AFSC remembers Pablo Lopez AFSC New Mexico / AFSC
On December 13, AFSC New Mexico held a virtual end-of-year celebration to share our work and thank everyone who made it happen. The hour-long event started with a tribute to Pablo Lopez, a member of the Red Wolf Clan who had been part of our Program Advisory Committee for many years and was a co-founder of the Agri-Cultura Network. Pablo passed away peacefully at home the week before the event.
We shared the highlights of our year including our Farm to Preschool and Farm to Food Bank projects. We thanked the farmers. friends and community organizations who made great collaboration possible in the midst of this pandemic. It was wonderful to hear from them.
From left: Donne Gonzales, Dede Feldman, Casey Holland and Matthew Draper
Here are just a few of the very moving statements made at the event:
Donne Gonzales of the New Mexico Acequia Association: “We absolutely love to collaborate with you guys and support everything you do because you have been wonderful partners in supporting all of the beautiful work that we do. It’s just a blessing to feed babies and all these beautiful children. It’s a blessing to work with the land and to teach farmers, so just so many thank-yous and lots of blessings and love always.”
Former NM state senator Dede Feldman: “I just want to offer my congratulations, too, to the AFSC, and all of the wonderful projects that are happening around food and local agriculture. Thanks to all of you for all of your good work during the past difficult year. You’ve been a beacon to many.”
Casey Holland, Farmer at Chispas Farm: “I’m a farmer here in Albuquerque, and I just want to hold space and name how significant AFSC has been for me for many years now and how wonderful it is to feel that there is a really significant community organization that helps me to continue to be in alignment with my ethics and values…. There is really no other group that I’ve enjoyed working with more, and I’m really looking forward to continued collaboration. It’s been really formative for me all these years…. It’s so cool to see all the different partners all over the state and in the community here. Thank you.”
Matthew Draper, Farmer at North Valley Organics: “I wanted to echo what Casey said and say thank you for all the great work that AFSC does and the way you support us farmers. I always feel like AFSC does some of the most practical work that any of the organizations that I’m involved in. I think it reflects a real connection to farmers and a real understanding of what our needs are and what’s going on on the ground. So many thanks for all of the great work that you do and keep on going! There’s so much more we can do together. Thank you.”
Lauro Silva, a member of the AFSC NM Program Advisory Committee, shared this blessing for people who attended the celebration: “May the light within you shine more brightly every day as we proceed along this journey, so that we can create the harmony we need to transition to the next epoch of human existence.”