For families who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a difficult time. The New Mexico Crusaders for Justice and Explore Academy offered their support to honor families and their murdered loved ones.”He was so charismatic,” Summer Walker-Apisa said about her son Eric Apisa. “He would light up a room, make friends everywhere he went, from the time that he was young until his last days.”Eric was 19 years old when he was killed. This is the sixth Christmas she will spend without her son. Others expressed how the holidays amplify their sense of loss.”There’s the emptiness that we carry,” Vangie Randall-Shorty said. “Holidays are the hardest, you know, especially Christmas.”Vangie said her son, Zachariah J. Shorty, was killed in 2020. Federal authorities said the 23-year-old was found dead in the Navajo Nation.Melissa Hernandez, who works with Explorer Academy and is a chapter president with the Crusaders for Justice, helped organize the Christmas Carnival for families at a charter school location with the assistance of 17 students.”They wanted to get involved, and so I let them know that we had a holiday event coming up. I was trying to find a place to host it,” Hernandez said. Senior Mia Maldonado said, “To be able to create an event where people can come together and feel loved and supported is a very amazing thing for us to do.”Organizers reported that about 100 families attended the event, where participants could set up tables to honor their loved ones. Families participated in games and were provided food and Christmas gifts.Most importantly, families honored the lives of their lost loved ones. “It’s just nice to hear their name and never forget their memory,” Co-founder of Crusaders for Justice Alicia Otero said. “That’s why we keep doing that. Because we’re never going to forget them and we just want to keep their memory alive.”Although the holidays remind these families of who they’re missing, events like this carnival offer a sense of community and strength.Walker-Apisa said the one thing she takes away from events like the Christmas Carnival is “strength and that we just keep moving forward.”
For families who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a difficult time.
The New Mexico Crusaders for Justice and Explore Academy offered their support to honor families and their murdered loved ones.
“He was so charismatic,” Summer Walker-Apisa said about her son Eric Apisa. “He would light up a room, make friends everywhere he went, from the time that he was young until his last days.”
Eric was 19 years old when he was killed. This is the sixth Christmas she will spend without her son. Others expressed how the holidays amplify their sense of loss.
“There’s the emptiness that we carry,” Vangie Randall-Shorty said. “Holidays are the hardest, you know, especially Christmas.”
Vangie said her son, Zachariah J. Shorty, was killed in 2020. Federal authorities said the 23-year-old was found dead in the Navajo Nation.
Melissa Hernandez, who works with Explorer Academy and is a chapter president with the Crusaders for Justice, helped organize the Christmas Carnival for families at a charter school location with the assistance of 17 students.
“They wanted to get involved, and so I let them know that we had a holiday event coming up. I was trying to find a place to host it,” Hernandez said.
Senior Mia Maldonado said, “To be able to create an event where people can come together and feel loved and supported is a very amazing thing for us to do.”
Organizers reported that about 100 families attended the event, where participants could set up tables to honor their loved ones. Families participated in games and were provided food and Christmas gifts.
Most importantly, families honored the lives of their lost loved ones.
“It’s just nice to hear their name and never forget their memory,” Co-founder of Crusaders for Justice Alicia Otero said. “That’s why we keep doing that. Because we’re never going to forget them and we just want to keep their memory alive.”
Although the holidays remind these families of who they’re missing, events like this carnival offer a sense of community and strength.
Walker-Apisa said the one thing she takes away from events like the Christmas Carnival is “strength and that we just keep moving forward.”
