’t pretend to not have an opinion. Paskus said that I will be honest about my opinion and transparent in my reporting. But the people I want to be fair are the audience and readers and those who need to understand what’s going on in the world.
Proctor states that Paskus doesn’t try to make her sources happy or anyone else happy, but rather tells the truth.
Paskus is Proctor’s favorite storyteller and he says she is the beating heart of our small group of people trying to tell the truth.
Megan Gleason serves as the Editor-in Chief of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at [email protected]Follow @fabflutist2716 on Twitter
