A group called New Mexico Crusaders for Justice, based in Albuquerque, wants to help both victims of gun violence and the homeless throughout the holiday seasons.
The co-founder of the New Mexico Crusaders for Justice, Sally Sanchez, told KOAT that many people are sad during the holiday season because they are missing people they know who have died as a result of gun violence. Others echoed this message.
“We're all suffering. We're all missing our loved ones. We all have that empty chair for our Christmas dinners," fellow co-founder Josette Otero said. Otero’s son, Kyle, was shot while driving in April of 2020.
Both women told KOAT News that they personally did not want to celebrate Christmas in the immediate aftermath of the gun deaths in the family. The New Mexico Crusaders for Justice plan to speak to New Mexico state lawmakers about their desire for change in the face of gun violence during the following year's legislative schedule. The group also gave away free snacks and “blessing bags” filled with hygiene products and winter clothes to the homeless for Christmas.
This is being done in honor of Otero's late son. As a boy he would often throw money out of the window of their car in the hopes of helping the homeless, before himself becoming a victim of gun violence.
