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episode summary
What happens when we stop simply asking young people what they think — and start giving them the power to help shape what happens next?
In this special episode of “Pass the Sopapillas,” host Manuel González travels to Chicago for the Every Child Thrives Festival, where four young leaders and advocates explore what meaningful youth engagement really looks like.
In the first conversation, Sheldon Hamilton, associate director of X Studio at Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum of Albuquerque, and Taran Srikonda, a member of the Every Child Thrives Festival Youth Advisory Committee, talk about creating spaces where young people are heard, trusted and empowered to turn their ideas into action. They explore why institutions sometimes struggle to listen, how young people can bring new possibilities to the table and what happens when adults actually follow through on youth input.
Then, Youth Advisory Committee members Aliyah Atencio and Divinefavour Osuji bring the conversation home through their own experiences. From Native representation and health equity to affordable medical technology, mentorship and cultural identity, they share the personal experiences driving their ambitions — and why young people need opportunities not just to prepare for the future, but to help shape the present.
Together, their stories offer a powerful reminder: Young people already have ideas, experiences and solutions worth hearing. The question is whether the rest of us are ready to listen.
I do believe that any space where decisions are being made should include youth voices.
Sobremesa: Youth Voices
This conversation is an invitation.
There are no right answers — just stories, reflections and listening.
If you can, pass something around the table (a napkin, a candle, a sopapilla).
Whoever holds it speaks.
Ask around the table:
- When was a time an adult really listened to you and took your ideas seriously?
- What is something adults sometimes misunderstand about young people?
Ask around the table:
- What is the difference between asking young people for their opinions and actually giving them a role in shaping decisions?
- What does meaningful youth engagement look like when it comes to issues such as health, culture, representation or education?
Ask around the table:
- What is one idea or possibility you want adults to take seriously?
- What gives you hope about what young people can bring to the future of New Mexico?
Thank everyone for sharing and remember:
- Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow.
- They are thinkers, creators and leaders today.
- When we listen, trust and make room for their ideas, we create stronger communities.
- The future is shaped by the voices we choose to hear — and the voices we choose to empower.
Episode Guests
Bonus Episode: Our Land - Q&A
In this bonus episode of “Pass the Sopapillas,” host Manuel González welcomes Aaron Lowden, Virginia Necochea and Eli Cuna for an intimate audience-driven conversation inspired by the response to the podcast’s “Our Land” episode. The discussion explores how New Mexico communities are reconnecting with land, culture and one another while confronting environmental injustice, climate change and generational healing.
Lowden reflects on the visible effects of climate change on family orchards and the importance of community dialogue in protecting land-based traditions.
Necochea emphasizes the power of collective action, public participation and environmental advocacy, encouraging listeners to show up for community organizations and public hearings that affect local families and ecosystems.
Cuna focuses on healing, self-worth and youth empowerment, sharing how small acts of affirmation and belonging can transform young people’s lives.
The conversation also examines how systems rooted in exploitation and scarcity affect communities and why rebuilding connection, mentorship and collective care is essential for the future.
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