by Sunnie Redhouse
Daily Lobo
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With nine days left until the election, mayoral candidate Eric Griego spent his Saturday evening salsa and swing dancing with students at the SUB.
Student Desi Brown said Griego's visit to campus wasn't just about getting votes.
"He recognizes students need a voice and he's willing to be that voice," he said.
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About 70 people showed up to the event, which was sponsored by UNM's Students to Elect Eric Griego for Mayor.
"There's a lot of apathy, and we want to educate the student body," said Benjamin Zimmerman, president of the organization. "We're all in this together. It's not about a party," he said.
The dance was informal with few decorations, but almost everyone was dancing.
Griego said his biggest concern is the youth environment in Albuquerque. He said he is the only mayoral candidate to support the arts.
"I want young people to see this as a great place to live," he said.
He wants young people who graduate from college to stay in Albuquerque to find work.
"I want Albuquerque to be the city younger people want to work for, the city where the sky's the limit," Griego said.
Zimmerman said the organization is temporary and will dissolve after the election, but members hope to have a big impact on the community by getting Griego elected.
"We should be the voice," Zimmerman said. "We're the people who go into the community after we graduate."
Student Kelly Seibert said the dance showed her students can make a difference in politics and some politicians listen to their concerns.
"It gets young people involved and makes politics fun," she said.
She said the turnout showed students have an interest in local politics.
"By having him here it shows that people want to hear what he has to say," Seibert said. "He really wants to give his time to young people."
The 10 members of the student organization have been contributing to Griego's campaign by setting up booths on campus to collect donations.
Idalia Lechuga-Tena, vice president, said she has followed Griego and his relationships with different communities in Albuquerque for more than two years.
"He speaks Spanish," she said. "We need some one to connect with the language that a lot of people speak."
Lechuga-Tena also said Griego has expressed concern about crime at the University.
"He concentrates on safety at UNM, and he knows UNM," she said.
Griego said some other concerns were community safety and the living-wage ordinance, which proposes raising the minimum wage to $7.50 an hour in Albuquerque. Griego has shown his support for the proposal in both city council and rallies.
Griego said crime in Albuquerque is another big issue.
"I want to put more cops in the community," he said. "I want to get them out of the offices from behind the desks and see them walking around."
Student Richard Wetcherill said Griego showed he cares about the UNM community by talking candidly and dancing with students.
"He's willing to come out to see the students," he said. "He's more social and interested in the students and the arts and music scene."
