Standing in front of a list of hundreds of supporters, Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard (SGR), addresses the crowd gathered for her re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday afternoon at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO President Jon Hendry, holding his dog Bobby, chats with SGR at her re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday afternoon at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

SGR explains to the crowd that for each re-election kick-off event she has had to select larger venues due to increased community attendance. Saturday’s kick off was on the patio at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard officially kicked off her re-election campaign surrounded by a large crowd Saturday afternoon on the patio at Cottonwood on the Greens restaurant at the local golf course.

“It’s been seven years that I have been running for this seat and five years that I have been representing it,” Garcia Richard told the crowd.

Garcia Richard represents Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties and has served in the legislature since 2013. She serves on the Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force; Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee; Indian Affairs Committee, Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee; Legislative Finance Committee; House Labor & Economic Development; is vice chair of the Legislative Education Study Committee and chairs the House Education Committee.

“For the first time we are undertaking a real transformation of education in New Mexico,” Garcia Richard said at Saturday’s event.

Garcia Richard is a native New Mexican who grew up in Silver City. She explains that is was there that she learned from her mother and father the most important lesson in life; service to others is more valuable than service to self. 

After high school Garcia Richard left home to go to college and graduated from Columbia University in New York and later California State University-Los Angeles.  She ended up following her father into education and becoming a teacher. 

After years of living and working abroad and in other states, she and her husband Eric Vasquez chose to return to New Mexico and raise their family.  They decided that New Mexico is where they would make their stand.  They now live in White Rock and she is an educator with the Pojoaque School District.

Garcia Richard describes herself as a “coyote” from a Hispanic mother and Anglo father.  She grew up in two worlds and said she understands much about the various cultures of the state and the diversity that makes New Mexico unique. 

As a teacher and mother Garcia Richard said she has seen firsthand the impact of government policies on the children and families in the state.  Her experience of teaching at a BIA school, a charter school and in the public education system has shown her the various ways government can help people to stand up in life, or how inept policies will make thing worse, she said.

Garcia Richard said she is running for reelection to the House of Representatives because she believes in a citizens’ legislature; people from all walks of life coming together to discuss issues and polices and come up with what is the best plan for the people of this state.

SGR, center, with longtime Democratic Party leaders Michael and Kyle Wheeler at her re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Local Veterinarian Bob Fuselier chats with guests at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Councilor Antonio Maggiore, center, at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Scene from the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Former State Rep. Rick Miera, a Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov. of New Mexico, with SGR and his wife Bernadette Miera. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Assessor Ken Milder signs in at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Milder is treasurer of the SGR re-election campaign. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Scene from the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Councilors Chris Chandler and Antonio Maggiore share a laugh at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Lt. Gov. candidate Sen. Michael Padilla at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Local Democrat Stephanie Nakhleh, center, at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Public Education Commissioner Karyl Ann Armbruster of Los Alamos chats with 1st Judicial Dist. candidate Greg Shaffer at the SGR re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

The crowd applauds as SGR discusses future plans during her re-election campaign kick-off event Saturday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com