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The city of Albuquerque dedicated gallery space at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Monday in honor of Clara Apodaca, recognizing her decades of work advancing arts and culture in New Mexico.
The dedication is part of the city’s “Stories of Us” initiative, which highlights community leaders who have shaped Albuquerque’s identity, according to a press release from the city.
“Clara Apodaca’s vision has helped make Albuquerque a place where art and community thrive together,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “Dedicating this gallery space in her name is a way to honor her remarkable legacy and ensure that her story continues to inspire future generations.”
Apodaca, a Las Cruces native whose family roots predate the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, served as New Mexico’s first lady from 1975 to 1979. During that time, she established the Governor’s Gallery at the state Capitol, organized “brown bag” recitals in the Capitol rotunda and founded the First Lady’s Day for the Physically Challenged at the State Fair, the release states.
As a New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs officer, Apodaca oversaw the opening of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. She later served as president and CEO of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.
Her influence extended to the national level through roles in the Clinton Administration and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. First Lady Hillary Clinton appointed her to the White House Millennium Commission, according to the city.
Apodaca has received numerous honors, including the New Mexico Spirit of Achievement Award, the New Mexico First Lifetime Achievement Award, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Humanitarian Award from the Jewish Community Center.
She currently chairs the Jeff Apodaca Celebration of Life Foundation, which funded the Multimedia Center at UNM Children’s Hospital, the city said.
