Rooted in family, community, art, and tradition, it is no secret that lowrider culture runs deep in New Mexico.

“It just represents who the artist is, their stories, their traditions, their culture, their families, and all of the stuff that they have gone through that makes them unique and who they are,” said Roberta Ricci, Chief Experience Officer with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

The stories of lowriders intersect at a place called The Toy Box. “The Toy Box is new. It’s fresh. It’s some of the greatest minds and greatest leaders here,” said Mike Cordero, the owner of Raza Motorcycles.

“Within The Toy Box, we have All-Pro Towing, Straight Street Automotive, Raw Saw Motorcycles, and, basically, this is where you come to make your dreams come true,” said Sean Daly, the owner of Straight Street Automotive.

The Albuquerque Super Show offers exactly that – dreams brought to life. It is something that Joe and his team with Artemis Promotions gear up for every year, and it brings the best of the best together under one roof.

“The Lowrider Super Show event, I call it Albuquerque’s finest super show and New Mexico’s super show – hosting the most beautiful cars all around the country and a lot from Albuquerque itself and from around New Mexico,” said Joe Romero, President of Artemis Promotions.

“The Lowrider Super Show here in the Albuquerque is a sanctioned show. You have to qualify at one of these events for a lowrider to compete in Las Vegas for the Lowrider Super Show,” said Julia Pluemer, Director of Marketing for Artemis Productions.

From the build to the artwork, each lowrider is unique to the craftsman who designed it, and each one brings with it a different cultural perspective.

“I always tell everybody that lowriders, like, when you go to the Super Show, you definitely see cars that are like Skittles – a bunch of different colors and a bunch of different flavors. There will be some cars that you like and some cars that you don’t like, but you know what, it’s art. Art on wheels is what it is. Art is in the eye of the beholder,” said Romero.

For example, one of the most eye-catching lowriders you will be able to see at this year’s Super Show event is called Monkey Business.

“Well, Monkey Business just started out as ‘57 Chevy Belair, and we started doing a little bit of work on it,” said Romero. “That I know of, it’s the first of what we call a Tri-five, with black and copper. A lot of times people will put gold or chrome on it. We did a different route; we did a copper on it just to be a little different, and I think it stands out pretty well.”

Much of the beauty of lowriders is found in the fine details, like the hidden messages on Monkey Business. Monkey Business is just one of the hundreds of intricate low riders that will be on full display, and it is just one example of what New Mexicans can do.

“I believe it’s very important to us because it hosts our culture, and it shows what New Mexicans can build, and it also brings a big audience from around the country to show, again, New Mexico culture as well,” said Romero.

New Mexico is a state that is rich in culture. This Lowrider Super Show is part of that, and it completely aligns with the mission of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. “As part of the Hispano Chamber, our mission is to support Hispanic and Native American culture, and so this lowrider show is the epitome of what that means,” said Ricci.

“The reason that we want to support the Albuquerque Lowrider Super Show, and the reason that we have been supporting it for the last 12 years: it brings a sense of pride and uniqueness to Albuquerque for its tradition, for its artisans, and showcasing Albuquerque as a premier destination for events, and it brings and attracts more tourism to Albuquerque,” said Minerva Jurado-Perea, Destination Director for the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Convention and Tourism Department.

The best part is that the show is for everyone. “If you’re not sure if you would like it, if you’ve never been before, if you’re not sure if you would fit in, just come and bring your family; it’s kid-friendly. The whole community comes out, there is so much food and music and fun, and just to walk around, it really expands your thought of what the cars look like,” said Ricci.

Lowrider culture is generational and is often a family affair; to celebrate that, Joe and his team created a Super Show just for kids.

“We started the Albuquerque Little Super Show a few years back. So, what that is, it’s just for kids only. So, kids can only enter their bikes, their pedal cars, or their little RC cars. So, it’s an event that’s just designed and dedicated to them itself,” said Romero.

“It’s so important because I believe it continues on through generations. We’ve got to keep it alive; it’s passed down. The stories are passed down as well, and I think it’s super huge to our culture in preserving it,” said Pluemer.

Lowriders are a part of New Mexico’s story that is believed to have a dark past. While they once were associated with resistance, they have become woven into the fabric of a bright future for our state.

“I was talking to someone recently, and I was talking about changing the narrative, and he said, ‘We don’t want to change the narrative, we want to expand the narrative, right?’ So, we still want those stereotypes to be there, because that’s part of who they are, that’s part of their story, and, sort of, what made low riders visible in our community initially. And it has transformed over the years,” said Roberta.

Going beyond the car, lowrider culture encompasses a way of life that includes art, music, family, and tradition. It is a growing community, and these are the faces of the people who are leading that movement.

“As far as low riding goes and the bike world, it’s come a long way. We’re not knuckleheads, these are million-dollar cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we all come together with our kids and our families, and we enjoy,” said Cordero. “As far as the bad stigma goes, we try every day to present it better and to speak better about it, and then, educate the world on what lowrider really is, who we really are, and just what the culture is about.”

The Albuquerque Low Rider Super Show is taking place on Sunday, June 1, at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Artemis Productions is also having a watch party for its four-episode mini-series, “Showcase Lifestyle,” at Guild Cinema on Wednesday, May 28; tickets are $10.

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