Local voices matter: How Alamogordo found its heartbeat in community storytellers

As the sun rises above the local white sands, Alamogordo wakes not to distant headlines but to its own chorus of voices—neighbors who write and inspire children and others who refuse to let grief, hope, or conviction go unheard. They write, speak, pray, plant, rescue, debate, and engage conversations. In doing so, they weave a tapestry of conversations and potentially change that reverberates from our city limits across Southern New Mexico and beyond.

This is their story—how ordinary residents become changemakers, or simply voices that engage us and how each word fuels progress, and how our shared platforms of 2nd Life Media simply bear witness to the power of local voices.

Turning pain into policy and personal empowerment

When Jena Hamryszak (Jena Matise) lost her son, David Shjan, she discovered a new mission: demanding dignity for every detainee. What began as personal heartbreak became a relentless campaign—testimony in county meetings, hard-hitting op-eds, and late-night conversations with neighbors. Today, the Otero County Detention Center scans every visitor for contraband at its entry points. That scanner hums with more than electronics; it pulses with a mother’s fierce love and her refusal to accept silence.

Each published piece and public appearance forged Jena’s own resilience, helping her find a voice she once thought lost. Now a routine contributor of local commentary to 2nd Life Media she wields her pen to advocate for others. Her journey continues as she’s channeling her story into a forthcoming book that promises a deeper connection to community and a roadmap for transforming grief into strength.

Uncovering hidden injustices

Gary Perry walked the shaded lanes of Amber Skies and Desert Palms, notebook in hand, listening to seniors who felt invisible. His series of educational articles and his commentary “Dream to Nightmare?” exposed broken water lines, out of state park operators not maintaining their properties, unjust rent hikes that preyed on fixed incomes. Policymakers couldn’t ignore the growing chorus of concern.

With every published line, Gary transformed private fears into public resolve, paving the way for protections wirh a focus on rights of renters and advocacy for the Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act. His work shows how persistent, empathetic reporting can give vulnerable residents a public voice and spur legislative action nor just at the local level but via Federal sponsored legislation.

Holding power to account

With the precision of a researcher and the clarity of a storyteller, Mica Maynard mapped out county interference in our city manager search. Her column didn’t just name the problem; it showed readers where doors had been propped open, where gender equity hung in the balance, and why transparency belongs to every voter. When citizens saw the mechanics, they claimed their right to demand better. Her engagement continues.

Stephanie Dubois stepped into the fray as an appointed county commissioner calm in rhe middle of a storm. Called upon to fill a county commission seat during heated times related to Couy Griffins removal she is an advocate of electoral safeguards and common ground. Her presence upset some but reminded the local Republican machine that Alamogordo is diverse and it's important to use the act of listening before an act of speaking. Today, she continues her activism—seeking constant reform within the local Democratic Party, forging connections with state-level leaders, and LULAC and a rebuilding community that can be divided through a lifetime of relationships, one brick at a time.

Faith that holds us steady

Each week, Pastor J.L. Walker invites thousands into his circle of “Introspections.” His voice—rich, unhurried, honest—meets grief with grace and calls us toward unity. His episodes explore a variety of topics with passion and showmanship the most recent being "Don't Haze Them, Raise Them,” which drifts across the internet airwaves to 46 counties like a balm that comforts and heals reassuring listeners that hope can grow in broken places.

Listen: https://youtu.be/cn0DQfcHdEk?si=QDz-fFDSaiYFEpA4

Pastor Jerry Martinez adds depth to civic debates, weaving compassion into every point.

Sample his remarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOODhE5GMe0

Each Thursday, Pastor Lorin Noble’s “Thursday Thoughts” meets listeners at the edge of uncertainty, offering patient, practical insight on topics from suicide awareness to spiritual renewal.

Listen: https://youtu.be/KzA1aONQOgA

Reverend Warren Robinson’s  occasional “Inspirational Thoughts” punctuate the airwaves like small lights—reminders to carry kindness into public life.

Cultivating community from the ground up

Courtney McCurry-Squyres saw empty lots and imagined abundance. With neighbors, shovels, and stubborn joy, the Maryland Avenue community garden took root: a place where food grows, kids learn, and strangers become less strange. Public land, feeding the public.

Story: https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/236382/helping-hands-alamogordo-maryland-avenue-community-garden-dudley-community

Speaking for the land and its rhythms

Each week Sara Moro’s Fishing Report  or that of Christy Lupus more than list conditions—thwy reconnect people to place. Weather, bait tips, safety notes, and a good-luck tale or two make stewardship feel personal and approachable.

Listen: https://youtu.be/iKc89nb663s?si=RBVlUYLZGOXHAAU2

From ranch gates to classrooms, Katelin Spradley’s Ag Minute translates the complexity of New Mexico agriculture into human stories—innovation, STEM, soil, and the families that feed families.

Listen: https://youtu.be/XqbsHe1n7pc?si=SbWn2bnFSWBixQyYY

Spring to Fall we showcase the La Luz Agricultural Market with a feature by Olivia Cobb.. Whether you’re a longtime customer or a first-time visitor, Olivia’s reportage reminds us that every ear of corn, every jar of jam, and every shared loaf of bread is a story waiting to be told—and a local voice lifted in thanks.

Amplifying compassion through every microphone

Sunny Aris, co-founder of Animal Village NM, transforms her weekly Pupdate into a celebration: rescued pups wagging tails, volunteers ready with foster homes, and community members discovering the joy of adoption. Voices like hers move people to act.

Listen: https://youtu.be/T8antinRvH4

Kathy Denton’s Cat Chat from Kitty City NM does the same for felines—practical tips, adoptable personalities, and a steady insistence that every creature deserves a warm, safe place to land.

When health questions swirl, Katie Neal’s Weekly Medical Report delivers clear, science-backed guidance—vaccines, screenings, self-care tips—so families in our most remote corners can make informed choices.

Stories etched in ink: local writers forging community culture

In Alamogordo, the turn of a page can feel like the opening of a door—one where history, faith, imagination, and inquiry invite readers inside. To bring these stories to life, 2nd Life Media directly published several books but two local cornerstone works include: 

• Chris Edwards’ Coach Bob Sepulveda series, a multi-volume exploration of leadership, resilience, and the power of mentorship on and off the track and the football field. Multiple historical events are showcased in the series. 

• Book two the Coach Hveem Years reflect the winningest decade in Alamogorfo football history with personal reflections that inspire coaches, players, and families. 

For other local authors, 2nd Life Media provided promotional and event support as some voices chose paper.

Rochelle Williams’ Acts of Love and Ruin carries the kind of sentences you underline—quiet devastations, surprising mercies, human beings drawn with care.

Josette Herrell’s Timmy’s Big Adventure and Barbara J. Oquist’s Farmer Jon’s Very Special Team, both illustrated by Diana Sill, pass down family and farm wisdom in the language children trust: story.

Dennis Swift’s Secrets of the Ica Stones and Nazca Lines and Robert M. Pollack’s The Sixth‑ and Seventh‑Day Man asked large questions, inviting readers to wrestle with archaeology and theology from unusual angles. You don’t have to agree to be enlarged by the asking.

By hosting book signings and showcasing on our platforms young families discover Josette’s Timmy braving big feelings and  nod along to Barbara’s rural warmth. Curious minds debate ancient mysteries and spiritual truths. Locals swap stories of sports tactics and the teaching of values by a living legend Coach Bob Sepulveda and Coach Gary Hveem

These gatherings turn books into living bridges between generations and backgrounds all on the historic New York Avenue - better connecting readers to our sense of community and place. 

Celebrating local literature deepens community identity, anchoring us in the landscapes we know—white sands, high-desert skies, shaded lanes—and reminding us that the greatest epics often grow from voices right here at home.

The chorus on airwaves and streets

In our studios and storefronts in our homes and offices, voices rise as does debate as a result of Anthony Lucero’s probing interviews, Chris Edwards’ cross-platform storytelling, DJ Majik1’s downtown beats, locals reflecting on service—they form a chorus that turns our New York Avenue- Alamogordo's MainStreet into a public square of shared stories, shared online, written and streamed or heard via podcasts for eternity. 

Each broadcast, each article, each voice represented becomes proof: when neighbors speak, a town listens—and evolves.

These individuals didn’t wait for permission. They spoke—against injustice, against indifference, against inertia or wrote stories to inspire.

They each prove that the fabric of our local community; is stories, woven by those brave enough to raise their voice, or write their words, and commit to community.

If you’ve been waiting to speak up, consider this your invitation to join as a writer, author, citizen journalist and let your voice be heard!

Dive deeper into the conversation

• J.L. Walker—Introspections (latest episode): https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/224392/what-…

• Sunny Aris—Pupdate (Animal Village NM): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-9B6AEYavw

• Sara Moro—Weekly Fishing Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFPV138jdc

• Katelin Spradley—Ag Minute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21QZCB29t_E

• Mica Maynard—Commentary: https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/312165/comme…

• Courtney McCurry-Squyres—Community Garden: https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/236382/helpi…

• Stephanie Dubois—Ongoing activism & coverage: https://2ndlifemediaalamogordo.town.news/g/alamogordo-nm/n/128904/alamo…

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