There’s a few reasons why I decided to apply for the vacant District 4 seat on the Santa Fe Board of Education: 1) I want to represent all young people, especially those whom life marginalized simply by the accident of birth; 2) I want to build an engaged south side, one that doesn’t allow status quo to mean acceptance of circumstances; 3) I want to I want to be a part of an educational process that speaks truth to power and doesn’t allow money to be the primary reason for having agency. For these reasons, I hope to serve Santa Fe’s south side with every fiber of my being.

Santa Fe is at a crossroads. One path could lead to a cultural mestizaje in which all young people have a path towards a happy and healthy life. The other path, which I believe is the path Santa Fe is traveling, leads to decay and community-wide suffering. All anyone has to do to see the decay is drive down Cerrillos Rd and look at all the closed shops, street people, and detritus lining the road. In order to correct the path, Santa Fe has to look to the future. If Santa Fe stays on the current path, it will decay into a ghost town.

We have to teach our young people what it means to be a caring and engaged Santa Fe resident. Money and connections are not the path to power. We also have to do better at disrupting the undercurrent of political connection that drives local decision making through teaching our young people that Santa Fe has a place for them, regardless of where they live in Santa Fe.

Currently, Santa Fe is heading down the wrong path. But, I will do all I can to create the cultural mestizaje that we need. This mestizaje is one of inclusion and respect with no place for cronyism and politics. We are a mixture of identities that need representation. My work within the community has taught me that we are stronger than we think.

I hope the Board of Education considers me to fill the vacant seat. Really, though, there is a strong candidate pool from which they can choose. The very fact that all candidates are strong show that maybe, just maybe, we can become an engaged community. Please take a look at all of us and please participate in the Board Meeting scheduled for Tuesday the 26th.