There's been much to do about New Mexico's commemoration and celebration this year of its 100 years as a state. Yet many of our citizens don't have a clue as to how difficult it was to become a state. In fact, four attempts at statehood during our Territorial Period ended in failure. While the majority of its citizens during the period were Hispanos, our loyalty, our language and our faith were constantly questioned.

The New York Times wrote of our Spanish-speaking citizenry, "Few towns are regulated, and a large part of the people is ignorant and utterly destitute of enterprise and public spirit." Other national newspapers attacked our Spanish language, our Catholicism as tools of the pope. The Chicago Tribune characterized New Mexicans as "Greasers ... ignorant of our laws, manners, customs, language and institutions."

Ignorance of Hispano contributions to American history, literature, architecture, the arts, etc., was in those days profound. There are many Americans today living outside the Southwest who, unfortunately, remain as ignorant. Some fail to recognize that New Mexico is the state between Arizona and Texas. Never mind that the first history of the "U.S." was written by Villagra a decade before Capt. Smith's account of the Anglo colonies. Never mind that incredible dramas, music and architecture, etc., were being created while Eastern colonies were on the edge of disappearing.

With that history in mind, I remind our citizenry in all this commemoration that our state and our nation are only as good and as strong as our young people and, therefore, this column is dedicated to three young persons I find amazing.

The first is an amazing 14-year-old by the name of Audra Vigil. For those of you who are fans of From the Top at KHFM-FM 95.5 on Sundays, this nationwide classical program features young musicians from all over the country with usually an interview as well. As James M. Keller of this newspaper's Pasatiempo said, "She was the youngest of the five young musicians featured in this installment, and she was also the most intensely focused. She delivered a finely honed interpretation of 'Saludade No. 3,' a virtuosic contemporary work by Tunisian-French guitarist and composer Roland Dyens."

"Intensely focused" more than aptly describes this young virtuoso potential, and at her age the future is bright and equally intense.

My next young New Mexican is Christopher Roybal. For those of us who love film and documentaries, there is always the great temptation to compare young filmmakers to the likes of Felllini, Wertmueller, Hertzog, Buñuel, etc. We were weaned on the best. Yet this young filmmaker's scenes at times bring glimpses of his potential. His latest effort, The Spanish Room, was one of only two from this country that were selected to compete among other feature films at the Festival Flamenco de Cortometrajes in Madrid last month. John Knoll's (pojoaquenews. com) interview with the young filmmaker is revealing as is his website, weareincredible.com. As Roybal matures, his eyes and his world and his films will be even richer.

Another amazing young man from my valley is Javier Ortiz. Never heard of him? You will, guaranteed! He is a bass-baritone who in a recent interview said, "I love my job!" He is one of seven from the entire world and the only American chosen as a member of the 2011-1012 Opera Studio Nederland Young Artist Program in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he has performed leading roles in La Boheme and Don Giovanni. In March he will sing the role of Pluton in La Descent d'Orphee aux Enfers. He has performed leading roles in Le Nozze de Figaro, The Magic Flute, Cosi fan Tutte, Don Pasquale, Martha, Mozart and Saliere, etc., way too many operas to mention here, in various venues throughout the U.S.

Closer to us, Javier appeared as Capo in the zarazuela La del Manojo de Rosas and as General Putifar in La Corte de Faraon. He also performed in the marine sextet and sailors' chorus in Billy Budd at the Santa Fe Opera and, additionally, was the 2010 Grand Prize winner in the male performance category of the annual Vocal Artistry Song competition.

These three young people are just a few of the many young New Mexico Hispanos who excel in what they do. They are not just an example for other young people; they are an honor to their state. One wonders what The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune would make of us now, 100 years later.

Writer/historian Orlando Romero may be reached at Nambe1@aol.com.