NEWS, JAN. 29:“SOUTHSIDE ARISE”
SERVICE SECTOR
Zona appreciates the Reporter's having done an article covering the Southside of Santa Fe and having been included in that article.
The Santa Fe Youth & Family Center Consortium, d/b/a Zona del Sol, would like to correct an error concerning necessary services on the south side of Santa Fe. The article included a photograph of the 5.4-acre Master Plan for Zona with a caption indicating that there is only one completed building on the site. This is untrue.
The multi-purpose building that is widely known as "Zona" on the corner of Jaguar and Country Club roads was constructed in two phases completed in 2006 and 2009 with a total of 7,007 square feet. The YMCA and Girls, Inc. (both founding members of the Zona consortium) provided services in the building beginning in 2006. It is currently being used for multiple programs run by the Santa Fe Public Schools, EarthCare, YouthWorks, the Food Depot, ARTsmart and Cooking with Kids. In collaboration, successful programs, including a summer camp, are offered year-round. Many other programs ranging from concerts to dinners, community meetings and training events also occur in the building.
In 2011 the YMCA moved its programs to the 5,000 square foot YMCA building which resides on the opposite side of the Zona campus on the corner of Valentine Way and Country Club Road. Its toddler, preschool and prekindergarten programs currently serve up to 70 children and are a powerful resource in preparing Southside Santa Fe children for entry into the public school system. Expansions to the YMCA building are planned but it is open and providing excellent programs at this time.
The 5.4-acre campus was purchased by the city of Santa Fe in 1996 and leased to Zona, which was given the tasks of development and management of the property, and coordination and support of programmatic services with the affiliated organizations within the campus. A consortium of area non-profit organizations (presently seven agencies joined by community members) have for 17 years facilitated the construction of two buildings and provided youth and family services to the Southside. The goal was, and continues to be, group cooperation, a sharing of resources, co-sponsored programs and a blend of leadership and expertise. Despite the economic struggles felt by all nonprofit human service agencies, services to the Southside continue to expand.
ZONA DEL SOL BOARD MEMBERS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Editor's Note: The current YMCA buildling is much smaller than the building envisioned on the master plan. That's the reason SFR characterized it as "not complete."
LOOKING BACK“THE RIVER”
COLORFUL PEOPLE
I love the "looking back" articles. I wish you would print more of them.
Santa Fe sure is not short on colorful people and history.
MITCH SCHMITT
SANTA FE RESIDENT SINCE 1958
NEWS, FEB. 12.:“LOVE & SEX”
NO RIGHT TO BUY
People do not have a "right" to pay for sex. No one has a monetary "right" to access another's body. What is wrong with you people?
LISA JOHNSON
SFREPORTER.COM
SELF IDENTITY
Thanks for the theater of the absurd in your article "Gender Blind" (about the hilarious "gender identity" concept, which has no validity whatsoever, of course). No serious person actually buys that gender is an matter of "identity" or choice. You are born male or female, based on your genitals and chromosomes, period. All this gender identity stuff is a load of bull. As a newspaper, you have an obligation to be truthful. You were dishonest and misleading in "Gender Blind" when you referred to a female, Jess Clark, as "he." Please publish a correction stating that Jess Clark is a woman who therefore should be referred to as "she" regardless of what she claims is her "identity."
LINDA CHAVEZ
SFREPORTER.COM
PORN SUPREMACY
There are a number of sites specifically geared towards women. I work for one called Sssh.com, the owner was just inducted into the Adult Video News Hall of Fame for her work in this genre Porn for Women. Over the last 15 years, we have seen a huge increase in interest and membership base. The growth has been incredible. It's very rewarding and yes, we make our own movies and yes our staff is primarily female.
JENNIFER SHIRES
Editor's Note: We respect the right of an individual to identify him or herself. In deciding which pronoun to use, SFR also follows the guidance of the Associated Press. The AP Stylebook says "Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth. If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly."
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