Circle Members, Steering Committee

Albino Garcia, Jr. is a Kellogg Fellow and Ceremonial Chief of Apache and Chichimeca heritage recognized internationally for his groundbreaking intervention work with gang-involved youth. His accomplishments include establishing the award-winning New School in Watsonville, California, which provided a successful educational context for gang-affiliated youth. Albino is the founder and director of La Plazita Institute, a nonprofit that provides cultural healing services to youth, elders, and families in the Albuquerque area. As a community activist for violence prevention, cultural diversity, and positive youth development, he describes himself as a “been there, done that.” He explains I came up hard. Somehow, I found my way on this road that I’m on now and I’m helping people and giving back to the Earth. He describes his passion as more like a spiritual mission: to make life more manageable for people.