ADVOCACY IN NEW MEXICO: A TIME FOR GRATITUDE and PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Thank you to Kurt Rager of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM, Katy Anderson of Roadrunner and the Coalition to End Hunger in New Mexico, and their colleagues and supporters for their work with the New Mexico Legislature during the session. These advocates essentially joined hands with our neighbors whose incomes simply don’t keep up with the cost of living—to assure that they, too, have access to nutritious foods, health care, affordable housing, and other basics. This session was also a time of investment in our children, with the passage of a bill to formalize Universal Childcare in the state and wage support for early childhood educators.
A shout-out to Ellie and Claire Anderson for being part of the Cibola High School Choir who performed so beautifully in the Capitol’s rotunda on Hunger Action Day. They used their voices for unity and justice in such songs as our national anthem and “We Shall Overcome.” Shout-outs also to Micah Liming, who shadowed Senator Harold Pope, and Hannah Rager, who shadowed Senator Katy Duhigg, to learn more about the work of the Legislature.
Looking to the future, among the many actions advocates can take in this state, here are two I’d like to highlight:
- Compensate Our Legislators: HJR 5 passed, and on November 3, we have a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment to provide salaries for our state legislators. Thank you to Senator Angel Charley and others for sponsoring the resolution and to LAM-NM for supporting it as a matter of good governance. Not only is it fair to our hardworking legislators, but it also opens the electoral field to people who do not have the income support to take months off each year to serve in the Legislature.
- Develop Relationships with Our Legislators: Katy and Kurt, in their advocacy training, encourage us to build relationships with our legislators between sessions. Some of you will remember the ecumenical reception All Saints hosted for area legislators in late summer 2019. From that event, lasting relationships formed between some attendees and their legislators, and we heard good things from a senator whose children had gotten a great start at All Saints’ preschool. It was a lovely, relaxed evening in the garden of Andy and Diana Lewis and was a way to say thank you to a bipartisan group of dedicated public servants. We would like to plan a similar reception for 2027 (a non-election year) and will provide updates for those who’d like to volunteer to be part of a planning team.
Judy Messal