The New Mexico Acequia Commission has revealed the design competition winner for its 2024 specialty license plate. Along with the new design, the commission has selected the new official plate tagline: “Acequias Sangre Viva,” which translates to “Acequias Blood of Life.”
The winning plate was designed by the local artist Raymond Archuleta. According to the commission, Archuleta’s design “captures the essence of this time-honored tradition, which has been the lifeblood of New Mexico’s agricultural communities for centuries.”
The selected tagline was created by Commissioner Mary Mascareñas. The acequia commission says the phrase “represents the dedication, resilience, and vibrant spirit of the communities that depend on these acequias for their livelihoods.”
The New Mexico Acequia Commission was created in 1987 to advise the governor, the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on what criteria should be used to determine priorities for rehabilitating acequias (ditches) under federal funding programs. The Acequia Commission is an eleven-member commission serving four-year terms.
The specialty plate will be made available on Jan. 1, 2024 and the proceeds from each purchase of the plate will benefit the Acequia and Community Ditch Fund, a nonprofit which provides financial assistance for studies, research, and other services needed to conserve and protect the state’s water.
The new license plate will be New Mexico’s first specialty plate to feature the history and continued preservation of acequias. The plate was approved during the 2023 legislative session after being introduced by Kristina Ortez and Ambrose Castellano.
Sheep are New Mexican. Not cows….