Doña  Ana Communities United
July 2018  Newsletter

Warm greetings from DACU! We are excited to share our July updates with our supporters and friends. In this newsletter, you will find updates on the Nevada Neighborhood project, timebank steering committee election, and our recent visit with our Health Equity Partnership friends in Las Vegas, NM. 

We are sad that Outreach Coordinator Meredith Severtson's year with DACU through Border Servant Corps is coming to a close, but we are excited to welcome new Outreach Coordinator Mairead McCarthy in late August. 

Many thanks for your support and partnership! 

DACU Director 
Kari Bachman
575-496-4330
DACU Outreach Coordinator 
Meredith Severtson
575-323-0730

Upcoming DACU Events

Timebank Orientation
August 22, 5:30-7 PM

Timebank Get-Together
August 24, 6-8 PM

DACU Team Meeting
July 26, 11 AM-1 PM


All events will be held at the DACU office (151 S Walnut Street, Unit B13).
You'll find directions at the bottom of this newsletter.

Nevada Neighborhood Meeting on July 10 

DACU team members assisted City staff at an unveiling of construction drawings for the planned bump outs in the Nevada Neighborhood. Residents enjoyed snow cones while they talked to engineers and provided input related to the size and location of the vegetated features. We hope to see you on July 25 for our next meeting from 5:30 to 7pm in the library at Lynn Community School!
Photos by  Robert Yee
DACU Nevada Project coordinator Patricia (right) talks with a resident.
The free snow cones were a hit with residents.

Timebank Steering Committee Election

We are holding an election to bring new members onto our timebank steering committee! The timebank steering committee is a group of active timebank members who are committed to strengthen and grow our local timebank community. 
 

If you are a timebank member, you should have received an email ballot yesterday (July 19). Please take a few minutes to read the candidates' profiles, and be sure to submit your ballot by July 31. (We will hold another election in early 2019, so if you're interested in being on the committee you will have another opportunity very soon!)

Visit to Our HEP Colleagues in Vegas 

Kari and Robert traveled this week to Health Equity Partnership meetings in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque. In Vegas, we reconnected with Pat Leahan and her inspiring team members whose decades of work have resulted in the county finally building a reintegration center at their detention center. Stay tuned for an upcoming movie night, where we will screen and discuss the film "Living Strong, Living Amends," which depicts the journey to sobriety of Frances Lucero and Victoria Baca, two members of the San Miguel team.

Photos by Robert Yee
Frances views the film with her grandson, Vaughan Glidden, and Jessi Jensen.
   
HEP partners visit the detention center.

July Timebank Get-Together 

At our July timebank get-together, we shared plenty of food and laughter as we bid farewell to Outreach Coordinator Meredith Severtson. Meredith will continue to work with DACU through August 10.

We are sad that Meredith's year with DACU through Border Servant Corps is coming to an end, but we are also excited to welcome  Mairead McCarthy later next month. Keep an eye out for her DACU debut in our August newsletter!

Photos by Robert Yee
Meredith with her "Mil Gracias" ice cream cake.

Kansas Chuck looks  quite a bit like Wayne Huber's drawing of him!
Just Community Radio Show

Kari continues to broadcast her live radio show Just Community on KTAL-LP every Thursday morning from 8 to 9 AM. (Tune your dial to 101.5 FM or listen to the show online.) 

The show focuses on social equity and features voices not often heard in our community. Recent guests and topics included Carlos Estrada-Vega (growing up in Júarez and practicing painting), Enrique Solis (life in many parts of Doña Ana County), Patricia Gonzalez (Las Cruces memories and working at the Sara Lee factory), and Rosa Herrera (childhood trauma and resilience). 

You can listen to archived Just Community shows here. If you or someone you know is interested in being on the show, contact Kari to get involved!  

                                                              
Carlos Estrada-Vega.

Enrique Solis at the KTAL station.

Patricia Gonzalez with boxes made by her father.

Rosa Herrera after her interview.

Directions to Our Office
151 South Walnut Street, Unit B13  map

You'll find DACU at the corner of Walnut and Griggs in the Walnut Business Park.  Please call before you come by as we may be out and about in the community!

 

City bus routes have changed! Route 6 (stops 16 and 17) and Route 7 (stop 20) still deliver passengers within blocks of our office. We are also accessible via the new Route 8 (stop 5). For more information, visit the  Roadrunner Transit webpage.

visionmission
Vision:
A vibrant Doña Ana County in which all residents share their gifts and attain their own visions of health.

Mission:  Doña Ana Communities United is an affirming nonpartisan community-based organization. DACU is rooted in the gifts and needs of those whose voices often go unheard. We carry out creative community-driven projects to eliminate structural barriers that often prevent residents from reaching their full potential. In partnership with decision makers, DACU aims to forge equitable public policies and participation processes.

DACU conducts two main projects. (1) Social equity mapping: Undervalued community members explore their neighborhoods and work with local decision makers to develop policies that advance health equity. Current efforts focus on the Community of Hope, the Nevada Neighborhood, and Lisa Drive in Chaparral. (2) hOurTime timebank: Members build social cohesion and practice an equitable form of alternative economics by exchanging services.