Establishing the International District

As submitted to Green Fire Times by Nancy Bearce, July 2014

I moved back to my home state of New Mexico in May 1999 after attending college, establishing a career and
marriage. My husband and I chose our location because it was close to downtown and diverse in all ways
multi-cultural, ethically, racially, economically, historically and dont forget food-wise.

The La Mesa area was not only one of the first suburbs of Albuquerque, it was used during the beginning of
what is now Kirtland Air Force Base and the United States involvement in the Korean War, World War II and the
Viet Nam War. When military members returned from their tours of duty in foreign lands, many returned with
new families and spouses from those foreign lands and settled in the neighborhoods surrounding Kirtland AFB.
Kirtland AFB did not have on base housing and initial City of Albuquerque zoning for the area targeted,
Trumbull Village and La Mesa to have zoning codes for multi-family structures (apartments, duplexes or 4-
plexes) providing housing to military members and their families at reasonable prices. Such zoning has led to La
Mesa being the second most populated neighborhood in Albuquerque with about 8,000 residents in one
square mile area.

I learned our federal State Department through local social organizations had identified Trumbull Village and La
Mesa neighborhoods as war refugee resettlement programs because of the existing cultural diversity, affordable
housing and proximity to services and public transportation.

Naturally, other immigrants from our southern border, Central America and Cuba have found Trumbull Village
and La Mesa as their first point of entry to the United States. The Native Americans have found the area to be
inviting for those who have left their reservation lands to find opportunity in an urban area. And the
International District has the largest off reservation Native People in an urban setting in all of New Mexico.
Today, our areas high school, Highland High School, has over 29 different languages spoken as a students
first or second language to English.

In the 80s through the 1990s, the area fell into a distressed area as the population growth in Albuquerque
pushed into the Northeast Heights and Foothills. Both sides of downtown, Old Town and the Southeast
Heights, fell to urban decay. Criminal elements such as gang activity, shootings, property crimes, illegal drug
sales, prostitution, domestic violence, violence, meth labs, etc. began to take over. Residents felt abandoned,
isolated and feared even sitting on their front porches.

The revitalization of La Mesa began over 15 years ago, with community efforts to take back their community
from the drug dealers and gangs. Residents, ministers and police organized and held drug marches in front of
drug dealers houses. A Department of Justice grant engaged and trained residents, APD, FBI, Dept. of
Justice, District Court and Metro Court about community policing, offender/victim programs and crime
prevention through environmental design, etc. Today, the areas crime is much less violent and has
normalized to be comparable to other areas of Albuquerque.

My personal involvement began twelve years ago at a 2002 Town Hall Meeting by Mayor Marty Chavez. I was
active in my neighborhood association and wanted to participate. As I listened to small business owners
complain that it was hard to get customers to the area that was maligned by the media, realtors, marginalized
by the City with APD finding the challenges of covering the largest command area to include the largest City
athletics venues, i.e. Isotopes, UNM and the BMX track. And when discussing the positive aspects of the
community, diversity, culture, and acceptance of others were the words used.

I asked the group why we allowed and accepted others to name us and suggested we come up with our own
term that reflected our values and beliefs. It was such a shocking idea to empower ourselves, to become our
own change advocates, no one could understand and all asked me, Like what?

I simply reflected back the positive ideas all of them had said about our community the cultural diversity, the
acceptance of differences, and the feeling that we are more alike than different and pitched the phrase
International Neighborhood which could be shortened to be the I.N. place to be for a marketing slogan.

That simple notion planted the seed for me and over the next 6 years I would promote the idea at every public
meeting I attended. neighborhood associations, coalitions, my elected officials in the city, county and state
legislature. The first traction was by County Commissioner Deana Archuleta, who grabbed the idea and began
an annual event at Hyder Park called International Day, filled with international music, dancing, food and civic
informational booths. This event continues today by Commissioner Hart Stebbins.

More attention came when the new TaLin International Marketplace at Louisiana & Central was completed and
opened in fulfillment of our 2000 sector plan goals. With the great success of TaLin with customers from all
over New Mexico, the communities in the area with leadership from neighborhood associations, like minded
coalitions and non-profits, began to join together to give a single voice to other important community efforts
such as the closing of Lovelaces Gibson Hospital, decreasing crime rate, elimination of gang and their activity,
opposing a proposed new casino at the Fairgrounds on the northwest corner of Louisiana & Central; response
to the Governors Request for Ideas on the Redevelopment of the Fairgrounds/EXPO NM; and the winning a
two and a half year long zoning case to not grant an exception to the CVS Store on the northeast corner of
Louisiana & Central to sell retail liquor, that was appealed up to District Court and upheld.

As we continued our redevelopment, we gained credibility and partnerships with several of our key elected
officials. Spearheaded by Senator elect Keller, the International Neighborhood concept went through a
succession of town hall meetings of area residents, business owners and their government representatives the
termed was discussed, agreed and voted on to be the International District as well as what neighborhoods of
City Council District 6 wished to participate. Even logos were presented and voted on for area signage. Lastly,
Senator elect Keller proposed a memorial for the re-branding. Commissioner Archuleta was first to have the
memorial pass Bernalillo County Commission, next was Sen. Keller in the NM Legislature and finally Councilor
Garduo with Albuquerques City Council all unanimously passing the governing bodiesall within total of 6
months ranging from late 2008 to 2009. To date, no other community has undertaken this distinction.

Since then, the International District continues new redevelopment, housing, community gardens and much
more as we move into the future. We welcome all to New Mexicos International District of Albuquerque.

Yours in community,

Nancy Bearce
Board member & Past President, La Mesa Community Improvement Association
President, City Council District 6 Coalition of Neighborhood Associations
Founder and President, La Mesa Community Land Trust, Inc.