Cynthia Serna says she’s held her board president position since Revitalize San Pedro was incorporated as a nonprofit in the fall of 2023. But the organization itself grew out of a coalition of four neighborhood associations that adjoin the corridor. Last year in September was the first time they’d hired a paid staff, so their work has been volunteer-based until now. The project is focused on promoting economic vitality along the San Pedro commercial corridor that runs between I-40 and Central. The corridor recently received Main Street USA accreditation, so San Pedro is officially one of the country’s “main streets.”
“Our focus really is on economic development, but more broadly, it’s community development. Since our commercial corridor is made up of small local businesses, if we can ensure that that corridor thrives, then the community surrounding it will thrive as well,” Serna says. “And part of what’s behind that is not doing things for the businesses and for the communities, but doing it with them. That’s really critical to the approach that I take in my role, and I feel like it’s a guiding principle for the organization.”
Serna says since June of 2022 they’ve hosted quarterly business connections gatherings – an informal way for shops to facilitate networking and meet elected officials. The events usually feature a speaker on a relevant topic. Revitalize San Pedro also meets with City Council members and state legislators to secure funding for improving the streetscape along San Pedro between Lomas and Constitution.
“I retired in 2021, but I had worked for a couple of decades as a community organizer for a large nonprofit and government relations and organization at the local, state and federal level,” she says. “To be honest, sometimes it’s really such an uphill battle when you’re working with state and federal governments. Sometimes it’s more rewarding to actually see what you can do to make a difference in your own home community. I love the community I live in – which is one of the neighborhoods along the corridor. I raised my children here, and I really love this community. And if I can do something to make it better for everyone, that’s a benefit not just for me, it has a broader impact on the whole community.”
Serna says since the Revitalize San Pedro Partnership works in conjunction with New Mexico Main Street, they receive a lot of technical assistance from them. The organizations are currently working on a joint “facade squad” project which invites businesses in the corridor to apply for assistance with projects such as painting the front of their buildings, replacing signs and doors or improving the overall appearance of their shop.
“Come and check out what businesses there are along the corridor, and spend your money here. A lot of people are familiar with some of the places like Christy Mae’s or ABC Cake, and they could really use community support. We’re always looking for volunteers, especially people that have some sort of tie to the area. We definitely appreciate people who are willing to volunteer for different activities and we’re looking for a couple more board members.”
Revitalize San Pedro Partnership
1307 San Pedro Dr. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Phone: (505) 221-6667
Email: connect@sanpedroabq.org