The University of New Mexico

Community Development & Social Justice

Our program works with numerous sustainability-oriented organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) in the greater Albuquerque area. Many of our students attend workshops, lectures and tours offered by these organizations, and participate as community volunteers, interns and employees.

516 Arts - Forging connections between art and audiences, and actively developing the cultural landscape of Albuquerque and New Mexico

ABQ Hours Exchange - A service exchange for the Greater Albuquerque Area where members earn hours by providing services to other members, and spend the hours they earn on services they need. Caring for others and sharing our abilities, talents and experiences -not just money- builds a healthier and more equitable community.  

Acción - Investing in human potential by increasing access to business credit, making loans, and providing training to help emerging and existing entrepreneurs realize their dreams

Albuquerque Indian Center - Empowering the Albuquerque Urban Native American Community and others through the provisions of wrap-around services designed to promote wellness, education, self sufficiency and tradition

Albuquerque Old School - Affordable classes in frugal, traditional and sustainable living

ArtStreet - Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless - A community-based project and collective open studio space where art is used as the connection for community-building for those without and those with homes

Casa de Salud - Interweaving natural and conventional medicines to meet the physical and spiritual health needs of patients in a welcoming, just, creative, and inclusive environment

Cooperative Development Center of New Mexico - Creating and supporting sustainable lifestyles for Nuevo Mexicanos and others through organic agriculture, heritage and cultural tourism and affordable housing

Creative Albuquerque - Recognizing that creative industries – art, design, entertainment, motion picture, new media, culture and education, among other enterprises – are prerequisites of prosperity, Creative Albuquerque is a leader in providing services and support dedicated to the creative vibrancy and economic health of our community

Harwood Art Center - Offering limitless opportunities for personal and community-wide education, enrichment, and growth through the arts

La Plazita Institute - Serving New Mexico's youth, elders and communities

Mo-Gro - The Mobile Grocery - Eliminating “food deserts” in New Mexico so that all communities have access to healthy, affordable, and sustainably sourced foods

Move the Mountain Leadership Center - Inspiring and equipping communities to resolve poverty and thrive through community organizing, case management, grassroots leadership, SMART goal setting, financial literacy, mentoring, peer-to-peer counseling and learning, and child/youth development

New Mexico Appleseed - Crafting and advocating high impact policy solutions to the problems impacting the poor and undeserved

New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty - Dedicated to advancing economic and social justice through education, advocacy and litigation by working with low-income New Mexicans to improve living conditions, increase opportunities and protect the rights of people living in poverty

New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger - Connecting, convening, communicating, collaborating and building capacity of public and private organizations whose strategic partnership is focused on ending hunger in New Mexico

NMPIRG - Delivering persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government

OFFCenter Community Arts Project - Artmaking is central to community building

PB&J Family Services - Helping at risk children to grow and develop to their full potential in nurturing families within a supportive community

Project Feed The Hood - A food literacy and community gardening initiative of SWOP (Southwest Organizing Project) that aims to improve community health through education and revival of traditional growing methods

Prosperity Works - Powering social and economic prosperity

Querencia Green - Sparking people-power in Albuquerque neighborhoods to "go green" and boost our local, earth-friendly economy

Rio Grande Community Development Corporation - Pursuing community-wide healthy economic and social development that enriches traditional cultural values and historical uses of the land while supporting the peoples’ voice in development and reducing poverty through entrepreneurial enterprise

South Valley Economic Development Center - Providing facilities, resources, and training to support the development of new and expanding small businesses that will create jobs and foster economic revitalization of the South Valley community, while preserving the heritage and culture of the community

Southwest Marketing Network - Improving the economic viability of limited resource, socially disadvantaged and traditionally undeserved farmers, ranchers, and organizations that provide services for producers and communities to preserve and enhance local food systems in the Southwest

Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice - A people of color and Native/Indigenous, intergenerational, multi-issue, regional, bi-national organization comprising 60 grassroots community-based, native, labor, youth and student groups and organizations working for environmental and economic justice in the southwest and western U.S. and northern Mexico

Southwest Organizing Project - Working for progressive social change by empowering communities in the Southwest to realize racial and gender equality and social and economic justice

STEPS - Albuquerque's Entrepreneur Resource Team - Strengthening our community’s economic base, and 
helping people start and grow businesses in Bernalillo County by 
offering unique, on-the-street, one-on-one assistance

The Loan Fund - Providing loans, training and business consulting to entrepreneurs, business owners and non-profit organizations throughout the state and the entire Navajo Nation

Warehouse 508 - A youth-focused, youth-driven avenue to introduce, develop and professionally implement skills in the arts, music, outdoor recreation and nontraditional sports through mentorships, lifestyle events and entrepreneurial opportunities to enhance New Mexico youth’s quality of life and community involvement in a safe, structured and supervised environment

WESST - A statewide small business development and training organization committed to growing New Mexico’s economy by cultivating entrepreneurship