JEREMY JOJOLA

Out of the thousands of news stories I’ve done, there is one in particular that is my favorite and which continues to resonate with people. 

In 2017, I put together this brief story about the Spanish-speaking people of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado for Hispanic Heritage Month. My grandmother even made an appearance.

I didn’t anticipate the story having that much of an impact.

Seven years and more than a million views later, I continue to get emails and messages about this piece from people all over the country who have ancestral ties to New Mexico and southern Colorado. Sometimes people will walk up to me to share how much the story means to them. It touches my heart to hear from people, especially in person. 

The story’s spread made me realize there is a thirst for acknowledgement of Nuevomexicano heritage, which is a heritage that traces to a time and place that existed before the United States was formed. As a popular saying goes, “The border crossed us.”

I’ve done a few more stories that touches upon my heritage, including a piece on the disappearing Spanish dialect of the region and the little-known history of indigenous slavery.

Delving into the history and heritage of New Mexico and southern Colorado has been a life-long passion of mine since I started asking questions about my ancestors as a teenager. I’m obsessed with the history of the region and I have learned much over the years. There is still much to learn and share. 

Today, I feel a stronger drive than ever to share my passion for the culture and heritage of this region which is why I created an online profile called Cuentos y Corazón which means stories and heart. My goal in this space is to celebrate and explore history, heritage and identity with videos, images and other anecdotes.

I’ve learned over the years people from the region are often misunderstood by outsiders, even by other Hispanics, which stems from a lack of understanding of historical and cultural context. The history of the Spanish-speaking people from New Mexico and southern Colorado isn’t nearly emphasized and taught enough and is often eclipsed by dominant topics in media. My goal with Cuentos y Corazon is to help tell the stories of mi gente. 

This is a side project of mine and I hope you’ll give this profile a follow, especially if you have ancestral ties to New Mexico and Colorado.