Santa Fe is better than this. Violence has claimed the lives of three young people under 18 within the last few weeks (one was a prominent basketball player). Two within the City’s southside. We are failing our young people and we can’t wash our hands within the Coronavirus sink. Yes, there’s a pandemic but that’s no excuse for an economy that shuns locals and favors outsiders. We aren’t developing our kids to carry Santa Fe into the future; rather, we’re ignoring them and allowing them to find their own paths forward and the greater community isn’t part of their plans. And really, why should it: Are we giving them reasons to participate?
Elected officials are in a tough position, as are school officials. Apathy is growing and I strongly suspect that if I took a random poll asking people who their city council, county commission, and school board representatives were, they may know one of them, but I doubt they’d know all three. When I review voter turnout data, especially on Santa Fe’s southside, only a small percentage of registered voters actually turn out. In the last Municipal election, 3350 of District 4’s 20,000 registered voters actually voted. That’s 17%. The winner garnered 1900 votes. that’s it. It’s not the winner’s fault, but how could she represent a portion of the population that probably isn’t even registered to vote?
Santa Feans MUST come together and figure out ways to reduce the apathy and get people involved within the greater community. There’s a lot of talk these days of systemic racism and oppression, but we choose not to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “What are we doing to change it?” We’ll blame and elected officials, but we won’t ask ourselves: “Are we doing what we can to make Santa Fe better?” Yes, our elected officials don’t really represent a majority of Santa Fe, but is that their fault? I know that there are significant economic challenges on Santa Fe’s southside, but voting is free.
The only way we’re going to reach our kids is to show them that there is a path out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency. We have to prove to them that there is a reason to stay in school and vote in our local elections. We have to reach out to them and involve them within the legislation process. We can’t continue to treat kids, especially marginalized kids, as though they don’t even exist. If we do, I can guarantee that they’ll make their presence felt and known in very unhealthy ways. My heart hurts for the families of the young people we’ve recently lost to violence. My heart hurts for all of Santa Fe because rather than participating and showing our kids how to do so, we blame others and sit out hands. We have to better Santa Fe. I know we’re better than this. At least I hope we are.
