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American Indian Heritage Month events in April include talk, panel discussions

"Building the Laboratory: The Native American Contribution" is the theme for this year's American Indian Heritage Month celebration at the Laboratory in April.

The Lab’s American Indian Diversity Working Group is sponsoring two panel discussions and a talk highlighting Native American contributions to the Laboratory, said Chris Echohawk of Environmental Geology and Risk Analysis (EES-9), chair of the working group.

The working group, the Diversity Office (DVO), the Tribal Relations Office in Community Relations (CRO) and the Diversity Affirmative Action Board cosponsor American Indian Heritage Month at the Laboratory.

The events are free and open to all Laboratory workers.

The first panel discussion at 11:30 a.m., April 3, includes Native American Laboratory active personnel and retirees who will describe how their work has evolved over the years, how the Lab has changed, and how the relationship between pueblo communities and the Lab has changed. Panelists also will discuss future challenges facing the Laboratory and its relationship with nearby pueblos.

The panel discussion is at the Canyon School Complex off Central Avenue downtown. Scheduled to be on the panel are Gilbert Suazo, a retired Lab employee of Taos Pueblo; Louis Naranjo of Ecology (RRES-ECO) and of San Ildefonso Pueblo; Richard Ebelacker of Property Management (BUS-6) and of Santa Clara Pueblo; and Connie Padilla of KSL Services and of San Juan Pueblo.

The second panel discussion on April 29 will explore the Laboratory-tribal relationship and how it has evolved over the Lab’s 60-year history. This panel discussion is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., also at the Canyon School Complex. Panelists will include tribal leaders and tribal outreach liaisons and educational ambassadors.

And on April 23, Conroy Chino, secretary of the New Mexico Department of Labor, will talk about the role of the Lab in New Mexico over the years and its impact on the local communities. The talk is at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Lecture Hall at University of New Mexico, Los Alamos.

Chino, a longtime local television news investigative reporter and anchor, in January was named cabinet secretary of the state Labor Department by Gov. Bill Richardson. He is the highest ranking Native American in Richardson’s administration.

Chino, of Acoma Pueblo, now lives in Albuquerque with his wife and three sons. He has a bachelor’s degree in English with a specialty in early 20th century American literature.

For more information, contact Denise Thronas of 238 Pu Science and Engineering (NMT-9) at 7-2989.

-- Steve Sandoval

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