The ABQ Accent · City of Albuquerque - Office of Civic Engagement

ABQ Accent | EP 36 - Rebecca Sisneros

September 12, 2025·34 min

Mariah opens warmly. She welcomes Rebecca Cisneros, a friend and the Community and Government Relations Director for Boys & Girls Club of Central New Mexico, and the conversation quickly settles into a familiar, local rhythm. Rebecca laughs. Mariah praises her glow, Rebecca jokes that it might just be sweat, and the exchange sets an easy tone before they turn to the work itself. Her role is current. Rebecca says she has been in the position for a little over two years after earlier work with Boys & Girls Club, and she keeps coming back to how the organization serves Albuquerque families. The club has grown. She lays out the reach: 13 elementary sites, five middle schools, and one high school, with 835 members currently registered and more growth expected as the school year unfolds. Access matters. Most programming is free or low cost, and Rebecca explains that the elementary sites can still involve some cost depending on ECECD qualification, which makes the application process an important part of the family experience. Young voices matter. That idea leads into the club's youth podcast, Club Chat Podcast, where young people get room to talk, experiment, and name what they want to change in their own community, including special education. The work is mobile. Rebecca notes that some episodes were recorded while the group was in Washington, D.C., which gives the project a flexible, on-the-go feel rather than a studio-bound one. Recognition followed. The podcast won an award in its first year and was sponsored for a second year, which the guests treat as proof that the format is resonating with the young people involved. The point stays local. Again and again, Rebecca returns to the idea that these programs are not just activities, but ways to help children see themselves as future leaders whose ideas matter now. The conversation stays warm. By the end, the episode has linked personal friendship, nonprofit logistics, school-based access, and civic responsibility into one clear Albuquerque story.

As heard by us

A grounded local profile linking youth programming, school partnerships, and community service.

Rebecca Sisneros reads less like a title and more like someone rooted in the daily work of community care. Her role with Boys and Girls Club of Central New Mexico, along with ties to local schools, families, and youth programming, gives the conversation a practical, grounded…

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Why you'd press play

You want an Albuquerque story that makes youth leadership feel tangible.

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