The Transition movement first hit New Mexico in 2008. Robyn Seidel hosted 10 meetings at the LaMontanita Co-op in Santa Fe (facilitated by Louise Papp and Susie Ott) and in Albuquerque (facilitated by Maggie Seeley & Zaida Amaral).
In June 2009, a Transition Training was offered at the Hubbell-Guiterrez House in Albuquerque’s South Valley. A fabulous community garden was created on the grounds of an abandoned Standard gas station at Lead Avenue & Walter Street, SE in Albuquerque’s Edo neighborhood. What a fitting transition (gas>garden). 33 people attended.
A one semester curriculum (Sustainability Studies, Sust. 334) was met with enthusiasm by students at the University of New Mexico. In June of 2012 on the grounds of the University of New Mexico, another Transition training took place attended by 50 people: 25 students and 25 community members. From that experience the UNM Transition Club was born. It became the first University Transition initiative (the 136th in the US), vowing to create solar roofs across the campus.
In 2014, the Earth Web Committee of First Unitarian Unitarian Church sponsored a reading group based on The Transition Handbook, pouring over the details of how to create a movement. Earth Web agreed to adopt the movement. From there, the group grew and the next Transition training took place on 10-11 April 2015 at the church. To counteract the notoriety of the popular TV series about the underground drug market, the training was entitled “BREAKING GOOD – WORKING FOR A RESILIENT ALBUQUERQUE.”
At the Training event, work groups were formed, and monthly gatherings were planned to continue the movement.
In October of 2015, Transition Albuquerque became an official Transition Initiative. We are the 159th initiative in the United States, and somewhere near the 500th in the world!
Come join us! Learn how you can get involved here.