New Mexico Race Matters Coalition Statement of Principles

 

Race is a social construct, often misunderstood as a biological fact. We are all one people. Still, this concept of race has become a way of dividing us and creating inequities based on physical characteristics or cultural traditions. Race and ethnicity matter because of the very real injustices children and youth of color experience. Structural racism prevents them from reaching their full potential. We believe:

  • All children have the right to the same opportunities and resources in order to realize their full potential.

  • Race and ethnicity matter independent of socio-economic concerns; almost every indicator of child and youth well-being shows troubling disparities that are disproportional by race and/or ethnicity, even when socio-economic status is taken into consideration.

  • Disparities are often created and maintained both intentionally and inadvertently through policies and practices that contain barriers to opportunities. We call this structural racism. The economic, physical and emotional effects of structural racism can persist throughout the life span.

  • Equity gaps can only be closed by intentionally focusing on race and structural racism.

  • People will work toward racial equity when they have accurate information, data analysis, and the right tools.

    We, the members of this coalition, are intentionally focusing on eliminating structural racism so all New Mexico children can reach their full potential.

The New Mexico Race Matters Coalition is a project of New Mexico Voices for Children www.nmvoices.org