Andres Valdez

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Andres Valdez is an American social activist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. [1]

New Mexico State of the United States of America

New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States of America; its capital and cultural center is Santa Fe, which was founded in 1610 as capital of Nuevo México, while its largest city is Albuquerque with its accompanying metropolitan area. It is one of the Mountain States and shares the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona; its other neighboring states are Oklahoma to the northeast, Texas to the east-southeast, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua to the south and Sonora to the southwest. With a population around two million, New Mexico is the 36th state by population. With a total area of 121,590 sq mi (314,900 km2), it is the fifth-largest and sixth-least densely populated of the 50 states. Due to their geographic locations, northern and eastern New Mexico exhibit a colder, alpine climate, while western and southern New Mexico exhibit a warmer, arid climate.

Contents

Early life and education

Valdez was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in San Luis, Colorado. Though once employed as a carpenter, he now works as a professional activist. [2]

Denver State capital and consolidated city-county in Colorado

Denver, officially the City and County of Denver, is the capital and most populous municipality of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver downtown district is immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the South Platte River, approximately 12 mi (19 km) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Denver is named after James W. Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory, and it is nicknamed the Mile High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile above sea level. The 105th meridian west of Greenwich, the longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone, passes directly through Denver Union Station.

Colorado State of the United States of America

Colorado is a state of the Western United States, and more specifically of the Southwestern United States, encompassing most of the southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. It is the 8th most extensive and 21st most populous U.S. state. The estimated population of Colorado was 5,695,564 on July 1, 2018, an increase of 13.25% since the 2010 United States Census.

San Luis, Colorado Place in State of Colorado, United States

The Town of San Luis is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous town of Costilla County, Colorado, United States. Formerly known as San Luis de la Culebra, San Luis is the oldest continuously occupied town in Colorado. The population was 629 at the 2010 census.

Activism

In November 1997 Valdez was appointed by the city of Albuquerque to the "Task Force on Police Oversight," a city council convened advisory group formed to make recommendations on a new system of oversight for Albuquerque's police department. [3] He requested appointment to a 2013 task force convened by the council to make a new series of recommendations on the police oversight system, though the council declined to make him a member. [4]

Since 2002, Valdez has filed a variety of complaints and lawsuits against the city of Albuquerque and city officials, including former mayor Martin Chávez [5] and current mayor Richard J. Berry, [6] [7] [8] and has been involved in a number of demonstrations that have interrupted city meetings and events. [9]

Martin Chávez American politician

Martin Joseph "Marty" Chávez is a former three-term mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico and New Mexico State Senator. He served as the Executive Director of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA. and Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Center for Green Schools at U.S. Green Building Council. In 2012, he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for the Congressional seat being vacated by Martin Heinrich, who retired from the House to run for Senate.

Richard J. Berry American politician

Richard James Berry is an American entrepreneur and politician who served as the twenty-ninth Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is a former two term member of the New Mexico House of Representatives.

In 1997, and again in 2014, he attempted to serve "arrest warrants" he had self-signed against police officers. [2] In 2006 Valdez and Gwen Packard led a protest prior to the city's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade saying they wanted to end the "glamorization of Native American oppression by Albuquerque's Tri-Centennial initiative." [10] In 2010 Valdez received $10,000 in an out-of-court settlement by the city over a lawsuit he had brought after being ruled out-of-order during the public comment period at a police oversight commission meeting. [11] During a May 2014 demonstration by Valdez and several dozen protesters at the chambers of the Albuquerque city council, Valdez announced a "coup d'etat" against the city's government. The city council president ultimately adjourned the meeting and it was reconvened several days later. [12]

Political campaigns

In 1997 Valdez sought election to the Albuquerque city council, ultimately losing to Tim Kline with 13-percent of the vote. [13]

In 2012 Valdez announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. In an early debate he declared Martin Heinrich a "pup" who lacked life experience, though, subsequently withdrew from the race citing "the outrageous amount of money needed to run.” [14] [15]

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On August 24, 2016, the dead body of ten-year-old Victoria Martens was found in an apartment building in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After responding to a 9-1-1 call regarding a domestic dispute, officers discovered Martens' dismembered remains partially wrapped in a burning blanket in her mother's apartment. The victim's mother, 35-year-old Michelle Martens; her boyfriend, 31-year-old Fabian Gonzales; and Gonzales' cousin, 31-year-old Jessica Kelley, were arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in grievous bodily harm or death, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Two of the suspects have pleaded not guilty in the state's court. On June 29, 2018, Michelle Martens pled guilty to one count of child abuse resulting in death. The same day, the Albuquerque Police Department announced a fourth unidentified male suspect was being sought in connection to the case based on DNA evidence recovered from the scene.

References

  1. ↑ Lintchium, Leslie (12 July 2009). "Tijerina Heirs Ask Obama To Restore Land Grants". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  2. 1 2 Lintchium, Leslie (6 April 2014). "Activist gains support in questioning police conduct". Santa Fe New Mexican. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Police Oversight Task Force Report". cabq.gov. City of Albuquerque.
  4. ↑ McKay, Dan (8 August 2013). "11 appointed to police oversight task force". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  5. ↑ Ludwick, Jim (14 July 2004). "Ethics Board Makes Quick Work of ABQPAC Case". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Ludwick, Jim (19 October 2002). "Chávez To Repay 'Every Dime'". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  7. ↑ "News Briefs". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 25 June 2004.
  8. ↑ McKay, Dan (26 April 2013). "2 mayoral candidates facing ethics complaints". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  9. ↑ "FOG Recognizes Award Winners". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 4 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Culturally and Racially Mixed Crowd Marches To Honor Civil Rights Leader Winners". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Police Oversight Commission Settles Lawsuit". krqe.com. KRQE-TV. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  12. ↑ Contreras, Russell (8 May 2014). "Police shootings: Albuquerque council meets". chron.com. Houston, Texas: Houston Chronicle.
  13. ↑ "Albuquerque City Council 5". ourcampaigns.com. 9 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Former Mayor a Tease and Other Revelations From Saturday's Election". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "Andres Valdez Out of U.S. Senate Race". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
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