Celebrating Our Community Champions: 2025 Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship Recipients

We are thrilled to announce this year's recipients of The Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship: Kimberly Obregon and Faith Vicente. These two remarkable women exemplify the spirit of our scholarship program—dedicated individuals who are not only pursuing their educational dreams but are actively working to build a stronger, healthier Albuquerque for all of us.

The Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship: Investing in Our Community's Future

Formerly known as the Building a Better Albuquerque Scholarship, The Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship fund provides crucial financial assistance to teens, young adults, and non-traditional students in our community. What makes this scholarship special is its flexibility—recipients can apply their awards toward any type of post-secondary education, whether that's community college, trade school, professional licensures, or traditional four-year programs. We believe that every path to education deserves support.

Meet Kimberly Obregon: A Mother and Community Leader Returning to Education

Kimberly Obregon's story is one of incredible dedication—both to her family and her community. As a single mother of ten children, Kimberly has spent years ensuring that not just her own children, but every child in Albuquerque, has the opportunity to reach their greatest potential.

Since 2016, Kimberly has been a cornerstone of the International District community, where she has lived, volunteered, and operated a business. Her service record reads like a love letter to Albuquerque: she's worked with Shine School Partnership, served on the APS Redistricting Committee, coordinated community schools for APS, supported the New Mexico Black Leadership Council's Roots Summer Leadership Academy, and taught workshops at Explora Children's Science Museum. She's also served on multiple non-profit boards throughout the city.

Now, after more than a decade of community service, Kimberly is taking an exciting step—returning to school at UNM to pursue her career as an educator. Her particular interest lies in Applied Behavior Analysis, which she plans to use to support students who are struggling to make progress in school and childcare facilities.

Kimberly's vision is clear: by expanding her knowledge through education, she can share these skills with schools and organizations around her, building capacity in our youth to create a better future for everyone.

Meet Faith Vicente: From Isleta Pueblo to Medical School

Faith Vicente represents the next generation of healthcare leaders in New Mexico. A first-year medical student at UNM School of Medicine and a member of Isleta Pueblo, Faith is passionate about advocating for Native American health and addressing healthcare disparities in our state.

Faith's journey to medical school has been both impressive and purposeful. After graduating from Los Lunas High School, she was accepted into UNM's prestigious Combined BA/MD Degree Program, earning both a BA in Health, Medicine, & Human Values and a BS in Psychology. But it's her hands-on experience that truly sets her apart.

Currently working as an Emergency Department Scribe at Presbyterian Hospital, Faith witnesses firsthand the challenges facing our community's most vulnerable populations. She's also spent three years as a Student Technician at the Office of the Medical Investigator, gaining insight into how location and resources can mean the difference between life and death. During her sophomore year, she volunteered in Roswell, working at community centers and creating resources for the Adult Resource Center, where she learned about the logistical challenges of accessing healthcare in rural communities.

Faith's ultimate goal is a career in forensic pathology, but her commitment extends far beyond her specialty. She plans to use her position as a physician to advocate for legislative recognition of New Mexico's healthcare needs and to address the systemic inequalities that affect lower socioeconomic communities.

Building a Better Albuquerque, One Student at a Time

Both Kimberly and Faith embody the core mission that drives our scholarship program. They're not just pursuing education for personal advancement—they're investing in tools that will allow them to serve their community more effectively.

Kimberly sees her education as a way to "continue to support the children and families in my community," recognizing that "building capacity in our youth ultimately creates a future that is good for everyone."

Faith plans to provide primary care services while educating patients about community resources and advocating for systemic change. As she puts it, "As a physician, I will be directly working towards developing healthier families by providing primary care services to our community."

Looking Forward

The Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship is more than financial assistance—it's an investment in the leaders, educators, and healthcare providers who will shape Albuquerque's future. In Kimberly and Faith, we see the embodiment of our organization's values: community service, educational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to building stronger, healthier neighborhoods.

We congratulate both recipients and look forward to watching them continue their journeys. Their success is our community's success, and we're honored to play a small part in supporting these remarkable women as they work to build a better Albuquerque for all of us.

The Tessah Latson Memorial Scholarship applications for next year will open in April 2026. For more information about our scholarship program and how to apply, visit solhousing.org/scholarships or contact us at info@solhousing.org.