Executive Director Letter / Carta del Director Ejecutivo
I’d planned to start this letter talking about the good things New Mexico saw out of this year’s legislative session, but sadly this weekend tragedy struck our community with a deadly mass shooting at a car meet in Las Cruces.
Three families are mourning the loss of their beloved children: Andrew Madrid, 16; Jason Gomez, 18; and Dominick Estrada, 19. Fifteen people were hurt. Hundreds of young people will never forget their fear from that night. Our city has taken a terrible wound that will take a long time to heal – and we may never be the same.
Here at CAFe, we have seen how this shooting has shattered some young people who were at the car meet, a place that had been serving as a gathering place for youths who loved cars or who just wanted to hang out with their friends. After the shock of that night, they came forward to show Las Cruces that we are more than this tragedy. They are leading us in planning a vigil on Friday called Youth Voices for Peace. Where some have descended into blame and division, they yearn to find unity. Our youth leaders are planning a candlelight vigil from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Plaza de Las Cruces (100 N. Main St., Las Cruces, NM 88001). Youths will speak, and interfaith leaders will share words of comfort.
If you or a young person you know has felt the hurt from this tragedy, they invite you to come together for solace. If you just want to show support to these youths, we also welcome you.
New Staff Member: Gauge Burnett , Administrative Assistant / Nuevo miembro del personal: Gauge Burnett, Asistente Administrativo
Gauge Burnett is a trans activist and amateur unicyclist with a major love of spreadsheets! Raised in Bethlehem, PA, Gauge attended Washington College (the one in Maryland) before moving to Iowa during the Covid-19 lockdowns. After a year as a post-baccalaureate student & occasional artist at Iowa State, he moved to Las Cruces to complete a master’s in Mathematical Sciences at NMSU. As a graduate student, Gauge discovered a passion for community organizing which led him to pursue a career in progressive nonprofit work.
Gauge is excited to join the CAFe team to make an impact in the community that has welcomed and accepted him here in the Borderlands. Outside of work, Gauge is active with various community projects and organizations. A proud third-generation Rotarian, he also volunteers as a Committee member for the Las Cruces Walk to End Alzheimer’s and supports trans & queer-led community initiatives with his many spreadsheets. If he’s not in the office, you can find Gauge reading old scifi novels in the park or climbing irresponsibly tall peaks in the Organs.
