ATD Fourth World New Mexico Spring News!

Accessing Services in a Digital World: The View from New Mexico

Esther Rodriquez, ATD Fourth World activist, did us proud as a webinar panelist for the United Nations Commission on Social Development in February! The topic was grassroots experiences accessing social services and education in a digital world. Esther was one of four panelists who brought their insights to the topic and then answered questions from the audience. While an ATD activist from the United Kingdom developed how parents can be mistreated when family court hearings happen online, Esther focused on the challenges of remote learning in rural New Mexico and how some of those challenges could be overcome through family ties.

See the Summary Report


Learning and Creativity Go Mobile Through Story Garden on Wheels!

Story Garden is back—both in Gamerco and outside families’ homes throughout the region. In Gamerco, the children welcomed us with an amazing ability to pick up where we left off, and showed us by their actions that they know what Story Garden is all about! And, while the Gallup Flea Market remains closed for now, our facilitation team has been bringing Story Garden right to families’ doorsteps. As we raise funds for a customized van full of supplies for learning and creativity, we can start dreaming of traveling to meet more families right in the heart of their communities!

See our Gamerco Story Garden update on Facebook!


Learning with Dakota

A big thanks to all the educators who reached out to us about using our customized learning kits with their students! Through 5 local public schools so far, over 1,000 kits have been distributed to students in northwest New Mexico. And thanks to the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, 250 kits have been offered to the Abiquiu Library System in rural northern New Mexico as well. While the kits are free for our local communities, we are also making them available at low cost for educators elsewhere in the state and country. Stay tuned for news of more kits on the way!


Celebrating Sandy Romero

For over 40 years, Sandy Romero has been a pillar of the Gallup Flea Market community, and for 9 years she has been a guide, advisor and friend of Story Garden and ATD Fourth World. Sandy passed away last month, but her hopes for the children of our community will live on through Story Garden.

Join us in celebrating Sandy through these photos and memories

New Mexico, Newsletter