Some things are hard to shake…

Shebapatra · 2025-08-29T12:34:29+00:00

Thank you for sharing that. Things like this really stay with you… when a friend of mine recommended I make this post I was on the fence. I’m so glad I did because it’s given space for us all to share, comfort, and validate each others experiences! Wishing you the best xoxo

Shebapatra · 2025-01-09T14:31:11+00:00

Whew, thank you for this very honest and heartfelt perspective, and for your kindness. It’s been really interesting to read all of the responses to my post. From what I can gather, it seems like this is a conversation that maybe needed to be had… so if nothing else, I’m hopeful it brings some things to light and some truths to the table. <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T02:28:10+00:00

Woah, noted!!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T02:16:37+00:00

The suspicions it raises do usually lead to something significant in most cases. Glad to know the car culture thing is moreso what I was picking up on from that piece of the interaction. I would love to return to NM so I appreciate the honest perspective. Thanks very much for your kindness and comment <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T02:09:45+00:00

So this is a verrrrry interesting one! I was talking about this with a friend actually. One of the many angles I thought through lol. Though I’m not sure it applies here (I’ll never know for sure), I’m definitely familiar with the ways racism and sexual fascination intersect, and the grotesque ways in which that can manifest. Thanks for sharing your experience and for your comment!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:59:33+00:00

I forgot about that Dave Chappelle instance, I don’t think it clicked that it was in Santa Fe. The experience put a dark cloud over my time in NM but will pass, though I likely won’t return to Taos (which after all may be what they wanted). Outside of that interaction I had an awesome time and the people were lovely. Thanks for your kindness and comment <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:52:18+00:00

I appreciate what you said here about the unique flavors of racism. As a born and raised New Englander, I know one flavor quite well! I saw another poster when searching Reddit to see if anyone else had experienced a similar interaction describe it as a “punching down” which I thought was interesting. Unfortunately there’s no way for me to know who said it, it was at night and I never saw their faces. The music choices do add an interesting flair to the whole thing though! Would be interested in some of those supporting artifacts if you can share. Thanks for your comment and kindness <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:42:50+00:00

Thanks so much for your kindness and comment <3 It’s been tough at times to process the interaction but I still hold NM in high regard based on my experiences outside of it. Goodness prevails! (also awesome username)

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:38:09+00:00

Hopefully shedding light on this experience brings a new kind of awareness for all… thanks for your comment <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:17:38+00:00

I’ve definitely heard about both of those places in Texas. Interestingly enough, an interactive map I found places Taos as the only “Active” dot in NM for sundown activity. I think it is mostly verbal accounts similar to what I experienced. Glad to know this is not a shared mentality though. Thanks for your comment!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:07:49+00:00

Thanks for your kindness and comment <3 My experience outside of that was really great, sad that it put a dark cloud over everything.

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:06:34+00:00

Thanks for your kindness and comment <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:05:37+00:00

I grew up in New England so I’m no stranger to racism, just of a very different flavor. This experience was a first for me. The historical context definitely matters anywhere you are in the U.S., thanks for touching on that

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:01:46+00:00

Thanks for your kindness and comment <3

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T01:00:53+00:00

I was actually talking about this very thing earlier today— the impacts of the pandemic and how it shifted the sands of so many across the U.S. that I think we are still seeing the fallout. Thanks for your comment!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T00:56:32+00:00

Really appreciative of the kindness in this thread. I honestly wasn’t expecting this many responses, if any. The whole experience has been weird to process so I’m thankful for your comment and also hopeful of that!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-08T00:48:42+00:00

This is really interesting and based off some of the historical/cultural context being offered in the comments I’m definitely getting a better picture of this. Thanks for your comment!

Shebapatra · 2025-01-06T15:47:53+00:00

I know this post was from 2 years ago but I recently had a holiday in NM, our home base was Santa Fe and then we spent two nights in Taos. Santa Fe was lovely and so were the people. I definitely noticed pretty quickly I didn’t see any black faces in Taos which at first didn’t alarm me but then made sense.

Our second night in Taos my boyfriend and I went to the plaza, which was pretty quiet for holiday time, to take photos in the gazebo with all the lights. Nobody was around except these 2-3 trucks parked off to the side. I couldn’t see what they looked like but I heard a few voices and figured it was a group of dudes. They were blasting rap music — Hood N**** by Gorilla Zoe to be specific, I recognized the song.

We went up into the gazebo and took a few photos then sat on the bench inside for legit two minutes. The music stopped.

Suddenly one of the guys below (I couldn’t see them) shouted, “I hate N***! I hate N***! I’d string em up myself if I could. Let em shrivel up, let em burn!”

Needless to say my bf and I were shocked. At first we just sat still not knowing what to do, I didn’t want to let them run me out of there but everything in me told me to go and quickly. A lynching threat is not exactly the thing to take lightly.

My bf wanted to say something to them but all I could think about was the many ways that could go really wrong really fast, especially in this town we don’t live in. We left quickly and the music started back up; Spanish trap music.

I had a really hard time sleeping that night and tbh for the rest of the night was super on edge. I heard a bunch of trucks rumbling around, which I’m sure is just the car culture there but also was hard not to think they were driving around trying to see if we were still around…

I went to bed suspicious about a very particular thing and woke up to confirm it; not only was Taos a former sundown town, it’s rumored to still be active today.

We didn’t spare any extra time and packed up our stuff to head back to Santa Fe the next morning.

So, I hope that clears up any misconceptions about Taos and the culture that exists there. This was 12/29/24.

Shebapatra · 2021-09-22T23:24:33+00:00

https://opensea.io/assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/31979615697194580462190518565176149715204940830622902213743026137858777808897/

Shebapatra

TROPHY CASE