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LUMINARIAS IN KLEIN PARK:
Las Esperanzas members and friends placed over 500 luminarias in Klein Park <--Click for location map (E. Griggs Ave. and N. Mesquite St.) Christmas evening 2021. This was our first neighborhood event since the start of the COVID pandemic. High winds on Christmas Eve postponed the traditional night for lighting the farolitos, but the winds couldn't sweep away our spirit. With the help of Las Esperanzas members, family, friends and neighbors, the light glow went on Christmas evening, December 25th.
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Mrs. Lerma was an icon in the community, known as the “Singer Lady” by virtue of having taught sewing and selling sewing machines for 40 years, teaching and selling to several generations of women throughout and beyond the Mesilla Valley area. As a working mother, she was unique in not fitting the mold of a housewife of that time. She worked closely with the Extension Agency and New Mexico State University using her bilingual fluency to teach migrant women to be self-sustaining. She had a genuine pride in her culture and community and with never a glimmer of hopelessness, but rather strong determination and vision for the renewal and preservation of her neighborhood, its cultural and historical aspects, and her beloved Las Cruces. She and her husband reared two daughters born in the Mesquite Historic District and instilled in them the respect for their cultural heritage and unique history of their own and ancestors’ birthplace.
Las Esperanzas, Inc. MISSION STATEMENT: Our Mission is to facilitate the preservation, renovation, revitalization, and protection of the Mesquite Street-Original Town Site Historic District of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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LAS ESPERANZAS, INC. is a grassroots (501(c)3) non-profit neighborhood and preservation association. It began in 1999, when 80-year-old widow, Mrs. Consuelo Lerma, a long-time resident of the Mesquite neighborhood became concerned about the deteriorating conditions of her neighborhood. She contacted other residents who might help make needed changes. With support of her neighbors and friends, a group was formed, and named Las Esperanzas which means “hope.” Twenty-three years later, there is new vitality and innovative spirit in the Mesquite and Original Town Site Historic Districts. Many residences and businesses have been improved and renovation continues. It has become a model neighborhood association—others seek to replicate its success. Many projects through the efforts of an all-volunteer board, supporters, and benefactors are visible in the Mesquite and Original Town Site Historic District. For example, it has
REMEMBERING THE PAST WITH HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
WEED & SEED ENCHILADA FUNDRAISER:
Las Esperanzas is a great supporter of our local Weed and Seed youth Safe Haven . Due to budget cutbacks in 2015, Weed and Seed was forced to cancel its annual Coats for Kids program of providing winter coats and clothes to those enrolled in the Safe Haven. Las Esperanzas board member, Freda Flores, who is also a social worker at Weed and Seed, challenged Las Esperanzas members to sponsor a child. That led to Las Esperpanzas Secretary, Melissa Salazar, co-owner of La Nueva Casita Café, to sponsor an enchilada dinner fundraiser. The kids at Weed and Seed challenged each other to sell tickets. Through everyone's hard work and generosity, along with the generosity of JC Penney and Rack Room Shoes, we were able to purchase a coat, shoes and other clothes for each child at Weed and Seed. Las Esperanzas has made this an annual event and we greatly appreciate your continued support. Our 2021 enchilada lunch fundraiser was Saturday, November 11 at El Calvario United Methodist Church. We raised over $3,700 and provided coats and shoes to almost 80 youth participants at Safe Haven Weed & Seed and Teen Connection.
With the cooperation of City Staff, elected officials, and strong support of the State Senate and Legislature, Las Esperanzas, Inc. continues its determined efforts to preserve and revitalize its neighborhood.
Mesquite Historic District and Original Town Site
Las Esperanzas, Inc. partners with many other agencies including Weed & Seed, City of Las Cruces Police Department, Codes, Keep Las Cruces Beautiful, and others.
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH will be kicked off on Wednesday, March 9, 10:30 a.m. at Klein Park. 155 North Mesquite Las Cruces, NM 88001, in the heart of the Mesquite Historic District.
A cordial invitation is extended to all to attend the unveiling of a newly refurbished plaque honoring Consuelo R. Lerma, founder of Las Esperanzas, Inc. and the achievements of the organization which began in 1999.
LAS eSPERANZAS, INC.
EVENTS
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS IN KLEIN PARK:
To honor the memory of former Councillor Miguel Silva, his brother, Dario, approached Las Esperanzas about having a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)<-- Click for history celebration in Klein Park. Miguel's family planned to build an altar under the tree dedicated earlier in 2016 to him and wanted to invite other members of the Mesquite Historic District to participate in honoring their relatives who had died. In addition to the Silva family, other altars were built to honor the Baca-Flores, Melendrez and Sanchez families, whose early ancestors were some of the original settlers of Las Cruces. An altar was erected by family members to honor fallen Hatch police officer, José Chavez, who recently died in the line of duty. And, we built an altar to honor 23 homeless from Doña Ana County who died, were cremated and buried without family members coming forward to claim them. On October 29, 2016, Las Esperanzas was their family. Everyone who participated was so pleased with the day that we hope to make Día de los Muertos in Klein Park an annual event.
- Built the beautiful Jardín de Mesquite on Spruce St., northern gateway to the district
- Established protective ordinances with the City creating preservation overlay district.
- Added historic streetlights and colorful medallions to identify the area
- Adopted Klein Park as an Adopt-a-Spot with Keep Las Cruces Beautiful
- Repainted the graffiti-marred band shell
- Added new benches, grills, tables, a much-needed water fountain, more trees, security, and solar lights
- Sponsored Winterfest with music, Mr. & Mrs. Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, and bagged and lit an amazing display of over 3,000 traditional luminarias/farolitos.
- Completed a Community Garden (Jardín de Esperanza)
- Completed Entrada del Sol (eastern gateway) on Hadley Ave. and Manzanita St.; Established a Service Internship Project with New Mexico State University (Departments: Public History Program, Government, Masters of Public Administration; Qualitative Analysis; and Language and Linguistics) to provide practical experience for graduate students and benefit Las Esperanzas in their preservation and revitalization efforts.
- Ad hoc projects in support of the neighborhood and its mission.