In homes across New Mexico, parents and caregivers have long been forced to make an impossible choice – one made even harder in the last 18 months by COVID-19. Do I care for my baby or sick family member, or do I leave them to work and earn the pay we need to survive? This choice has dire implications for babies, families, public health, and the economy.
NM Political Report--“This bill is about ensuring a better future for kids,” James Jimenez said. “For years, New Mexico has relied on oil and gas to fund our children’s education programming. But as we battle climate change and protect our land and public health, it’s vital that states like New Mexico are able to diversify their economies.”
NM Political Report--A recent New Mexico Voices for Children report, Eligible but Excluded, said that federal law requires state agencies to provide “meaningful access” to people who speak languages other than English but many state agencies in New Mexico have no plans in place to improve language access. This makes breaking a system of economic hardship difficult and is inequitable, the report states.
NM Political Report--“I think that the level of which people are being impacted by the pandemic is clearly not equal across genders, not equal across income spectrums, not equal across race or ethnicities. Because of that, we know women of color and women generally have been harmed more.”
Report A follow-up to our Essential but Excluded report, this looks at how Asian/Pacific Islander and African immigrants and refugees are unable to access public benefits for which they are eligible - and not just during the pandemic - due to a pervasive lack of language access at many state agencies. This, despite federal laws requiring such access.
Many of New Mexico’s Asian/Pacific Islander and African immigrants and refugees are unable to access the assistance they are eligible for due to a pervasive lack of language access at state agencies. That’s one of the main points in a report released today by New Mexico Voices for Children.
Santa Fe Reporter--“Money and time are both barriers to families trying to make healthy food choices,” writes Derek Lin in his report Ending Childhood Food Insecurity. The report was commissioned by New Mexico Voices for Children, an advocacy nonprofit dedicated to addressing childhood hunger and well-being.
Report Your state of health is dependent on many variables - including where you live, how much you earn, and even how far you went in school. These are called "social determinants of health" and they not only impact your health but they also impact your ability to choose a healthy lifestyle. Everyone's health could be improved if lawmakers took these determinants of health into account when creating public policies. This report offers an overview of the determinants of health as well as the policies that can improve health for all.
Public News Service--Wallin noted that families of color were especially hard-hit by school closures and other economic impacts from the pandemic and now, should have more peace of mind. "They're able to better afford housing needs and ensure they can buy their kids back-to-school clothes," said Wallin. "But also it's helping them go back to work, afford necessities and helping our economy get back on track as well."
Santa Fe New Mexican--“We refuse to recognize that tribal people do, in fact, know best how to educate their children. That is systemic racism,” said New Mexico Voices for Children Director James Jimenez.