Stumbling Over Swarthiness In NM's Tourism Campaign

It's that 'light-skinned' Hispanic issue again! Truth be told, fewer people are more neurotic about swarthiness in New Mexico than New Mexicans. But if we can push the blame onto some faceless corporate casting agent, and avoid having to think about it ourselves, so much the better. But about being a "dry, barren wasteland with nothing to do" - well, that's a harder matter to avoid, because, in considerable measure, it's true enough!:

New Mexico was planning to celebrate its statehood centennial by inviting tourists to come experience the state's rich culture, take in its extraordinary views and have epic outdoor adventures.

...Focus groups in Chicago and Los Angeles assessed the public’s perception of New Mexico, and “the feedback was that it was a dry, barren wasteland with nothing to do,” Valencia said. “So [the state] set on a course to change this misconception.”

Austin, Texas-based marketing agency Vendor Inc. was hired in January to handle the campaign, titled “Adventures Steeped in Rich Culture.” The agency soon contracted with On Location Casting to assign roles in the ad, which was to be filmed in March.

Soon a casting call went out on Facebook seeking “Caucasian or light-skinned Hispanic” people.

The specificity of that call has caused quite a stir, prompting a critical editorial last week in the Santa Fe New Mexican and an even harsher reaction from the state’s Democratic Party chairman.

"Hearing that term brings to mind a vision of casting agents holding up paper bags next to people's faces to ensure they can pass," the New Mexican wrote. "We don't know, of course, who made it into the shoot and how New Mexico will be presented to the world once the campaign is unveiled. But really, light-skinned only? What were they thinking?"

The request seemed ironically appropriate to at least one historian, who noted the territory's long-ago efforts to attract more light-skinned residents.

“New Mexico's population in the 1900 census was 70% Nuevomexicanos [today called Hispanic] and 7% American Indian. In the quest for statehood, each group followed many of their traditions in language, dress, religion... all of which alarmed a few hardcore opponents of statehood in the U.S. Congress,” David Holtby, a research scholar of regional studies at the University of New Mexico, wrote in an email to The Times.

...Holtby added: “Now we have the newest ‘tourism message’ being revised to ‘lighten’ the color of people. This can be seen as an example of a throw-back to racial bias of a century ago."

The hubbub, however, is all an unfortunate misconception, Valencia said.

“We were casting for the role of ‘tourist,’ ” she said. “It was never our intention to make any of this about race. It was more to focus on the experiences and adventures that someone could have in New Mexico rather than the background of the people having them.”

...“We believe that people from all backgrounds visit New Mexico and it is not a place for any one type of visitor,” Valencia said.