OPINION: Q&A with Journal Community Council member Monique Fragua

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series introducing readers to our new Community Council members. These are excerpts from a longer podcast interview. Please visit YouTube, Spotify or Apple podcasts to listen in.

Q: Please tell us about yourself and about the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center ?

A: Absolutely, and thank you for having me and asking me to be a part of this important council. So I am the president and CEO of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, along with its for-profit entity, Indian Pueblos Marketing Inc., located right in the heart of Albuquerque.

Q: And education is still an important pillar of your mission, right?

A: Yeah, absolutely. The work of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is really to preserve and perpetuate pueblo culture and be that gateway to New Mexico’s 19 pueblo communities.

Q: We are so happy to have you on the Journal Community Council. Why do you think the council is important?

A: I think it’s very important for us to always lean into spaces and create a voice and make sure that as Native Americans, as pueblo people, that our perspectives are heard. We have stories, different perspectives. We have insight. And so every opportunity that I can get to amplify the voice of Native Americans, I hope to do so.

Q: Tell us a little bit about how you got into archery, how you got started.

A: So I am a person for New Year’s resolutions and in 2019 I wanted to just win something. That was my New Year’s resolution. So that year, in 2019, I decided that my New Year’s resolution was going to be to win (in archery).

Q: Does it take a lot of upper body strength?

A: It takes a lot of strength and it takes a lot of practice and it takes a lot of focus. It takes a lot of being able to empty my brain, right? And just live in that moment and be comfortable with my shot and let it go. I traveled last September to Slovenia as a member of Team USA and shot at the World Archery Games. That was quite the experience.

Q: So how did you do?

A: I finished in 20th place.

Q: Well, that’s really incredible.

A: Yeah, it was amazing. I was able to see competition on a whole new level. Archery has brought to my life the ability to compete in a realm that I want to compete without taking that competition to my everyday life.