Real stories from youth and community leaders reimagining education in New Mexico.

About Transform the Norm

Transform the Norm is a youth-led podcast rooted in collaboration between Transform Education New Mexico and the Learning Action Buffet (LAB), a youth-driven organization based in southern New Mexico.

Hosted by Marina and Tony—two young leaders and mentors with LAB—the podcast brings real conversations about education equity into everyday spaces. Through storytelling, interviews, and honest dialogue, Transform the Norm centers youth voices and challenges the systems that continue to fall short for students across New Mexico.

Each episode explores what it means to reimagine education through lived experience—highlighting stories from students, educators, advocates, and community leaders. From student well-being to culturally and linguistically responsive classrooms, the podcast connects personal stories to a broader movement for change.

Grounded in the ongoing impact of Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico and the state’s responsibility to meet the needs of all students, Transform the Norm asks an important question: What does meaningful change actually look like—and who gets to define it?

Whether you’re a student, educator, parent, or community member, this podcast invites you to listen, reflect, and be part of reshaping what’s possible for New Mexico’s public schools.

Now Streaming: Season 2

Season 1 told the stories. Season 2 asks what happens next.

Season 2, Episode 1: Acequia Day at the Roundhouse

In Season 2’s opening episode, our hosts—based in Las Cruces—journey to the Roundhouse in Santa Fe during New Mexico’s 2026 30-day legislative session.

There, they attend Acequia Day alongside the New Mexico Acequia Association, stepping into a space where water, land, and policy intersect. Through conversations with youth and community members, they explore the deep cultural and educational importance of acequias and what it means to learn from land-based knowledge systems.

This episode highlights how education extends beyond classrooms—into the traditions, histories, and living systems that shape New Mexico communities. It also asks what it means for young people to engage directly with legislative spaces while carrying forward intergenerational knowledge.

Season 1 (Archive)

Season 1 laid the foundation—centering youth voice, storytelling, and the realities shaping education across New Mexico.

Episode 1: Centering Youth Voices
Youth and mentors across New Mexico share what it means to feel seen, supported, and empowered in school.

Episode 2: The Roundhouse is Your House
Why youth voice isn’t optional—it’s essential to transforming education systems.

Episode 3: Youth Voting Habits
A personal look at how culture, family, and systems shape youth civic engagement.

Episode 4: Student Success and Achievement
How lived experiences connect to a broader vision for student success in New Mexico.

Episode 5: Student Well-being and Support Services
A conversation about youth mental health and what real support looks like in schools.

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Meet the Youth Leading This Podcast

Tony

Antonio Cruz, known as T. Cruz, is a local lyricist, music producer, and student at Doña Ana Community College. As a youth mentor with the Learning Action Buffet (LAB), Antonio brings both creative energy and lived experience to his work with young people in southern New Mexico.

In addition to co-hosting Transform the Norm, he serves as a producer and editor of the LAB Radio Hour on KTAL-LP 101.5 FM, where he continues to uplift youth stories and community perspectives through sound. Whether behind the mic or behind the music, Antonio is passionate about building platforms that empower youth to speak truth and imagine new possibilities for education in New Mexico.

Marina

Marina Vasconcelos is a youth leader, artist, and community storyteller based in southern New Mexico. As a youth mentor with the Learning Action Buffet (LAB), Marina plays a key role in shaping conversations that center young people and their lived experiences.

She serves as Assistant Producer of the LAB Radio Hour on KTAL-LP 101.5 FM and brings that same passion for creative expression and youth voice to her role as co-host of Transform the Norm. Marina is committed to making space for young people to be heard, seen, and taken seriously in the fight for a more just and inclusive education system.