BY STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

First, thank you to Libby Nolen for writing so clearly and honestly about what it feels like to be a teenager in Los Alamos. Your voice is powerful, your observations are spot-on, and your suggestions are exactly the kind of civic-minded thinking this town needs. You’re not just asking for something to do – you’re making real, constructive suggestions for how we as a community can show up for teens. That deserves our attention and respect!

I was disappointed by the response from John Gustafson. While I believe it was well-intentioned, telling teens that “the world owes you nothing” and “you’re on your own” is not just curmudgeonly – it’s dangerous.

We’ve lost several local teenagers to suicide in recent years. And in my own work, I’ve met many young people here who are seriously struggling with mental health challenges, loneliness, and the sense that they don’t belong. If anything, the message teens need right now is the opposite: You are not on your own.

You are part of a community. And communities do owe each other something. We owe you spaces where you feel welcome and valued. We owe you events that aren’t just for little kids or adults, but for the in-between years – those hard, exhilarating, identity-shaping teenage years. We owe you compassion, creativity, and care. We owe you the effort of listening.

Instead of wagging fingers at a teen who takes the time to sound the alarm, maybe we should be rolling up our sleeves and asking: what would it take to build a town where teens feel a genuine sense of belonging?

Libby’s piece is a great place to start. And to every teenager who’s reading this: I hope you know that you matter. You are our future, and I personally think we owe our future a great deal. Not just empty advice, but real investment in your lives, your joy, your safety, and your potential.

We’re in this together.