City and County Kick off 2025 Summer of Nonviolence
ALBUQUERQUE – Over 200 members of the community said no to violence this morning. The City of Albuquerque’s Community Safety, and Parks & Recreation departments, Bernalillo County, and local youth celebrated the second annual Summer of Nonviolence. The campaign kicked off at a two-hour event today at Mariposa Basin Park.
The summer-long initiative encourages youth to take a pledge of nonviolence and offers a series of events throughout the season for young people to have fun and stay safe.
“When we help young people find direction and purpose, we’re helping them stay on track and out of trouble,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “The Summer of Nonviolence gives kids and families fun ways to stay safe and build a better future.”
The kickoff event provided free commemorative Summer of Nonviolence t-shirts for youth and adults who took the pledge, and featured a dancing performance hosted by On Point Dance Studio while food and drink trucks from Sueños Coffee Co., Wow Wow Lemonade and A Plus Creperie provided complimentary refreshments to those in attendance.
The public was also introduced to five Summer of Nonviolence youth ambassadors known as “Gen P” (or Generation Peace). These individuals, made up of current high schoolers and recent high school graduates, Shaylah Apodaca (Albuquerque High School), Ithzell Fernandez (West Mesa HS), Jada Haye-Porter (Eldorado High School graduate), Jaelynn Valdez (V. Sue Cleveland High School), Pranav Joshi (La Cueva HS), will serve as the face of the initiative on social media and at events.
“We’re coming together - city and county - to show that building a safer community starts with each of us,” said D3 Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa. “This kickoff is just the beginning of a summer filled with action, goodwill, and support.”
From June 1 through July 31, the city and county will be hosting numerous events throughout Bernalillo County as part of the series, providing safe havens for youth.
These events encompass a variety of activities, from sports to library programs, chess tournaments, outdoor movie screenings, and educational workshops. The Summer of Nonviolence’s goal is to foster peace and community cohesion for youth and families.
We invite all youth to join us in continuing to take the pledge for a Summer of Nonviolence on our dedicated website or at some of our featured events.
For additional details on the Summer of Nonviolence, you can visit our official website at cabq.gov/summerofnonviolence.
###
The Summer of Nonviolence is a joint effort by the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to promote a safe, engaging summer for youth and families. With events like sports, library programs, outdoor movies, and workshops, the campaign offers safe spaces and positive activities. We invite the youth to join us in taking the pledge for a summer of nonviolence.