Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group held its meeting September 17, 2024

The New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group held its forth centennial stakeholders meeting September 17, 2024 at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC).

Special guest speakers included Debbie Johnson of the Route 66 Centennial Commission, Lisa McGivern’s of the New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability, and Laisa Barthuli, Route 66 Corridor Program manager of the National Park Service.

The Department of Tourism and the New Mexico Route 66 Coordination Group provided updates from board members where available.

New Mexico Route 66 Association president, Melissa Beasley-Lee, vice president, Nam Tran, and association advisor, David Nidel, were on hand to provide input on questions pertaining to the kickoff of the centennial celebrations as well as a few projects still in the works nationally.

The next meeting to be held in Grants is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19.

Before leaving campus, association president, Beasley-Lee and husband Mike Lee made a stop at the SFCC Visual Arts Gallery to experience DREAM BIG!, the art of George Rodrique. The exhibit consists of thirty original paintings from the private collection of Rodrigue’s widow, Wendy Rodrigue Magnus, and include some of the artist’s most famous Blue Dog canvases, iconic portraits of Cajun personalities, and rarely seen artworks inspired by his lifelong love of New Mexico. Wendy explains the theme of the exhibition: “Dreams are the portal to creativity. They are tied to instinct and desire, and they are the birthplace of ideas. This exhibition seeks to inspire through stories of pursuing one’s dreams, meeting one’s fears, and expressing our art, whatever it may be, with the full wonder of our imagination.”


The artwork is presented through a collaboration with SFCC School of Arts and Design, SFCC Continuing Education, SFCC Foundation, and the Life & Legacy Foundation. The exhibition continues through October 2.