Nonviolence summer program aims to keep teens out of trouble
By Alyssa Munoz
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — A community-wide initiative to combat youth crime by offering events and opportunities to keep teens busy this summer.
Alicia Otero, a co-founder of the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice, believes this new nonviolence summer program is a step in the right direction.
“Creating an environment where they can have a good time and feel safe and just have a good time is really what we need,” Otero said.
She knows firsthand what losing someone to gun violence does to a family.
“Their whole world has just been turned upside down, financially, emotionally. Their life has started all over again, and it just really hits home,” Otero said.
She believes this program can help prevent more families from experiencing the same grief.
“I feel a lot of kids can’t afford to do stuff, and there’s really not much available to them, so creating events like this where people feel safe, they’re going to attend,” Otero said.
Sheriff John Allen said summertime is when kids can get into bad things out of boredom.
“We talk about there not being a lot of resources in the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo county. With both of us partnering, we’re making sure these kids have an avenue,” Allen said.
Some of the events that will be offered are movies in the park, workshops for different activities and opportunities for summer jobs.
“Make sure that they’re not only staying away from violence but making sure they have a career path, relationships, avenue,” Allen said. “I’m excited because we are seeing a change, and we’re seeing things start to move in a positive direction. It will take time, but we now have solutions instead of just talking about it.”
The sheriff said he hopes to reach teenagers who have been involved in teen violence by community policing and persistence.
“Some of them might not go to these events, but it could prevent the other ones who haven’t gotten to that point out the right path,” Otero said.
The next event will be on June 7 at Los Vecinos Community Center.
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