Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
Copyright ©1998 The University of New Mexico.
Comments to: paaffair@unm.edu
Public Affairs Department
700 Lomas NE, Two Woodward Building
Suite 201
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813, Fax: (505) 277-1981
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Campus News - May 8, 2000 |
By Carolyn Gonzales
Eighteen-year-old Manoa Alcántara Jojola, son of UNM
planning faculty member Ted Jojola and BBER demographer Delly
Alcántara, was killed on January 27 in a “hot pursuit”
police chase. The Jojolas received a strong outpouring of support
from the University community requesting how individuals can honor
the memory of their son, a promising young man who was in his
senior year at the Albuquerque Academy.
One such giving opportunity is an endowment to support diversity
established in his memory at the Academy. “The endowment,
for faculty, staff and students at the Academy, has grown out
of our activities with the Academy Native American Parents Council.
Those who receive the endowment will be able to do community outreach
and it will allow faculty, students and groups at the Academy
to promote an environment of diversity on campus,” says Jojola.
Those who contribute to the endowment will allow it to grow so
that just the interest off it is used.
“Manoa was active in theatre, jazz band, and creative writing
as well as academic activities,” says Jojola, who adds that
his son was molding his own philosophical approach to diversity
in the arts. All Academy seniors engage in a six-week off campus
project that gives them insight into their future fields of study
or work.
“Manoa was to work on a hyper-media storytelling project
using technology and music to express his identity as both Native
American and Filipino,” says Jojola.
Jojola says that the Academy trustees have approved the placement
of a memorial on campus.
“Ronni Dicappo, a master’s graduate from UNM’s
School of Architecture and Planning, designed the memorial –
a 100 ft. medicine wheel (pictured here),” he says. The dedication
of the memorial is scheduled to take place sometime near the Academy’s
graduation event.
Jojola, as president of the Society for the Preservation of Native
American Culture, has also established the Manoa Alcántara
Jojola Trust, a long-term charitable trust in support of expressive
arts and identity.
“One project has been sponsored to date – a children’s
choir for Isleta Pueblo children. They have 25 children in the
choir. Manoa’s music teacher, Dawn Chambers, is doing this
for the Isleta village,” says Jojola, who adds that they
will make their debut performance for the village’s First
Holy Communion ceremony this month.
“Our hope is that in the future, maybe five years, a significant
perpetual endowment will be in place off which interest can be
used to support and promote such activities,” says Jojola.
In addition to his interests in theater, creative writing, and
music, Manoa also pursued the martial arts. “He had just
attained his brown belt in Swanda style karate. He was an instructor
himself, working with small groups of children. The most heart-wrenching
moments were from those children, who called us after Manoa’s
death,” says Jojola.
For information about contributing to any of the memorial projects,
contact Professor Ted Jojola at 277-6428.
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University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Copyright ©1998 The University of New Mexico. Comments to: paaffair@unm.edu |
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Campus News Public Affairs Department 700 Lomas NE, Two Woodward Building Suite 201 Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011 Telephone: (505) 277-5813, Fax: (505) 277-1981 |