It is difficult, if not impossible, for a city to talk to its citizens – especially in times like these, where there is so much fear and uncertainty.
But citizens can, and do, talk to each other.
And their collective voice can create hope. It can also recruit a new kind of police officer, a new kind of mental health worker, and a new kind of social worker who together can deliver public safety effectively and fairly.
Albuquerque has problems -- some of which have been 1000 years in the making, some of which have been 10 years in the making. Such deeply ingrained problems can't be fixed in a year or two. But by employing credible messengers from within the ranks of Albuquerque's citizens -- and by staying out of the way as they self-diagnose, and then find solutions -- we have created a pathway for meaningful collaboration between a city and its citizens.
