For this episode of The NextDrop Question, I spoke with Edwin Jaramillo, Director of Public Works at the Pueblo of Isleta, during a site visit in New Mexico focused on tribal engineering support for water and emerging contaminants.
The technical questions matter: What is happening on the ground? What are the water-quality concerns? What engineering support may be useful? But before any solution is discussed, there is a more important question: how should outside technical teams engage with tribal communities in a way that is useful, respectful, and grounded in local priorities?
Ed brings the perspective of someone responsible for public works, infrastructure, and day-to-day community needs. In this short conversation, we discuss the importance of listening first, communicating clearly, understanding context, and building technical support around trust rather than assumptions.
This is exactly why I started The NextDrop Question: short conversations with people working close to real water and environmental challenges, where practical insight often comes from asking a better question.
