Martin, man of dignity and courage, Lomas del Poleo, Summer 2009
Dear Martin,
I said I would be back to Lomas and I haven’t been back in a year now. It’s crazy. I drive to work in Las Cruces three times a week and I look to the west and I can see you, I can see Lomas, right there, the flat top mesa poking out from behind Cristo Rey.
No, I haven’t been back. I am sorry. Life caught up with me and I had to do my labors, take care of biz, run around like a chicken without a head. And, in the meantime, I have fallen in love with a photo project, far away from here, up in Nuevo Mexico, and I have given it a lot of my attention.
All weak excuses.
I said I’d be back and continue the work we began and I haven’t.
You -and sus vecinos, sus compañeros in Lomas del Poleo- are never out of my thoughts.
I almost got there. Earlier in the summer, in May, twice, I was in Juarez working the murder story. But I was a million miles away in the east valley, in Zaragoza. I was with other journalists and could not get to Lomas.
So close yet so far.
I am wondering what has happened? How many are left in the community? How are you and your compañeros doing? Are the thugs worse? Have there been more bulldozings? How are you? Do you need something that I can bring?
I am coming, Martin. For what little my pictures and stories matter, I am on the way. With your patronage, I will continue to document the story, for what it is worth, for who I don’t know, for the record alone, I guess. I cannot forget you or the people of Lomas that I have met and I will be take the 20 bus up the river up to Lomas, next week.
I hope you all are OK.
With unending respect and esteem,
Bruce
