Being raised in a community where your history connects to every part of your present, it is difficult to find the courage to leave. It is similarly difficult to forge a path and stay. Questa del Rio News is committed to highlighting different members of our community, both those who have created their paths and planted their own roots in the community that raised them, and those who have pursued lives outside of the community—through our Representando series. This series is dedicated to those who are Representando communities in northern Taos County, in various facets of life.
At 23 years old, Jadyn Jeantete is helping tell the story of New Mexico on one of the state’s biggest political stages.
The daughter of Miranda Jeantete of Questa and Rico Jeantete of Taos, Jeantete was born in Taos and spent her early childhood in Questa, where generations of her family have deep roots. Later, her family relocated to the Albuquerque metropolitan area, where she attended school and graduated from Cleveland High School in 2021
Though she built her academic and professional career in Albuquerque, Jeantete has always carried northern New Mexico with her. She credits much of her outlook on service and community to her parents, both lifelong public servants. Her mother dedicated her career to higher education, while her father worked for the federal government. Growing up, she watched both of them invest in people, institutions and communities, teaching her that everyone has a responsibility to contribute to the collective good.
Their example instilled in her the belief that while many challenges may feel beyond an individual’s control, meaningful change often begins at home.
“There are always going to be things happening nationally that we can’t control,” Jeantete said. “But we can choose how we show up for our families, our neighbors and our communities. We can all contribute to the story and make things better where we are.”
Jeantete graduated from the University of New Mexico in May 2025 with degrees in communication and political science. During her time at UNM, she was active in Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., where she found opportunities for leadership, service and sisterhood while giving back to the community. She also worked as an athletics communications intern for UNM Athletics, helping produce digital content and gaining firsthand experience in sports media and storytelling.
Outside of her professional work, Jeantete has continued to pursue photography through her freelance photography business, where she captures graduation portraits, family sessions and special events. She showcases her work on Instagram through her photography page, @jadynsjpgs, where she continues to build her creative portfolio while serving clients throughout New Mexico.
Today, she serves as the digital content and social media manager for Deb Haaland’s gubernatorial campaign, a role she stepped into full time after graduation. For Jeantete, the position is more than a job. It is an opportunity to help tell the stories of New Mexicans and the communities that have shaped her own life.
As she travels the state creating content and documenting campaign events, she draws inspiration from the same Indo-Hispano-Anglo spirit that has defined New Mexico for generations. Through photographs, videos and storytelling, she works to capture the resilience, determination and cultural pride that connect communities from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the southern border.
Jeantete said working for Haaland, who is seeking to become New Mexico’s next governor, has deepened her appreciation for the state and the people who call it home.
“I’ve always loved New Mexico,” Jeantete said. “But working on the campaign has made me appreciate it even more.”
Having now visited all 33 counties, she has witnessed firsthand the challenges and triumphs of communities across the state. Those experiences have reinforced her belief that despite political differences, New Mexicans are united by their commitment to family, culture and perseverance.
For Jeantete, social media is not simply about posting content. It is about preserving stories and highlighting the enduring spirit of a state whose people have spent generations adapting, surviving and thriving in the face of adversity. Through her work, she seeks to elevate the voices of everyday New Mexicans and the values they share, regardless of where they live.
“People want to be able to raise their families in New Mexico,” Jeantete said. “We care deeply about our culture and our communities because there’s nowhere else like this.”
Those conversations and experiences have shaped the way she approaches storytelling. Every post, photo and video becomes another opportunity to showcase the New Mexican spirit, one rooted in resilience, sacrifice, community and an unwavering love for home.
As she continues her work on the campaign trail, Jeantete hopes to use communications as a way to connect New Mexicans with opportunities and resources that can improve their lives. Looking ahead, she plans to continue building a career in communications at the intersection of government and politics and hopes to one day work on a presidential campaign.
For now, however, Jeantete remains focused on the place that first shaped her: New Mexico. Whether documenting communities across the state, covering athletic events, or photographing life’s milestones through her freelance business, she sees every opportunity as a chance to tell meaningful stories and honor the people behind them.
“Every day, I fall more in love with New Mexico,” Jeantete said.
From her childhood roots in Questa to communities across all 33 counties, Jeantete carries with her the lessons her parents taught her about service, responsibility and giving back. Through her work, she hopes others will recognize that while no one person can solve every challenge, everyone can play a role in strengthening their communities. In telling the stories of New Mexico, she is helping write the next chapter of a state defined by resilience, culture and an enduring belief that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
