Read the news Article "Streetology"

Published by the Alibi

V.16 No.52 | December 27 - January 2, 2008

Read About Our Programs

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For the past four years, La Plazita Institute has been serving New Mexico’s communities through programs for youth and families who have fallen through the cracks of conventional institutional support. We serve youth in custody and those previously incarcerated, gang-involved youth, and returning veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. We provide a sense of belonging and “familia” for these individuals and offer opportunities to engage positively with the larger community.

Our primary programs for youth are our "Making a Change Programs" that provide youth with weekly talking circles where they can share their challenges in a safe environment, and make choices that support their futures and the well being of the community. Our La Placita Gardens “Outdoor Classroom” provides youth with micro-enterprise opportunities, space to serve the community, and a reconnection to our cultural teachings of respecting Mother Earth. Most—though not all—of our youth come from a Chicano or Native American background, and so face the challenge of balancing "multiple worlds" and conflicting values between the mainstream culture and their familial culture.

We help our youth effectively navigate these multiple worlds and offer cultural healing through sweat ceremonies and teachings to link youth to the traditional values from their indigenous roots including respect for elders, honoring of oneself, and importance of community. To learn more about La Plazita Institute, read this article published in the Albuquerque Alibi.

Seeking funding through conventional channels has always been a challenge for us for two reasons: because we are who we serve—primarily hiring previously incarcerated individuals; and because we choose quality over quantity in providing intensive, 24/7 support to extremely high-risk youth—in lower numbers than institutions serving youth at lower risk.

Times are tough for everyone, but especially for our youth and their families, who face homelessness, difficulty finding work after incarceration, and finding food for themselves and their families. This is why your support - whether it be a tax deductible cash donation through the Paypal button at the top of the page or your time as a volunteer, will go a long way toward helping us serve New Mexico's most vulnerable youth and their families.

Click here to read about the programs we offer.

For more information on our programs and volunteer opportunities, email laplazitainstitute@hotmail.com.

La Plazita Institute is a grassroots-based organization based out of Albuquerque's South Valley. La Plazita Institute's mission is to strengthen community and enable youth to leave behind a destructive lifestyle by tapping into their own roots to express core traditional values of respect, honor, love, family, and community.