sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Violence was what Baruch Campos grew up with, culminating in the shattering shooting death of his 16-year-old brother nearly four years ago.

Campos had dropped out of high school after personally suffering violent episodes as a kid and 鈥渟eeing a lot of violence from men in particular.鈥�

He now sees his mission as helping young men like himself find a different way, through his role as executive director of sa国际传媒官网网页入口-based Together for Brothers.

鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 really kind of shifting the narrative around boys and young men in sa国际传媒官网网页入口,鈥� says Campos, who has been with the organization almost since its start in 2016. 鈥淓very time we hear about a young man in the news, it鈥檚 always something negative. So for us, it鈥檚 really shifting that narrative and trying to create healthier communities for young men and their families.鈥�

Together for Brothers does that through peer mentorship, in which those already in the program help newcomers grasp new things, ranging from just talking to each other to basic job skills. They learn about safely riding and repairing bikes, cooking and eating in a healthy way, enjoying the outdoors, and gaining a voice through community involvement.

Case in point: The organization spearheaded the successful effort in 2023 to make bus ridership in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 free. Members lobbied their city councilors and the mayor for the zero-fare measure 鈥� not just so their demographic would have needed transportation, but so that other disadvantaged groups would as well, Campos says.

His group is open to men ages 12 to 24, with priority given to those from the International District, Downtown and South Valley areas, and Westgate Heights.

鈥淲e have a youth leadership ladder, so as young men are learning about themselves, about each other, how to relate in their community, they鈥檙e also learning about how to do real, systemic, long-term work,鈥� he says.

鈥淭hey know how to share their story with decision-makers. They know who their city councilor is. So it鈥檚 this river of change 鈥�, starting with the self, and then we move young men into really getting involved in their community.鈥�

Why is this work important to you?

I got my GED, but I never graduated from high school. I had to drop out. So I wasn鈥檛 doing great. My mom made me go to some youth groups, and I think that was my first real kind of connection with other young men who had experienced what I had experienced, and I found one of my first positive male mentors. And that鈥檚 when I started being able to deconstruct what was happening at home 鈥� and to be able to deconstruct what does masculinity actually look like in our communities and in our families? Because oftentimes, the traditional norms of Western masculinity can be really harmful, and I鈥檝e experienced that. And so for me, it鈥檚 really important that we have a space where young men can feel safe to have those conversations and to also have hands-on experience about community service.

What do you hope young men gain from being in the program?

That they鈥檙e valuable, that they have assets in their community, that they鈥檙e leaders, that they have opportunities, that they have power.

What鈥檚 the hardest thing for you?

I lost my brother to gun violence. His name was Angel Soto Gallardo. He struggled a lot with depression. He struggled a lot with self esteem. I know for him being in this space 鈥� because he also went through the program 鈥� this was one of the few positive places he was in. And that鈥檚 the hard part of the work is we can鈥檛 be there all the time, right? You come for a couple hours. And so the big outcome for me, for the young men, is that they have good safety networks. Oftentimes, they don鈥檛 have those positive relationships in their communities, and that 鈥� creates indifference: 鈥淚鈥檓 doing XYZ, because nobody cares, and everyone鈥檚 doing it.鈥�

Tell me about the food program.

I always use myself as an example. I had no idea that when I went to my (local grocery store) I wasn't getting organic food. I had no idea what that meant. I had no idea what we could grow in New Mexico. We partner with Three Sisters Kitchen and get the (fresh food) bags, but young men are also learning how to use the produce in those bags. Because one of the barriers is sometimes we give young men or their families fresh produce, and they have no idea how to use it. So that鈥檚 where our partners come in, where they provide the expertise or provide those skills to the young men, who also learn where our fresh ingredients are coming from, how we support the local economy, how to operate in a commercial kitchen.

Are there any words of wisdom that have guided you?

I don鈥檛 know if these are words of wisdom, necessarily, but something I heard that really stuck with me was along the lines of most violence is created by men, but most men aren鈥檛 violent. It took me a while to really grasp that, but it also kind of helped me go a step further in my personal life and my work. It鈥檚 true, but it鈥檚 also not enough. To just not be violent is the bare minimum. We also need to act right, to keep those violent men accountable.

What has made you successful with this group?

I think because I spent a good chunk of my life trying to do something meaningful for the people around me, I rarely took the time to slow down and consider my own personal success. It鈥檚 tough because 鈥� there鈥檚 always the lingering feeling that we can do more. Yes, part of my success stems from my ability to learn on the job, my work ethic and my perseverance, (but) these qualities would not have mattered without the opportunities to demonstrate them. It was because of my community, family and mentors that I have been successful. Despite dropping out of high school at the age of 17, despite my lack of degrees and experience, there were people around me who lifted me up and believed in me, especially at a time when I didn鈥檛 believe in myself. This is also what I wish for every young man who comes to T4B (Together for Brothers) as they grow into their own leadership and life paths.

Ellen Marks, a former Journal editor, writes One-on-One profiles and Scam Watch. You can reach her at emarks@abqjournal.com.