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Community First! From day one that’s been New Mexico United’s commitment. The team’s commitment to the people of New Mexico has always been more than a sound byte and more than a marketing angle. Community is baked into the genetic fabric of the organization, and at the heart of any decision made. I have witnessed first hand the pride and joy that this team brings to its diverse base of supporters. The “Black and Yellow Nation” is the most beautiful assembly of race, gender, orientation, and religion. It is the living embodiment of unity, in a time when division is all too common.
It is the “community-first” ethos of this club that makes me fully support the endeavors of the city and the team to bring a multi-use, soccer specific complex to Albuquerque. I am fully confident that the United leadership team will work with city and community leaders to make this complex a celebration of New Mexico – its people, its art and its culture. Of course I am excited to witness a New Mexico United match in a stadium that is designed for soccer, but I am beyond excited to see additional activities and programming, including the possibility of a women’s professional team in the future. Albuquerque’s endeavors to grow and evolve would be super-charged by this “crown jewel” structure.
I have no doubt that the stadium will be a success, economically and culturally. It will boost civic pride and serve as a bridge to hope. As a lifelong New Mexican, I am painfully aware of the challenges in our state. We have a tremendous amount of work to do in protecting our most vulnerable populations, and we must continue to pour resources into our schools, infrastructure and social services. This stadium does not detract from those efforts – it bolsters them.
Growing up, it wasn’t easy to dream. I grew up in an environment of measured, or even lowered expectations. I didn’t believe that I deserved good things. I want more for my children. I want them to embrace change and progress. I want them to be proud of their city and their state and I want them to witness the power of unity and togetherness. I want them to dream!
A stadium is a statement to the world and to ourselves – a statement of boldness, progress and hope. Let’s not wait for a brighter tomorrow – let’s build it!