Join us on March 13, 2024, to watch “Journey Down the Gila” at Socorro’s Loma Theater and meet one of the co-producers and mothers starring in the film!
Loma Theater – 7pm
Please join us for a special viewing of “Journey Down the Gila” (working title was “Hearts on the Gila”) on Wednesday, March 13th, at the Loma Theater!
NO RSVP REQUIRED TO JOIN!
You can save a seat in advance to be entered into a raffle,
or just show up the night of the event to join us!
If you would like to save a seat and be entered into the raffle, you can email or call us anytime before the event. To save your seat, we will need your first and last name and phone number. You can send this information to us via email at “aauwsocorronm@gmail.com” or call or leave a voicemail for Hannah at 757-727-3874 with this information. (You will not be contacted beyond this event.) You must be present to win.
Here’s a introduction to the film with a trailer. Enjoy!
Journey Down the Gila is a film exploring grief, renewal and hope, along the Gila River in New Mexico, telling the story of three New Mexico teens who died in service to the wild places they loved, their mothers’ trip down the river they sought to protect, and the struggle to keep the Gila flowing free. This feature length documentary is the first film to offer a visual journey down the 37 mile Gila Wilderness run of the river and chronicles the long struggle to keep the Gila free-flowing with interviews from long-time advocates for the Gila. The film culminates with a visit the three mothers made to Washington D.C. to advocate for federal legislation to protect the Gila River as Wild and Scenic.
The film was co-produced by Todd Schulke, co-founder of the Center for Biological Center, Patrice Mutchnick, Director of Heart of the Gila, with additional production support from Heart of the Gila, the Gila Conservation Coalition, New Mexico Wild, and dozens of other organizations, businesses, and individuals invested in the forever protection of the Gila River. It was directed by Albuquerque film maker, David Garcia.
On March 13th at 7pm, New Mexico’s Gila River will flow near the Rio Grande in a film at the
historic Loma Theater in Socorro
Journey Down the Gila is a lush, cinematic journey down
America’s first “Wilderness River”-37 miles through the Gila Wilderness. This feature length
documentary tells the story of three New Mexico teens who died in service to the wild places
they loved, their mothers’ trip down the river they sought to protect, and the struggle to keep
the Gila flowing free.
Four years and multiple river trips in the making, Journey Down the Gila chronicles the long
struggle to keep the Gila River free-flowing with interviews from long-time advocates and
culminates with a visit the three mothers made to Washington D.C. to advocate for federal
legislation to protect the Gila River in New Mexico as a Wild and Scenic river.
This one night only film screening is a poignant story of grief, renewal, and hope along the
Gila River. The screenings will include a Q and A with one of film’s co-producer, and one of the
principals in the film, Patrice Mutchnick, Director of the non-profit, Heart of the Gila as well as
and an update on recent federal legislation to designate the Gila as a Wild and Scenic River by
New Mexico Wild’s Gila Grassroot Organizer, Luke Koenig.
“My desire is that the river that our children held dear will be protected,” said, Jennifer Mahl,
one of the mothers featured in the film, “I want people to see the beauty of the Gila
Wilderness through our eyes and most importantly, through the eyes of our three children.
Our children can no longer speak for themselves so it is now our duty to carry on their legacy
and share their vision with the world. This film is a very effective way of sharing that
message.”
“In the Centennial Year of the designation of the Gila Wilderness—the first of its kind in the
world—it is time to reflect on what wilderness means to the communities that surround it.
Socorro is a gateway community to the Gila National Forest and the Gila Wilderness. The Gila
River is an integral part of that Wilderness and is a treasure that belongs to all New Mexicans.
I’m honored to join this special film screening event during Women’s History Month, as this
film shows the power of three mother’s love and their determination to carry forward the
dreams of their children by advocating for the further protection of the wild river that they
loved, said Luke Koenig, New Mexico Wild’s Gila Grassroots Organizer, who will be at the
screening to give a legislative update on the Gila Wild and Scenic Bill.
Background on the Gila River
The Gila River is one of the longest rivers in the West, originating above 10,000 feet
in the Mogollon Mountains of the Gila Wilderness and from the headwaters of the
Black Range in the equally wild, Aldo Leopold Wilderness, to the east. Originally
flowing 500 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River near the Mexico border,
the Gila is now drained dry halfway through its journey due to large irrigation and
municipal diversions in Arizona.
The Gila River is the life-blood of southern New Mexico: this last free-flowing river
in the state, still contains an abundance and diversity of fish and wildlife and
a vibrant riparian forest community of cottonwoods, sycamores, willows and
alders. It is unmatched for outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, fishing, and world
class birding. The Gila is also a witness to the history of New Mexico: its canyons,
cliffs and cottonwood groves are home to historic Native American and early pioneer
sites. The Gila is also a source of jobs and revenues, supporting tourism and outdoor
recreation as a foundation of the local economy.
We can’t afford to take the Gila River for granted. Active involvement of those who
know and love the river is the only way to ensure it is managed thoughtfully and
sustainably for today and for future generations. We need to use and develop our
country’s natural resources wisely in ways that conserve our rivers and respect our
traditions and way of life. One way to do that is by designating the Gila as a Wild and
Scenic River.
Established by Congress in 1968, Wild and Scenic designations protect the nation’s
rivers with outstandingly remarkable values in their free-flowing condition. The
designations preserve access for traditional users, maintain existing water and private
property rights, and protect critical habitats for threatened and endangered species.
On March 15th, 2023, Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján introduced The
M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act , which would designate
approximately 446 miles of river segments as Wild, Scenic or Recreational,
permanently protecting these rivers in their free-flowing conditions.
Guest Speaker – Meet Patrice!
Patrice Mutchnick, is the Founder and Board president of Heart of the Gila, a non-profit located in the headwaters of the Gila River and dedicated to the protection of the wild places of the Southwest. Education and stewardship form the basis of their programming as they help foster relationships to the land in children and adults. Patrice teaches and leads many of the programs and trains young adults to be environmental educators. Patrice worked as Biology Lab Director at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, between the years 2003 and 2014 and also contracted with the Forest Service to do rare plant studies on the Gila. Her background is in Environmental and Plant Biology and after completing her Masters in Ethnobotany, she worked as a plant collector for the Smithsonian Institute’s Biodiversity of the Guianas Program.
After her daughter’s death in 2014, Patrice devoted her life to elevating the voice of her daughter, Ella Jaz Kirk, a young environmental activist, writer, and artist-finding hope in continuing the work of protecting the wild places so loved by her daughter, for the benefit of future generations.
She co-produced the film, Journey Down the Gila, as a tribute to Ella, and the other two children who died with her, Ella Myers and Michael Mahl, and as an effort to add their voices to the fight to protect the Gila River, a place all three children loved. The film first premiered in 2019 and features all three moms, as well as many long-time activists in the struggle to keep the Gila flowing free.
“The film resonates with folks from many walks of life. All of us have gone through grief, and loss, and had to find our way back to our purpose. Protecting the river is our way of doing that,” said Mutchnick. “Whether you have had a similar loss, love our wild places, or want to enjoy an epic trip down America’s first wild river, we hope you will join us on this journey down the Gila”.
Sponsored by:
FOR MORE INFORMATION on this or other AAUW events:
aauwsocorronm@gmail.com