NM Voices in the News
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Brewery owner touts benefits of paid sick leave: lower turnover, happier workers
Source NM--New Mexico has fewer workers protected by paid sick leave than any other, with about 50% of workers here working without it, according to New Mexico Voices for Children.
Everything you need to know about the Child Tax Credit – and possibly a little more
Albuquerque Journal--The U.S. Census Bureau is collecting data on how families are spending their monthly payments, so we know that the majority of the spending is going toward food. Wallin said that’s a good sign for a state that’s long struggled with childhood food insecurity. “We’re just glad to see that this relief is helping the families’ most basic needs,” she said.
Fix oil and gas leasing system before new sales
Santa Fe New Mexican--In New Mexico, we have lived through many boom-and-bust cycles of the oil and gas industry. But recent years have shown just how much we need to break this cycle - particularly as we plan for the transition from oil and gas to clean energy - by tipping the scales away from the oil and gas corporations and back toward New Mexicans who have shouldered the consequences.
Leger Fernández introduces bill to help communities’ economic transitions away from fossil fuels
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.”
Unable to get assistance: What happens to New Mexicans who speak lesser used languages
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.
Some don’t know what they’ll do when federal unemployment assistance ends Sept. 4
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.”
An Apricog in the System
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.
NM Families Start School Year with Extra Money for Child Care
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."
Tribal leaders demand action on public education inequity in New Mexico
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.
Tribes call for NM official’s removal
Navajo Times--James Jimenez, executive director New Mexico Voices for Children, said, “That’s the question. Is it going to be empty words or is the apology going to be backed up by action that incorporates advice from Native leaders?”