APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN:
Join Equality New Mexico's 2027 Legislative Fellowship
Every January, the New Mexico Roundhouse fills with lobbyists, staffers, and advocates working to shape the laws that will govern the state for years to come.
For LGBTQ New Mexicans, that room hasn't always had a seat waiting for them. Equality New Mexico is changing that.
For the third year running, they're inviting the next generation of Queer and Trans advocates to help do it.
Applications for the 2027 Legislative Fellowship Program open October 1, 2026, and close November 20, 2026..
THIS ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE INTERNSHIP
Most internships hand you a stack of one-pagers, a seat in the back of a committee room, and a vague sense of what actually happened by the end of the day. That’s not what this fellowship is.
Fellows aren't observers. They're participants in a legislative session.
Working alongside EQNM staff, community advocates, coalition partners, and experienced lobbyists, fellows learn how the New Mexico Legislature works and what it actually takes to move policy forward.
During the 60-day Legislative Session, fellows will:
Attend committee hearings, floor sessions, and coalition meetings and communicate what’s happening to EQNM staff and partners.
Track legislation and help develop strategy around EQNM’s legislative priorities.
Speak with legislators and, when appropriate, speak on behalf of EQNM in support of or opposition to legislation.
Work with organizers to plan and support lobby days that bring community members directly into the Roundhouse.
Work with communications staff to create real-time digital content around legislative actions.
Help recruit community members to testify and participate in the legislative process.
This is hands-on political advocacy work. It’s fast-paced, challenging, and sometimes messy. That’s part of the point.
WHY REPRESENTATION MATTERS
There's a difference between LGBTQ issues being discussed in a legislature and LGBTQ people being present for that discussion. Policy that affects Queer and Trans New Mexicans is often written, debated, and voted on in rooms where the people most affected are absent, or present only as people giving testimony. We think that needs to change.
This fellowship gives Queer and Trans fellows a real foothold in the legislative process. Not as a symbolic gesture but as hands-on training, mentorship, and experience.
Fellows learn from people who have spent years organizing, advocating, lobbying, and building relationships in New Mexico. They’ll learn how bills move, how committee processes work, how to communicate with legislators, how coalitions operate, and how advocacy changes when the plan doesn’t go according to plan.
The goal isn’t just to teach fellows how the legislature is supposed to work. It’s to teach them how the process actually works, and how advocates can navigate it without losing sight of their values.
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVOCATES
The fellowship is also designed to build leadership for a statewide movement.
Our 2025 Fellows went on to pursue further education and joined partner organizations as staff. Our 2026 Fellows moved toward careers in community service, including one fellow who joined EQNM's own communications team.
We want more Queer and Trans New Mexicans to have the skills, experience, and relationships to step into advocacy work and help shape what comes next.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
You don't need prior Roundhouse experience.
We’re looking for LGBTQ folks who want to learn more about policy, advocacy, and the New Mexico State Legislature.
Fellows must be able to live in Santa Fe from January 19 through March 22, 2027. Housing is provided, with a private bedroom in shared housing.
This fellowship is a good fit for people who are curious, willing to learn quickly, open to feedback, comfortable working with others, and ready to do hard things. Fellows should also be prepared for a fast-paced schedule that may include evenings and weekends, especially during the second half of the legislative session.
WHAT EQNM PROVIDES
Legislative Fellows receive:
Housing in Santa Fe
A grocery budget to help cover meals
A stipend for the fellowship period
Support for technology supplies or clothing as needed
Formal training and ongoing mentorship from EQNM staff and experienced advocates
Applications open October 1, 2026, and close November 20, 2026.
If you’re ready to learn how the legislature works, get hands-on experience in political advocacy, and help make sure Queer and Trans voices are not just heard, but present in the rooms where decisions are made, we want to hear from you.
Learn more and apply at goeqnm.org/legfellowship
HOW DO I APPLY?
Apply at goeqnm.org/legfellowship. Or answer these questions in an email to Marshall@eqnm.org and Nathan@eqnm.org
Name
Email
Phone
Pronouns
The New Mexico county you reside in at the time of application
We know you are new to this work—that's who this program is for! But we want to know about any experiences, education, or relationships you already have with the legislative process and its participants. If any of these are not applicable(N/A), feel free to skip them!
What (if any) education do you have that might apply to this work? This can include volunteerism and informal or nontraditional experiences that you believe will help with this work.
What is one personal story you can share that tells us why you might want to be involved in making and passing laws in New Mexico?
What are the greatest needs you think the New Mexico LGBTQ community is facing right now?
Do you have any personal relationships with Elected Officials or people who work for a Government agency? We ask this question because it might mean EQNM has additional reporting or potential conflicts to disclose and because we’d like to know if you have ever interacted with elected officials before.
What do you most want to learn from this fellowship? What experiences or connections might you gain from this fellowship, and how might they benefit you?
What do you think is the greatest strength you would bring to the fellowship (think broadly)?
A little bit about who you are as an individual. This Fellowship places Fellows in close quarters under significant pressure. These questions will help us support a healthy cohort dynamic – there are no disqualifying answers, and nothing you write below will have an impact on eligibility for the Fellowship. These answers are not required, but are highly encouraged to answer honestly.
What is one thing you would like us to know about you?
Describe how people around you typically experience you while you're under significant stress. What do you tend to need from others during those periods?
Have you ever experienced a moment in a shared living situation that was difficult? If so, what caused it, and how did you navigate it? If not applicable, please describe a moment where you dealt with peer-to-peer conflict and how you navigated that situation.
Do you have any concerns about sharing a living space with an additional Fellow or two throughout the two full months of the Legislative Session?
Is there anything about your needs, habits, or circumstances that would be useful for us or other co-fellows to know early on?
