Twenty nine years ago, I had the good fortune to meet and work with Roger Montoya when I enrolled my daughter in a gymnastics class being taught by Roger at Northern New Mexico Community College. The idea for a gymnastics program originated with Roger and he was able to successfully lobby the College to offer the classes.
He also organized a group of parents to help him form a nonprofit organization to grow the program. We held numerous fundraisers and the money we raised was used to purchase more equipment and to enroll children whose parents could not afford the tuition. Thanks to Roger’s initial vision, his determined efforts, and his ability to inspire and work with others, hundreds of children, over several years, were able to benefit from the program.
Since then, Roger has continued to devote his time and efforts to the needs of the community, working tirelessly and successfully with numerous nonprofits, government bodies, elected officials, and individuals around issues such as health care, arts education, homelessness, addiction and food insecurity.
Recently, CNN chose Roger as one of their Top Ten Heroes of the Year for his work with Moving Arts Española, which he co-founded in 2008.
Now Roger is running for the District 40 New Mexico House seat and I am excited about his candidacy. Roger has proven himself to be unswerving in his commitment to improving the lives of those in his community and I know he would bring that same dedication to serving his District 40 constituents.
Pat Thomas
Espanola