100% New Mexico unites people, services

Sixty community members attended the second annual 100% Socorro Summit at the Garcia Opera House on Friday.

“100% community initiative is really intended to make sure 100% of the community can thrive,” Sharon Sessions, 100% Socorro initiative leader, said during her introduction.

Sessions said based on current research, ten services have been identified that represent the social determinants of health, which is what 100% of New Mexico is based on. The idea behind organizing the summit was to unite people and services, identify the needs in Socorro County and discuss the proposal of a family center in Socorro.

“That’s one of the goals is to be able to make sure that we have a network where there is a very strong synergy between all of the different organizations and community members, everybody is able to provide services and everybody who needs to receive.” Sessions said.

The vision is to have a conveniently located family center in Socorro that would connect to services all over the county.

Dominic Cappello, co-developer of 100% New Mexico Initiative of NMSU Anna Age 8 Institute, was the keynote speaker.

“I’m going to say three words that should not be radical, but in this country, it is radical. Are you ready? 100% can thrive.” Cappello said, “and today is the catalyst for action.”

He explained the ten vital services were like a footbridge and if one service is missing people fall off the bridge into the roaring river.

“Just like other counties, people are drowning. They fall off the bridge. Right? And when I say drowning, does that mean substance use disorders? untreated mental health challenges? can’t find city housing? can’t get a job? Yes. You know all this, you see this every day in the news, you see your friends and colleagues. You also know that while you have services here there are gaps, right?” Capello said.

Prescott Apachito, a mural artist of RISE inmate program participant spoke during the summit. He shared a story about how his grandfather gave him a pencil when he was young and removed the eraser. He asked for the eraser to fix a mistake in his drawing and his grandfather told him “no because in life when you make mistakes it’s not that easy to erase.”

“It’s up to you to make choices and that decision, so I decided to be with the community, and I love where I am right now because it has opened my heart,” Apachito said.

“It was amazing to hear from the 100% Socorro Mural Artist Prescott Apachito.” Sessions said. “Also having a great cross-section of participants, and I’m especially grateful for voices of the members of Socorro’s Youth Advisory Board. Their experiences and opinions are so valuable, and it takes courage to share.”

She said participants also had a work session where they identified nearly 70 necessities and services for a 100% Socorro Family Center One Stop Hub.

“All of the services identified are considered important for developing a proposal for the 100% Socorro Family Center, with the identified priorities considered essential services that should be focused on as part of the foundation of the Center,” Sessions said.

The 100% Socorro leadership team includes Sharon Sessions, Samantha Winter, Jackie Munchy, Mary Ann Chavez Lopez, and Maureen Wilks.

A video of the event will be available soon on their website at www.100nm.org/socorro