Summary:

“They matter to us. They matter in this world. They matter to the community.”

Much like the land and our community at large, New Mexico Reentry Center is alive and growing right here in Albuquerque. We’re hard at work transforming lives and strengthening New Mexico, Redirecting the Hustle by providing a safe working environment designed for self-advancement. Join us in our mission for change by supporting our latest project - Nuevo Prints! Nuevo Prints is not only a screen printing shop, but a social enterprise dedicated to providing employment and training opportunities for formerly incarcerated folks. With the help of your contribution, we will create a screen printing collective that advances people through meaningful work, fosters economic empowerment, and drives positive social change.

The Vision:

“It ain’t easy... I’m just a hustler like that.”

New Mexico Reentry Center’s founder, Natasha Garcia, was born and raised in Albuquerque. It was her own experience with addiction, incarceration, reentry, & recovery that provided Natasha the drive needed to begin the non-profit. Utilizing a professional history in behavioral health, her Bachelor’s of Business degree, and some tenacity, she launched NMRC in 2020. Since its creation, everyone who comes through the center’s doors is offered respect, advocacy, supplies, and the opportunity to advance on their own with essential skills in tow.

New Mexico Reentry Center was modeled after L.A.’s Homeboy Industries - a social enterprise which offers a range of services to over 8,000 people yearly, from tattoo removal to career training. NMRC’s strategy of systematically addressing recidivism helps to lower cases of desperation which ultimately lowers crime rates, creating safer communities. New Mexico Reentry Center is successfully helping families secure housing, keeping folks out of the prison system, and refocusing the impoverished & disadvantaged on life-building skills. This is the start of breaking generational cycles of familial, environmental, social, & circumstantial problems. New Mexico Reentry Center humanizes those who are pushed into the margins, helping to navigate otherwise life-altering barriers. Here, every barrier is an opportunity to overcome.

"We have your back; we understand you because we are you."

The Need:

“We try to take all those barriers that come to our clients and get them out of the way. We try to break that barrier before they even hit it.”

Every New Mexico family is affected by the lack of functional systems in place to address incarceration & addiction as a community. Addiction, often experienced intergenerationally, is a leading perpetrator of homelessness. The overwhelming majority of government-funded, non-profit, & affordable housing organizations require total sobriety in exchange for room & board. A lack of home address keeps the disadvantaged from obtaining work - not to mention the hindrance of a record. The things often taken for granted - job and housing stability, friends and family, access and opportunity - are crucial for those restarting life after incarceration. Under New Mexico Reentry Center, Nuevo Prints is stepping up to throw a wrench in the cycle of recidivism in New Mexico. Keeping folks housed and off the streets means that more Albuquerque residents are able to contribute to the health and wealth of our city.

Our Impact:

Delfino Rubi, Reentry Case Management Specialist
“This is not a job to me; this is reality… where the truth hits the pavement.”

Delfino is a bright spark in the New Mexico Reentry Center offices. He understands more than most how important the services offered really are. Like founder Natasha Garcia, Rubi has personal experience with reentry after incarceration. Leading members of NMRC show up for the local community with sound advice and tangible support based on firsthand knowledge. As NMRC’s specialist in Case Management, Rubi works directly with houseless & formerly incarcerated residents, as well as folks struggling with addiction & recovery.

Delfino's screen printing experience has huge influence on the birth of Nuevo Prints. His creative involvement began in the 1990s, working quality control for a silk-screen printing collective.

“The pride! I wasn't even the one printing it, I was just the one catching these shirts and looking to see if there’s any defects. I was a part of that. Millions would go through Las Vegas to Planet Hollywood and pick up those shirts that we printed, that we were a part of.”

This foundation of team oriented skill-building is what keeps Delfino committed to the reentry community. He transformed his first job into a career upon reentry. When he began work, he was cleaning toilets; years later, Delfino left as Third in Command and the company of over 150 employees. Not without the support of his family and his faith, Delfino was eventually able to pause work to focus on his Associates in Psychology degree, all while helping to raise his grandchildren. New Mexico Reentry Center is utilizing the real life skills of those who have reentered mainstream society to improve the chances of success for individuals, their families, and the whole of New Mexico.

Nuevo Prints will be more than just a screenprinting shop; it will be a transformative experience for those involved. Here’s how we’ll make a difference:

Employment Opportunities: We will hire and train formerly incarcerated individuals, providing them with stable jobs and a dependable source of income.
Skill Development: Through hands-on training in screen printing, marketing, and business operations, our employees will gain valuable skills that are transferable to other industries.
Supportive Environment: We will offer a nurturing and supportive work environment where individuals can rebuild their confidence and work toward their personal goals.
Reducing Recidivism Rates: Our uniquely focused setting will lay the foundation necessary to build a way up and out of socioeconomic cycles of suffering.
Community Engagement: We will collaborate with other local businesses and organizations to foster a sense of community and mutual support.

How Your Contribution Helps:

We need to raise $80,000* to cover the initial costs of launching Nuevo Prints, including:

Equipment and Supplies: Purchasing screen printing machines, inks, and other essential materials.
Training Programs: Developing comprehensive training modules and hiring experienced trainers.
Facility Setup: Renting and equipping a space to serve as our production and training hub.
Operational Costs: Covering initial operational expenses, including salaries for our first round of hires.

*If you would like to see a detailed breakdown of startup costs, please contact us for the working budget.

Perks for Our Supporters:

As an expression of our gratitude, we have some exciting rewards for our backers!

$25: A custom screen printed ‘Thank you!’ card designed by our trainees.
$50: A ‘Thank You!’ card PLUS a custom screen printed poster featuring artwork created by our team.
$100: All of the above PLUS a limited-edition T-shirt featuring artwork created by our team.
$500: All of the above PLUS an invitation to an exclusive VIP launch event, including a behind-the-scenes tour of our facility.
$1,000: All of the above PLUS 2 tickets to our Annual Gala.
$5,000: All of the above PLUS a table (10 tickets total) to our Annual Gala.
$10,000: All of the above (10 tickets total) PLUS your name displayed on the main wall of Nuevo Prints as a Founding Donor.

Help Launch Our Social Enterprise: Nuevo Prints

Redirecting the Hustle

Team Members