Españolans are a lot of things. Hard working, ambitious and proud of where we come from, are a few things that come to mind when describing us. What we are not: Hopeless, all drug users, unemployed and pathetic. However, for those who have never been to Española, watching YouTuber Nick Johnson’s video titled “I Went to the New Drug Capital of the United States” would give that impression.
The video has been circulating on social media in recent days and has drawn ire from many in the Valley who feel that it’s not an accurate depiction. Johnson claims to tell stories about the USA that are real and honest. It’s not clear where he’s from, but apparently he lives in some type of utopian society that doesn’t experience drug or poverty issues.
He claims in the video, that he and his wife were visiting New Mexico and had to come to Española because they were told about how awful the drug problem is here. He then shot about 45 minutes of footage in and around the city, often showing buildings that have been abandoned for years and suggesting they shuttered because of the drug problem. He inserts some Conservative remarks throughout the video, saying that’s why the borders should be closed. He also claims that Mexico and China are killing our population with drugs.
Johnson talks to an addict or two on the streets, who explain how they got addicted. He drives by the Goodwill but won’t get out of his car for fear that something will happen and locks his doors to ensure his safety. He visits Chili’s and is astounded to find a keypad on the bathroom door, claiming he’s never seen that in a restaurant, only in gas station restrooms.
For being so well-traveled, you’d think he’d have experienced restricted access like that. Most businesses in Los Angeles, for example, require codes to access the restroom, whether it’s a casual restaurant, a Starbucks or gas station restroom.
We know what types of issues we face in Española. They are no secret and it’s not the first time we’ve been showcased by an outsider because of them. But we certainly don’t need someone like Johnson coming in and sensationalizing our issues to get folks to view his videos.
After showing various spots around Española, he says at one point that he will now show what everyone wants to see: the addicts. He proceeds to drive around town, where he shoots video of people walking around while providing commentary about what a horrible, run-down place Española is, all while constantly mispronouncing it.
But that seems to be what he does. A look at his YouTube channel shows that it’s filled with nothing but videos featuring the homeless and drug-addicted communities. “10 Places in North Carolina You Should Never Move To,” “The Absolute Worst Ghettos Ever Seen,” and “Albuquerque, New Mexico – The World’s 20th Most Dangerous City,” are some of the videos on display.
It’s too bad Johnson didn’t actually get out of his car and talk to people who work with the homeless and drug addicts in our city — or families who have lost loved ones to drugs. He should have spoken to people who could actually give him historical information about Española, instead of reciting facts from Wikipedia. A little bit of research on the area would have gone a long way. But instead, he came in from parts unknown, shot a few scenes and blew out of town just as quickly as he got here, anxious to get that video up for all to see.
People like Johnson, who have no ties to Española and have never experienced living here are part of the problem. It’s easy to come here and point out our problems. It’s much harder to take some time to try and find a solution or at least help out in some way.
Yes, we have issues — every city and town in the country does. But we also have a community, that despite those issues, continues to thrive, help one another and remain hopeful that one day we will overcome them. We are more than a community with a drug problem. We are strong, we are resilient, we are driven and we are much more than some random YouTuber’s portrayal of us.