Esther, "Community Champion"

ATD Fourth World New Mexico has been an active member of the McKinley County Early Childhood Coalition since 2015, coming together with many other stakeholders to promote child and family well-being in our area. Since last summer, Esther, a grandparent and now volunteer facilitator at Story Garden, has taken on the role of “community champion” in the Coalition, bringing her long experience of advocating for children’s education and growth in her community. In this new role, Esther recently represented the county and ATD Fourth World in a seminar in Charleston, South Carolina, bringing together similar Coalitions from around the nation.

Esther shared the experience of Story Garden with the other participants, and brought back key questions: How can we make a better world for children by focusing on the role of fathers in their children’s development? How can we prevent the expulsion of young children from school? How can we stop the damaging practice of placing children in foster care due to poverty? Through this seminar, Esther met some 40 people who, like herself, use their own story and experience to support and improve their community.

Community-based Action Laboratory on Sept 18th, 2018, in Gallup, New Mexico. This is a part of the activities that Esther participate as Community Champion.

A photo of some of the participants at the Symposium, taken by Esther. The entire group photo with Esther can be seen on the main page of NOW.

Esther (middle) with her grandson (Justin, far left) and granddaughter (Analisa, next to Esther) welcoming ATD Fourth World New Mexico team and the International Leadership team at her house, where she hosts Story Garden for children in the neighborhood.