By ALLAN SAENZ
Owner
SALA Los Alamos Event Center

Beginning this evening, SALA Los Alamos Event Center will host Free Palestine, a multi-part film and discussion series produced by an independent group that rented our facility. The announcement has sparked strong emotions across our community; several members have resigned their memberships, and our staff has received a number of angry phone calls and emails.

We write to clarify three points:

SALA’s Mission as a Public-Facing Venue

SALA is an event center first and foremost. We provide space for school recitals, church services, science lectures, corporate meetings, birthday parties, VR gaming, new movie releases, and yes—community-organized film series on difficult subjects. SALA exists precisely so that our community has a place capable of hosting events of every viewpoint and interest—and while we provide that forum, we do not endorse the views expressed at any rental event; we simply uphold the right of our diverse community to convene. The U.S. Civil Rights Act, the New Mexico Human Rights Act, and our own operating policies prohibit us from denying service on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or political viewpoint. If we were to discriminate, we would undermine both our mission and the legal protections that safeguard every group’s right to gather.

Safety and Civility

Out of an abundance of caution, we have asked the Los Alamos Police Department to maintain a presence during each screening. Their role is not to police ideas, but to protect everyone’s safety—patrons, organizers, staff, and protesters alike—should demonstrations occur. We are grateful for LAPD’s partnership and their commitment to a peaceful environment.

Engage for Understanding—Not Division

We invite people to participate in this series so that we can foster understanding and conversations about a complex issue in a productive way—one that brings us closer together rather than dividing us.

More than ever, Los Alamos needs spaces where difficult conversations can happen face-to-face instead of through anonymous comment threads. We remain committed to providing that space—open, inclusive, and safe.

For questions about venue policy or upcoming programming, please contact us at sala@losalamos.com or 505.412.6030.

If you support SALA’s mission to keep this community space open to everyone, please consider becoming a member—your membership keeps the doors open for all.