Mayor Keller Convenes One Albuquerque Kids Cabinet

April 24, 2019

The One Albuquerque Kids Cabinet held its first full meeting, where each of five workgroups gave a report out on the work they have been doing since the formation of the cabinet in January. The workgroups focus on Public Safety; Early Learning; Faith, Culture, and Arts; Outcomes and Data; and Out-of-School Time.

At the beginning of this year, Mayor Keller announced the formation of the One Albuquerque Kids Cabinet. The goal of the cabinet is to better coordinate policies, programs, and resources across agencies and communities to support improved outcomes for Albuquerque’s kids and youth. The group’s work complements the City’s efforts to fight crime from all sides by ensuring young people have safe places to learn and grow while not in the classroom.

“I am proud of the work this cabinet is doing to identify ways to improve the lives of kids and families in Albuquerque,” Mayor Keller said. “It’s critical that every child in this City have access to programs and opportunities that keep them safe and engaged when they aren’t in school.”

The Kids Cabinet is broken down into five workgroups, which are comprised of community leaders as well as representatives from the Albuquerque Police Department, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Family and Community Services Department, the Cultural Services Department, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Senior Affairs Department, the Department of Technology and Innovation, and the Transit Department.

“The collaboration between City leaders and community members has yielded very productive meetings in each of the workgroups. With continued focus and investment, we’re aiming to create a spot in a program for every child in Albuquerque,” Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair said.

Since January, the workgroups have focused on identifying service gaps, cultivating youth input to better understand gaps and opportunities, developing recommendations to increase access and opportunities, sharing recommendations with the City administration, and developing legislative proposals for all levels of government.

“We are doubling the opportunities for kids in this city, giving them more chances to participate in a before-school, after-school, or summer programs. Every child deserves to have a safe place to learn and grow while not in the classroom, and we are working to ensure they get that,” said Claire Dudley Chavez, Senior Policy Analyst, Department of Family and Community Services.