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Isiah Yazzie鈥檚 been in the New Mexico comedy scene for a while.

He was looking for the next step in his career.

He found it in hosting 鈥淧ick Up New Mexico,鈥� which airs on YouTube and TikTok.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a Native American renaissance happening right now,鈥� Yazzie says. 鈥淚鈥檓 a Native satirist and I wanted to create a project where I could incorporate what I鈥檝e done before. We鈥檝e talked about me being a host. I want to do a late-night comedy TV show based in New Mexico.鈥�

The Gallup native has been poking fun at politics and championing social issues for several years, 铿乺st on his show 鈥淭he New Mexican Inquisition鈥� where he interviewed the New Mexico political elite, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

Yazzie has teamed up with award-winning producer Harry Gantz to create the online political comedy series.

Yazzie says there鈥檚 one main goal 鈥� to get young New Mexicans engaged in politics and to vote.

Isiah Yazzie uses satire, social media to engage New Mexicans in local and national government

鈥淪o many of my friends are totally apathetic about politics and voting. They don鈥檛 trust either party, and they don鈥檛 understand how their participation in the democratic process benefits them,鈥� Yazzie says. 鈥淢ost New Mexicans that I interact with in their 20s don鈥檛 even know who their state and local representatives are. The youth see octogenarians running the show in Washington. That is why I created 鈥楶ick Up New Mexico,鈥� to show young citizens of New Mexico that their vote does count, and how there is political power when our demographics mobilize, get engaged and assert our rightful place at the table in local and state government. Comedy is my medium, because we don鈥檛 like to be preached at and told what to think, or who to vote for. But if we can laugh at ourselves, and laugh at the foibles of our political leaders, we can highlight the value of engaging.鈥�

Yazzie is using his voice and platform to create change.

His recent interview with sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Mayor Tim Keller and his interns showed a more personal side of the often maligned leader, as he discussed what city problems keep him up at night, and his journey from an apolitical family to the mayor鈥檚 office.

Yazzie says he has also met with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver. He says she considers utilizing his strategies for getting the youth to vote.

Earlier this year, Yazzie convinced Sen. Harold Pope Jr. and Rep. Eleanor Chavez to spend the night sleeping on the streets of Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口 to bring attention to homelessness. During the evening, he organized a street committee hearing, bringing in homeless advocates and social service providers to educate our leaders as to how the state government can help to alleviate the suffering of our large unhoused population.

鈥淚鈥檓 using humor and satire about current events to encourage political engagement. 鈥楶ick Up New Mexico鈥� is inspiring a new generation of state leaders that are responsive to the unique challenges facing young New Mexicans in the coming years,鈥� Yazzie says. 鈥淭hey gave us four years of free college, and that is a start, but we have a whole other way of seeing the world, and it鈥檚 our time to enact our vision.鈥�

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.