This week, The Forum turns its spotlight on Santa Fe’s two institutions of higher learning — Santa Fe Community College and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA).In the first half of the show, newly appointed IAIA president Shelly Lowe (Navajo) speaks with host Jim Falk about her long-standing commitment to Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and her excitement at the opportunity to lead IAIA following Dr. Robert Martin’s retirement this past summer.After the break, Becky Rowley, Ph.D., president of Santa Fe Community College, joins co-host Peter Smith to discuss the evolution of the Higher Education Center’s mission — especially its focus on preparing students for the workforce needs of the community, including careers that do not require an associate degree.

Jacob Isaacson, the Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer at the American Jewish Committee, has dedicated his career to advancing peace and understanding in the Middle East. A participant in the 1991–1992 peace talks in Madrid, Moscow, and Washington, he has since taught in Egypt and Jordan, forged key relationships across the region, and led AJC’s outreach efforts, including opening the organization’s office in Abu Dhabi.In this conversation, recorded on November 11, 2025, in Dallas, Isaacson previews the upcoming Washington meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Donald Trump. He outlines what he believes will be required to achieve “normalization” between Saudi Arabia and Israel and credits President Trump—and Jared Kushner—for establishing and expanding the Abraham Accords.While cautiously hopeful, Isaacson stresses that significant hurdles remain. Until Hamas is disarmed and there is change in Palestinian — and potentially Israeli — leadership, he argues that other nations, including the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, are unlikely to commit funds for Gaza’s reconstruction.

This week, the Forum was broadcast live from the New Mexico Military Museum before an audience of nearly 300 people, most of them members of Global Santa Fe and Friends of KSFR. They gathered to hear Stanford professor and former U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation Michael McFaul discuss his latest book, Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America and the New Global Disorder.However, prior to starting their discussion on foreign policy, Forum host asked Amb. McFaul to talk about his friendship with Amy Biehl, the Fulbright scholar who was murdered in South Africa in 1993. He recalled how Amy encouraged him to accept an internship with the NDI, National Democratic Institute, an experience that ignited his commitment to promoting democracy. At the time of Amy’s death, the Biehl family owned a gallery in Santa Fe. Amy’s younger sister, Molly, is on the staff of Global Santa Fe.

Mark Lee Gardner is a noted authority on the American West, recipient of numerous literary awards for his books including Rough Riders and To Hell on a Fast Horse. In his latest work, Brothers of the Gun: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and a Reckoning in Tombstone (published November 11th), Gardner takes a deep dive into the surprising bond between Earp and Holliday. Despite their very different backgrounds and temperaments, their friendship, though often tested, remained remarkably strong.

Santa Fe’s incoming mayor shares his priorities, plans and approach to transforming City HallLifelong Santa Fean Mike Garcia, soon to be the city’s 44th mayor, talks about his journey from City Council to the mayor’s office. With advanced degrees from the University of New Mexico and more than two decades of public service with AmeriCorps Vista, Garcia shares why he chose a career dedicated to serving others. No stranger to City Hall, representing District 2, Garcia reflects the steps he will take to meet the expectations that enabled his victory.

This week on The Forum, the conversation focused on two local issues that will shape Santa Fe’s future: the proposal to raise the city’s living wage from $15 to $17.50 an hour, and the $150 million General Obligation Bond on the November 4th ballot to fund capital improvements within the Santa Fe Public Schools District.

This week on The Forum making Santa Fe a safer community for people riding bicycles was discussed with three of our community’s advocates to encourage more people to ride bikes on safer streets and bike paths. The topics ranged from making our streets safer for bicyclists to the larger issues of health, environmental improvement, stronger local communities and neighborhoods, and strengthening the local economy in Santa Fe as the city’s general plan and code go through a much-needed update.

This week on The Forum, we turn to the Middle East at a critical moment — one marked by both hope and uncertainty. The conversation was recorded just two days after President Trump’s announcement of an agreement to free the remaining Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for the release of approximately 250 Palestinians. This development represents the first phase of a 20-point plan aimed at ending the two-year war between Israel and Palestine. Our guests are distinguished experts with deep experience in the region — individuals who have spent their careers negotiating, analyzing, and striving to understand this enduring conflict.

This week on The Forum, we remember the life of Matthew Shepard, a young gay student at the University of Wyoming, on the 27th anniversary of his murder. Brad Ellingboe, artistic director of Coro Lux, and Joe Mitchell, director of El Faro Youth Chorus, join co-host Rev. Talitha Arnold to discuss the upcoming performance of Considering Matthew Shepard. Throughout the program, listeners will hear excerpts from this powerful and deeply moving work — a musical reflection on love, loss, and hope.

This week on The Forum, we welcomed two leaders at the forefront of promoting “the City Different” to visitors and filmmakers. Their efforts have earned Santa Fe remarkable recognition: this year, Travel + Leisure ranked the city as the top destination in the U.S. (and 19th worldwide), while MovieMaker once again named Santa Fe the best place to live and work as a moviemaker—for the third year in a row. Randy Randall, Santa Fe’s Director of Tourism, and Jen Labar-Tapia, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Film Office, discussed the reasons behind these successes and highlighted the significant economic impact that tourism and filmmaking bring to the community.