Community Matters: Civic Engagement
Civic Engagement with Tomás Rivera, Chainbreaker Collective
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
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How can everyday people shape the future of Santa Fe? On this episode of Community Matters, we talk with Tómas Rivera of the Chainbreaker Collective about how Chainbreaker organizes more than 800 members around housing, transit, and economic justice, why centering community voices in decision-making is essential, and practical ways anyone can become more civically engaged.
Tomás Rivera is the executive director of Chainbreaker Collective and has been with the organization since it was founded in 2004. Chainbreaker is a membership-led economic, environmental, and racial justice organization with over 800 dues-paying members in Santa Fe, NM, the bulk of whom are residents of neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment and vulnerable to gentrification and eviction. Chainbreaker organizes front-line community members directly impacted by housing, transit and civil rights issues to make Santa Fe a more equitable and just city.
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About Community Matters
Our monthly radio show invites subject experts and community leaders to talk about the challenges and inequities our region faces and possible solutions that could contribute to its growth. Hosted by Santa Fe Community Foundation staff, Community Matters airs on the third Wednesday of every month at 6:00 PM on KSFR (101.1 FM). Listen to past episodes here.
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