Sen. Cindy Nava hosts Bernalillo town hall with high school students

BERNALILLO — Sen. Cindy Nava, D-Bernalillo, heard Bernalillo High School students sound off on the issues most important to them during a town hall meeting May 28 at the school.

Nava’s appearance was just one in a string of town halls she has held in her home district since she was elected last year as the youngest member of the New Mexico Senate and the first Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipient to hold public office. Earlier this year, Nava was one of six legislators nationwide to be nominated for the Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award by EMILYs List. Though Virginia state Del. Adele McClure won the award, Nava was honored with the other nominees at an event in Washington, D.C.

Wednesday’s town hall came ahead of Bernalillo High School’s graduation ceremony on Saturday. A piece of legislation Nava sponsored, Senate Bill 163, allows Native American students to wear tribal regalia at graduation ceremonies or school-sponsored events.

Following introductions by Bernalillo Mayor Jack Torres and Bernalillo Public Schools Superintendent Matt Montaño, Nava, 37, began her remarks focused on students, who put on two band performances to open the event.

“We need young people ... because your voices matter,” Nava said.

She referenced her personal story as the daughter of a construction worker and a housekeeper who became the first person in her family to go to college.

“A lot of people told me I couldn’t do anything, and what I want to tell you is you can do whatever it is that you hope for, regardless of what your background is,” Nava said.

Her town hall was not entirely focused on education since it included constituents of all ages who asked Nava questions on a variety of topics. But the meeting did take an educational tilt since it opened with student performances and allowed band members to share their thoughts on education with Nava. The young lawmaker also peppered them with questions.

Nava, whose legislative assignments include the Senate Education and Education Study committees, asked the students, “If adults could change anything about education, what would it be?” She also asked them, “What doesn’t work for you in school?”

The students, including senior Xavier Moya, responded they would like to see more funding for the band program to improve the quality of instruments or add another band director, “so in case (the director) is out, one could take charge,” Moya said.

Other students mentioned career and technical education, often comprised of elective classes in schools to help students prepare for careers in specific industries, such as mechanics. Students told Nava that the tools they use in their CTE classes are in short supply or not usable.

“Thank you for sharing everything,” Nava said, noting that CTE “is a shared concern and shared interest” throughout the state.

“I agree, I think (CTE) matters; I think we need to give students the opportunity to choose what they want to do,” Nava said.

She pledged to do what she could to bring more resources into the school. Nava added that as a former student who came from a low-income family, she did not have the opportunity to take CTE courses; she had to learn about them as a freshman senator.

“I know that I have something to give you guys,” Nava said. “Every elected official, they deserve to be there for you.”

Later on, Nava asked the band members if they would come up to Santa Fe to perform at the Roundhouse.

Following the town hall, Moya, who previously performed for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, said he was not familiar with Nava before Wednesday’s event. But he liked what he heard from the first-year senator.

“I hope what ever opinions or advice she got from the people, she really takes it into perspective and puts it out and makes that change,” Moya said. “I have high hopes.”

He called Nava “a fresh mind” and that he wouldn’t mind performing music at the Roundhouse.

Nava will host another town hall Friday in Placitas with Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Santa Fe.