Ask your legislators to put 16-year-old voting back in SB8

Victory! Senate Bill 8, the New Mexico Voting Rights Act, has just been passed in the Senate Rules Committee. There’s still work to be done, though, as enfranchisement for 16-year-olds has been stripped from the bill.

Why do 16-year-olds deserve to vote in school board elections? 16-year-olds work and pay taxes (no taxation without representation, right?). Youth are leading social movements in climate action, gun violence prevention, anti-racism, and more. Their daily lives are directly impacted by decisions made on their school boards. Ultimately, 16-year-olds are contributing members of society who are worthy of agency over their own education, and their own lives.

Young New Mexicans are the future of our state, so it’s only fair that they have a say in that future. Plus, voting earlier on in life will build a strong foundation for a lifetime of civic engagement.

For LGBTQ youth, however, 16-year-old enfranchisement on SB8 isn’t just a matter of building a better future. It’s an urgent, immediate issue.

Every day, trans students are hearing their dead names used in classrooms, and trans athletes are being forced off of school sports teams. Every day, LGBTQ youth are watching their very existence be debated in school board meetings across the state. Shouldn’t they have a say in the elected officials sitting on those boards?

Additionally, LGBTQ youth are especially vulnerable to homelessness, and municipal governments make the key decisions about resource distribution to homelessness programs.

Young New Mexicans deserve a say in their education and the elected officials making decisions about their schooling. Ask your legislators to put 16-year-old voting back in SB8!

It's time to Fix the Human Rights Act

We’re proud that New Mexico’s Human Rights Act is one of the strongest in the country, but it’s time for us to make it even stronger.

Senate Bill 152 will clarify and strengthen our existing nondiscrimination law. Not only will it modernize the Human Rights Act’s language surrounding disability, but it will also close an unintentional loophole that has historically allowed state agencies and publicly-funded entities to claim that they’re exempt from the Act. That means that our taxpayer dollars have been used to facilitate discrimination against our friends, family, and neighbors.

The Human Rights Act has always intended to fully protect New Mexicans from discrimination, so we must make that clear and official with this bill.

SB152 is crucial for the safety of our LGBTQ youth, one of the most vulnerable groups of New Mexicans. Queer and trans youth are over-represented in government systems of care, such as foster care and homeless shelters. They experience mistreatment in those systems at disproportionate rates, too. Because many of the providers that support youth are government contractors and grantees, it's essential that these entities are prohibited from discriminating against queer and trans youth seeking help during their time of greatest need.

Here are a few other groups who will also benefit from enhanced protections because of SB152:

• Students, staff, and faculty facing discrimination in public schools and universities

• Citizens accessing the court systems

• LGBTQ families adopting children

• LGBTQ youth, particularly trans or gender non-conforming youth and LGBTQ youth of color, facing disproportionate mistreatment in the juvenile justice system

The passing of SB152 is especially important during the pandemic, as it’s becoming more and more clear that individuals are relying on a multitude of services provided by a myriad of agencies and contractors. This bill will help ensure that all New Mexicans have access to opportunity without discrimination.

At EQNM, we believe every LGBTQ person deserves to live without fear of violence or discrimination, individual or government-sanctioned. Don’t let your taxpayer dollars continue to fund discriminatory practices in New Mexico. Instead, contact your senators and urge them to vote yes on SB152.

Take Action!

As you know, the Legislative Session jumped into high gear, and EQNM will be actively working for liberation throughout the session. Even though (so far) LGBTQ priority legislation didn’t make the list of Priorities, there are still crucial policies we must pursue, and many we must work to stop!

We will have a regular schedule of Phone and Text banking throughout the Session to help our members and supporters engage with lawmakers on the issues impacting our community!

Use these links to sign up now!

Monday, 1/24: Legislative Session Phonebank

Wednesday, 1/26: Legislative Session Phonebank

Thursday, 1/27: Legislative Session Textbank

Monday, 1/31 Legislative Session Phonebank

Wednesday, 2/2: Virtual Advocacy Day - NM Voting Rights Act - plans to come

Wednesday, 2/2: Legislative Session Phonebank

Thursday, 2/3: Legislative Session Textbank

Monday, 2/7: Legislative Session Phonebank 

Wednesday, 2/9: Legislative Session Phonebank 

Thursday, 2/10: Legislative Session Textbank 

Monday, 2/14: Legislative Session Phonebank

Wednesday, 2/16: Legislative Session Phonebank

Kicking off the 2022 Legislative Session - the Governor's Priorities

This afternoon LGBTQ champion, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham gave her State of State address to the NM Legislature. You can find it in the archived Webcast video on NMlegis.gov.  Look for the House Floor session on January 18th, and begin watching at about the 1 pm mark.

Of course - I am disappointed that Governor Lujan Grisham began by urging the Legislature not to be constrained by incrementalism while addressing teachers' wages but seemed to throw that idea out the window once she moved onto other issues.

EQNM has been asking for months for a shortlist of key LGBTQ priorities to be placed on the agenda for this Legislative Session, and we still haven’t heard about any of them from her office.  But we can assume that this list released by her office means that she chose not to include our priorities. I’d hoped that a Governor who has been a champion for us for so many years would have prioritized our issues in her first administration, but we will continue to push forward to encourage her to act in her values.

Arguably the most passionate part of her address was when she chose to focus on crime.  There is no doubt that crime should be a priority issue at all times.  But let’s be 100% clear - more cops do not prevent crime!

The Governor called for a raise for State Police Officers (in our values, we will not oppose raising wages for any workers,) $100Million for hiring and retention of State Police Officers, and keeping people in jail longer/until their trial.

These are the beginning of setting a tone for how we might address crime.   The research and evidence have been clear for a long time - the key to preventing and lowering crime rates is investing in communities to lift people out of poverty, increase access to basic needs, and provide for rehabilitation after a crime is committed.  

Queer and Trans people launched our battle call to our modern fight for equality - with an anti-police-brutality riot at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.  And here we are 53 years later, still having not accomplished any significant police reform.   Law Enforcement Officers often over police, profile, and over-incarcerate LGBTQ people because of bais they inherited or were taught.  And we are often the victims of brutality and unnecessary violence at the hands of the police.  We cannot pretend that it will just be okay to hand over $100 million dollars and focus on hiring and retention of Police Officers - without the need to provide more training and better screening of Law Enforcement Officers before they are handed a gun and badge and sent into our communities.  Especially when the multiple attempts last year to hold Law Enforcement accountable by reforming the Law Enforcement Academy, and the Licensing and Review process were vetoed by this Governor.  

We have always had a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, but the proposal from the Governor and some District Attorneys, to allow individuals accused of a crime to be held unless they can prove they will not commit another crime is in direct violation of that value! And how does one prove they won’t commit a crime in the future?  Is there an option to receive a “Minority Report”, as well, or must we rely on the majority view of the Precogs? 

I am hopeful about the opportunity to discuss these and many other ideas, efforts, and policies that truly would help reduce crime in New Mexico.  EQNM is suited up for this fight and we will keep our members and supporters updated as these proposals move along.

Because we give props when they are due, we must celebrate that the Governor’s Office did make the protection of our democracy a priority for this legislature.  I am so excited to gear up in support of the New Mexico Voting Rights Act - being led by our Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.  We know that our liberation will not be achieved by voting alone, but while we have only this system to work within - we must do everything we can to protect it and ensure its inclusion of all of our communities!

This session is off to a less than ideal start, but I am confident that with the power of our movement behind us, and the invaluable partnerships we have across the state we will make it into a Legislative Session that is transformative for Trans and Queer New Mexicans in all 33 counties!

Update your contact information - or join our movement today - so we can help you engage on these critical issues this Legislative Session!

Giving to our LGBTQ families

We all experience this time of year in different ways.

I’ve been listening to Christmas music for over a week, and just a few days ago I put up my Christmas tree and all the decorations (I love Christmas decorations and music!)

Although we don’t have snow all over town yet - we all know NM winters come somewhat late, and when they come they come furiously.  An especially difficult time for our unhoused and low-income neighbors.

And far too often families in New Mexico, especially those with children at home, lose out on the meals provided at school because of the winter holiday break.   

Sadly, we also have all heard the stories of various charity organizations that have discriminatory - anti-LGBTQ practices sucking up all the resources this time of year.

We don’t want to leave our queer and trans families literally out in the cold, because folks don’t know who or how to give to the charitable organizations that include us.

So we put together a shortlist of LGBTQ-specific organizations to whom you can donate (in the ABQ area) to help with clothing, blankets, and food for our LGBTQ relatives.

If you aren’t in the ABQ area - and you know of LGBTQ inclusive organizations, let us by email we’ll include them the next time around!

So here are a list of organizations and the type of donations they need this time of year:

Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico:

Food: Bottled water (please!), Shelf-stable snacks (chips, granola bars, nuts, etc.), Shelf-stable protein (Vienna sausage, pouched meats/tuna, etc.), Cup of noodle soups.

Clothing: Long-sleeved tops, Leggings or sweat pants, Jeans, Underwear: sizes small-large only, any style or “gender”, Sweatshirts or hoodies, Outerwear including jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, etc.

Folks can drop off donations at TGRCNM - 5600 Domingo Rd NE - on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 1:00-6:00 until Dec. 17 or after Jan 3. 

Imperial Sovereign Court of NM: 

Canned or Boxed: Corn, Green beans, Instant Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Gravy

Drop-off at Swank Salon 1400 Carlisle NE before December 14

ABQ Mutual Aide:

Collecting Coats and Winter clothing for all ages and genders

Drop off at Albuquerque Social Club 4021 Central Ave NE (entrance faces Copper Street) Tuesday - Sunday after 6 pm 

If you have the capacity to support any of these local LGBTQ-specific organizations, we encourage you to do so!

We MUST elect these Champions December 7

On November 2, 2021, the City of Albuquerque saw a shift in the balance of power at the City Council level.  Conservative Activists who have records of being anti-LGBTQ, Anti-Immigrant, and Anti-Reproductive Healthcare took seats that had belonged to moderate or progressive Councilors in the past.

Now we MUST win both of these seats in the run-Off on December 7 - if we have any hope of protecting the work we have done to protect LGBTQ workers, address homelessness, and hold law enforcement accountable for their actions.

We need you to help!  Use these links to sign-up to phone bank or text bank (from anywhere) with EQNM - if our communities don’t know there is an election happening, we have no hope of winning it!

Phone Banks are happening Mondays and Wednesdays with a couple of Fridays and Saturdays and Text Banks are happening Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Monday, November 15th Phone Bank

Tuesday November 16th Text Bank

Wednesday, November 17th Phone Bank

Thursday, November 18th, Text Bank

Monday November 22nd Phone Bank

Tuesday November 23rd Text Bank

Wednesday November 24th Phone Bank

Monday November 29th Phone Bank

Tuesday November 30th Text Bank

Wednesday December 1st Phone Bank

Thursday December 2nd Text Bank

Friday December 3rd Phone Bank

Saturday December 4th Phone Bank

Monday December 6th Phone Bank

Tuesday December 7th Text Bank

EQNM Endorsement Process

Fighters for LGBTQ Liberation, the time is upon us again - Elections are coming up!

Folks across the state will be voting this November, for Mayors, City Councilors, and School Board Members.   And Equality New Mexico will be doing our part to help elect people who will fight for LGBTQ Liberation!

Before we jump in and begin to endorse candidates for these offices - we wanted to just remind our members and friends what this process looks like and what our values are in this fight.

Process:

EQNM Has formed an Endorsement Committee, with the best representation we can get from across the state in our various communities.  We seek to bring the voices of rural NM as well as Albuquerque and Santa Fe. We work to bring Queer, Trans, Nonbinary, Black and Indigenous, and People of Color into this conversation because our community is multi-racial, multi-generational, and multi-issue!

Candidates are asked first to submit a questionnaire, developed by this committee, to respond to a number of questions about our values.   Once the questionnaire is submitted, the committee reviews it and then invites some (if not all) candidates to engage in an interview.  The interview with the entire Endorsement Committee is an opportunity to clarify and elaborate on the answers in the questionnaires.

The Endorsement Committee then deliberates and decides on recommendations for endorsement. Once they have recommended candidates for endorsement, the Board of Equality New Mexico will vote officially whether or not to endorse the candidate(s).

Our Values:

While EQNM feels strongly that representation from our community for our community is critical - we know that more LGBTQ voices in public offices are necessary to further our liberation - we can’t ignore that not all voices from our community will represent our liberation well.  So we ask candidates about a number of issues that impact LGBTQ New Mexicans. 

Queer and Trans people live in every community, are part of every family, and work in every job in the state.  So our community is impacted by issues from healthcare, to economic stability, from education to policing and criminal “justice” policies.

We work toward Reproductive, Economic, and broad Social Justice policies.  We think about policies regarding policing and incarceration, healthcare access, education, immigration, and nondiscrimination.

As our endorsement committee begins to do this work, we wanted to make sure our members know about this process, and how and why we make these decisions.  We will continue to strive to be transparent and accountable to our community.    

EQNM is hiring!

The team at Equality New Mexico is growing and expanding. Please consider applying and sharing this announcement.

Equality New Mexico seeking an entry-level Communications Associate to focus on content production and placement.

Equality New Mexico, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy and public education organization, is expanding our team. We are searching for an excited and eager entry-level Communications Associate that wants to be active in the LGBTQ movement in New Mexico.

The position is part-time with the possibility of expanding to full-time in the future.   

Key Responsibilities:

• Content Creation

  • Draft and format key content for emails, social media, op-eds, and other communications methods.

  • The position will be a key part of a team charged with redefining the style and “voice” of the organization in all communications.

  • The position will work with leadership to develop a communications calendar and then create content to implement Style and Brand guidance.

• Social Media Management

  • Create and execute social media strategy to engage EQNM audience 

  • Monitor and uplift the digital presence of partner organizations on intersecting issues.

  • Work with Graphic Designer and Community Organizer to create media assets that engage and empower the EQNM audience

  • Monitor social media posts for comments/engagement and implement EQNM policies.

• Be a team player

  • Engage with the EQNM team (staff, Boards, and key community leaders) to continuously shape and implement projects, values, and tactics that work for our movement.

  • Give and receive feedback from mentors, leaders, and staff about engagement, messaging, projects, and EQNM’s role in the broader world.

• Qualifications

  • Open-minded and eager to learn

  • Passion for LGBTQ issues at the intersection of race, gender, and class

  • Interest in systemic change and upending oppressive systems

  • Willing to travel occasionally

Interested Applicants can apply by email Marshall@eqnm.org with a resume, and a writing sample of less than 500 words. Please also include a few sentences on why statewide advocacy work on LGBTQ issues appeals to you, and what motivates you to create a better New Mexico.

Equality New Mexico is a systemic change organization that works to identify and uproot systemic causes of oppression of LGBTQ New Mexicans. We organize, develop leaders, provide political education and engagement to queer and trans New Mexicans to help them shift the use of power in New Mexico so that the systems we live and interact with help us thrive. 

EQNM  is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, familial status, military status, religion, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. We welcome and encourage applications from people of color, indigenous people, and transgender people.

Executive Director Announcement

Marshall Martinez was appointed as Interim Executive Director of Equality New Mexico (EQNM) and the EQNM Foundation in September of 2020. The previous Executive Director had been placed on administrative leave and then resigned his position, and there was an urgent need to find a replacement for him. Martinez, who had been involved with EQNM and the EQNM Foundation since 2002, was a member of a working committee whose goal was to rebuild and grow the organizations. He volunteered to serve as Interim Executive Director for a six month period to stabilize the organization. This helped the all-volunteer board mitigate the struggle of trying to engage in a search during this tumultuous time. The six month period is nearing its end and the boards have just completed an evaluation of his job performance.

EQNM and the EQNM Foundation conducted a community survey to obtain community input for our evaluation of Martinez’ performance. The responses from the community indicated the community was very pleased in the organizations’ new direction and approaches, as well as with the work and efforts of Marshall Martinez as interim Executive Director.

The EQNM and EQNM Foundation boards of directors are also very pleased with Martinez’ efforts over the past five/six months. Here are some results from a community survey that 66 people responded to earlier this year:

• How would you rate your overall impressions of EQNM leadership right now? More than 70% of respondents rated their impressions as a 9 or 10 on a scale of 10.

• Among the 52 respondents who had interacted with the Interim Executive Director, 73% rated their interactions with him as a 10 out of 10.

• When asked how they would rate the current direction of EQNM Legislative Advocacy work, more than 75% rated it as a 9 or a 10.

• More than 65% of respondents recommended EQNM to friends/family who are interested in LGBTQ issues.

• Finally, more than 74% of respondents supported removing the "Interim" from Marshall’s title, making him the official Executive Director of Equality New Mexico.

 As a result of the board’s and the community’s positive assessment of Martinez’ performance since his appointment, the board has offered Marshall Martinez the Executive Director position at EQNM and EQNMF on a permanent basis.

Martinez’ first Community Organizing job was at EQNM in 2002-2003 - when it was fighting for Workplace Discrimination protections at the State Legislature. In the years since Marshall has continued his activism and advocacy work, having supported many candidates and elected officials in their bids for public office on political campaigns.  Marshall was the Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico for 5 years.  Marshall is no stranger to the work and has proven to be well-suited to pick up the decades long mantle of EQNM and move us into the next decade.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors - Equality New Mexico and Equality New Mexico Foundation

We had to say something about this.

We have less than 20 hours to go in this legislative session - and there is so much left to do.

If you haven’t followed a New Mexico legislative session, a lot can get done in the last 24 hours, and we'll send out a full report over the weekend. 

Some great policies have been developed and moved through the processes, and it's even better that some great ones will still get over the finish line. I can’t wait to share with you all that list of bold policies when it’s over.

But right now, we just have to say a few things about this session:

This legislative session is not the first to be full of rampant sexism, racism, and homophobia, but this time it was much more public - this time it happened under a spotlight.

No doubt it came to an awful boiling point last evening on the Senate floor during debate about Paid Sick Leave.  But it was just that, a boiling point, not an isolated incident.

This is the most diverse legislature we’ve ever seen in New Mexico. The House is majority women, we have our first African American Senator, six openly gay and lesbian legislators across both chambers, and we've made huge strides toward a more representative legislature.

But we all know, when the balance of power begins to shift, those who have always held it start to grasp on to the past even harder - often in the worst ways.

In this session, we have seen committee members ask a Cabinet Secretary nominee if her race would prevent her from doing a good job. We have seen a committee member call the cops on a black woman who was supporting a bill - because she didn’t like the things she said. We saw the same representative accuse our own EQNM staff of “blasting and disrespecting law enforcement” after sharing his own very real, very specific story of a harmful incident with a police officer. 

Women, queer, and BIPOC legislators have been denied time to present their bills in committee.  Those who were allowed have been belittled, demeaned, and disrespected in some of the most abusive ways.  

Though usually more subtle, last night’s abuse of the President ProTemp Mimi Stewart on the Senate Floor was in fact that boiling point.  

The response, the policies we have all worked so hard on, and the next steps are still being developed.  But right now, we have to be clear - we are grateful for all of those legislators standing strong - exhausted though they may be - on behalf of our communities.

 Sign up here to stay updated as this all unfolds.

We are revolutionary in our existence alone.

I’ve asked our Community Organizer to share his experiences on House Bill 304 with the EQNM Community.  Below are his thoughts, but first Quick recap: HB304 introduced by Representatives Cook, Montoya, Townsend, Lord, and Black, was an attack on transgender youth in sports. The so-called “Women’s Sports Protection Act'' claimed an inherent supremacy of males in athletics, and prohibited trans youth from playing sports on the team of their identity.  While it claimed to be saving spots in school and youth sports for cisgender women and girls, it really was just a way to put blatant transphobia and sexism into legislation. HB304 was tabled (did not pass) in it’s first committee last week. Read what Andrew had to say about it below.

House Bill 304, the anti-trans athlete bill, brought a storm to New Mexico — not only a storm of transphobia and sexism, but a more powerful storm of strong, resilient, and fierce advocates. I cannot adequately explain how it feels as a young, trans masculine and queer person to see communities come together in this way. 

I was unsure of how the conversation was going to go and it was a scary feeling going into the house public affairs committee to testify against HB304. I had no idea what I was going to say. I wasn’t ready for the questions and hateful commentary from the elected officials on the committee. On top of that, I was unprepared to practice self care after the fact. My community partners, particularly those with the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Services, the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, the Gender and Sexualities Alliance Network and Bold Futures, made sure that I felt supported and protected. They patiently answered my questions (all 10 million of them), reassured  me of my boundaries, and offered up emotional labor afterwards. I have said it before, and I will say it again: I am so grateful for my New Mexico community. Our community is what makes us so powerful.

So, we did it; we killed HB 304. We can take a deep sigh of relief, knowing that we are strong enough to take on anything. We cannot ignore the damage this bill has already done, however. 

Transphobic policy treats us — transgender and gender nonconforming youth — like pawns. We are simply a talking point used to push policy that doesn’t benefit anyone. Our livelihood erased, our humanity ignored. It also serves as a painful reminder how our existence is viewed.

Listening to my community partners give their testimony in committee made me feel incredibly empowered. It is beyond difficult to listen to an elected official justify transphobia, and I am amazed by my community’s ability to fight through that with messages of hope, change, and inclusion. A half hour of public comment grounded in supporting our trans youth was exactly what I needed at that time. 

To my transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, two spirit, gender nonconforming, and gender fluid friends, family, and community members: 

You are not alone in this fight. We see you, we hear you, and we are always going to show up. We are revolutionary in our existence alone. 

Senator Schmedes doesn't think we deserve healthcare

Senator Greg Schmedes (R-SD 19) represents pieces of Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Sandoval, & Torrance Counties and actively works against the LGBTQ community in New Mexico. In his time in the House and now the Senate, he has introduced and sponsored many discriminatory bills. And he just doesn't stop.

Schmedes is a trained doctor and surgeon when he’s not serving in the Roundhouse and is leading the charge on SB 323 this session, the so-called “Healthcare Protections Act.” But it doesn’t protect New Mexicans. You want to know what this bill does? SB 323 would write into law that health care workers can openly discriminate and withhold care from LGBTQ individuals and families - no matter how critical that healthcare may be. 

His bill would allow medical staff to refuse almost any kind of care, to any person, and the patient would have no recourse if they were harmed - and we have to stop it. 

This bill puts the “right to discriminate” above the healthcare needs of the patient, and doesn’t even require that the patient be directed to someone else who can help them.

Not only is Senator Schmedes sponsoring a bill that would harm communities across the state, he also has time to serve as the New Mexico Director of the American Academy of Medical Ethics. Sounds legit, right? Well - this “academy” equates homosexuality to alcoholism or substance abuse disorders and believes that homosexuality is unhealthy and leads to damaging consequences for patients. AAME believes that homosexuality “can be cured.” 

Not only that, AAME also believes that individuals will lead “healthier and fulfilled lives” only if they identify with their biological sex. AAME is “concerned that efforts to compel healthcare professionals to affirm transgender ideology, provide medical legitimization for transgender psychology, or cooperate with requests for medical or surgical sex reassignment threaten professional integrity.”

 They - and Senator Schmedes - literally believe that the integrity of the medical profession is best suited when providers are able to discriminate and harm their patients.

This is the kind of dangerous rhetoric and ideology that we’re up against in our fight for justice and progress. 

Senator Schmedes and his fellow conservatives in the New Mexico legislature do not care about their constituents or building a better tomorrow for all of us - they are only concerned about preserving outdated power structures that hold our communities down. 

Join EQNM by donating today and help us show Senator Schmedes that New Mexico will not stand for his hatred and antiquated ideals. Our state depends on us. 

This never should have happened...

Yesterday was an intense day for the EQNM team.

On the high notes: HB142 the Affirmative Consent Education bill was given a unanimous, bipartisan endorsement from the House Health and Human Services Committee.

This was, in part because our Community Organizer, Andrew Echols spoke powerfully and eloquently about the need for teaching Affirmative Consent, and making sure that accusations and investigations of sexual misconduct are followed through. 

Andrew shared a deeply personal story, about experiencing harassment at the hand of law enforcement, in his dorm room on campus at his college.   He was misgendered, and harassed about the name on his ID by the officer.

The point of his story is that he went to the appropriate reporting entity, in 2019 when this happened, and he has still not received any follow up from Campus officials.  

What happened later, was shocking to me.  State Representative Stefani Lord mischaracterized Andrews' comments, and accused him of something he flat out didn’t do.  And she wasn’t kind when she did it.

Rep. Lord accused Andrew of being the 4th person before her committee who cast blanket accusations about all law enforcement being terrible. Which is NOT what Andrew did when he shared one specific story about one specific officer.  And it’s worth noting he spoke to the issue of educating young people about affirmative consent, and the issue of campuses having mechanisms in place for proper follow-up.

Rep. Lord not only accused Andrew of making this blanket accusation, but she told him she offered this “as advice” because “when you make broad accusations about law enforcement you take me out of the game.”

I just have to share with our members how proud I am of Andrew, our Organizer! He shared a personal, emotionally harmful story about being harassed because of his Gender Identity-then the story of being re-traumatized by campus officials in handling the issue.   

Andrew was strong, vulnerable, and authentic in expressing the experience that too many LGBTQ young people face.

Rep. Lord was dismissive, paternalistic, condescending, and she was wrong.

Racial justice is an LGBTQ issue

Our communities - communities of color, LGBTQ communities, Black and Indigenous communities, all deserve a way to fight for the rights we have been granted but are often not respected. As you’ve heard us say before, EQNM is working toward liberation and justice for ALL New Mexicans, and we believe that we cannot fight for LGBTQ justice without fighting for racial justice.

EQNM supports HB4, the NM Civil Rights Act - as well as HB29 & SB80, No School Discrimination for Hair (aka the CROWN Act) as part of our fight for racial justice. Keep reading below to find out more about why we’re standing behind our partners and with our communities on these efforts.

NM Civil Rights Act

Civil Rights, as recognized by our state Constitution, have no value if they aren’t enforced. HB 4 gives everyday citizens an opportunity for their day in court if their civil rights have been violated by a government body or program, including by local law enforcement.

We cannot rely on our governments, state, national or local, to always be fair and just. We need the Civil rights Act, because citizens should be able to hold their government accountable when our civil rights are violated.

With the New Mexico Civil Rights Act we can hold public officials who commit acts of wrongdoing accountable and guarantee every community gets fair and equal treatment under the Bill of Rights provided by our state Constitution. 

A huge piece of this bill will remove qualified immunity from our law enforcement agencies. Qualified immunity has allowed government agencies, individual staff, and law enforcement officers to be immune from Court - they can even avoid hearings, depositions, or being compelled to testify under oath. Every individual must be held accountable for their actions, and getting rid of qualified immunity will make our law enforcement officers and programs more just and fair.

NM Crown Act

As LGBTQ people, we have always known the impact of discrimination on individuals, on whole communities.  In fact, LGBTQ people in New Mexico have been working since 1993 to be granted access to basic human rights, most importantly to be protected from discrimination against us, in our jobs, in our schools, in our housing, and in public.

We applaud and strongly support the Crown Act, an effort to clarify in statute what so many of us have always known - without clarification, those that would discriminate against us, based on our sexual orientation, race, gender identity or religion  - will do so based on their perception of us, not their knowledge of us. The color of our skin, the way we style our hair, the physicality of how we carry ourselves - are all characteristics that often identify us as queer or trans people.

When we amended the Human Rights Act in New Mexico in 2003 we wrote langauge that ensured that LGBTQ people could not be discriminated against-fired from their job - because of the impression or perception of their gender identity. That is because we knew, even then, that it is the perception of people, physical visible characteristics, or assumptions made based on those characteristics, can result in discriminatory practice.

Equality New Mexico sees this clarification as a strengthening of the Human Rights Act. The thought put into this is one step closer to achieving full liberation for all New Mexicans, especially queer and trans New Mexicans who deserve to be given every opportunity to thrive, in education, in workplaces and in our communities.

Rebuilding the Movement -- what does that even mean?

The LGBTQ movement for liberation has been long, evolving, and continues to ebb and flow with time. Equality NM is much like this. Founded in 1993, we have had multiple names, various priority projects, many different leaders and our share of good times and rough times.  So when we say we are “rebuilding the movement” what do we mean?

We cannot ignore some of the realities of our movement over history, we cannot pretend we have not had problematic times or done harmful things.  The larger LGBTQ  “movement” has in times dropped the “T” when convenient, we have at times whitewashed our movement, we have sanitized our community for public consumption and political expediency - and all of those actions have at times been hurtful to many people. As with many social movements, the LGBTQ liberation movement is refocusing to repair previous damage and to build power for our entire community.

As with many organizations, EQNM has at times focused on policy work, other times our work focused on public education; we have worked “behind the scenes” and times when our work was on TV. And we are in transition and growth again now.

So when EQNM says we are rebuilding the movement, this is what we mean - it's a combination of being present in the social moment to repair damages previously done, and using our organization’s internal transition to refocus our work. We’ve always been an organization committed to public education, advocacy, and civic engagement that works toward the liberation of all New Mexicans from oppression by focusing on the liberation of LGBTQ people. So that's not changing, how we achieve that is what's shifting. That's the movement we are rebuilding.  

We’re going to refocus on energy on community organizing first and foremost. We build power through our people. By identifying, engaging, and recruiting queer and trans leaders across the state, especially LGBTQ Black, Indigneous and people of color from rural communities, we will begin to weave a web of connected leaders who are building power in their own communities. Imagine a giant spiderweb of connected, trained, engaged queer and trans leaders across the state, who can “sound the alarm” when policies are being proposed that might harm us. Imagine the support we can give each other once we’ve connected that web, to help shift the culture in oru communities so that those policies aren’t even introduced. 

We already know that Women of color (especially trans women of color) are most severely impacted when policies shift. We know that queer and trans people of color are most likely to experience violence in our communities driven by hatred or bias.  And it is no surprise to many of us that LGBTQ Black and Indiginous people are most more likely to be impacted by systems of incarceration. So how will “rebuilding the movement” help with this?

By refocusing our work to center LGBTQ people of color, Black folx and Indigenous people; we will bring those most severely impacted by policy to the center of the conversation about policies. Weaving this web of leaders across the state will create spaces for our community to share powerful stories, to share experiences that can teach us, and to share practices that allow us to build our power and influence in society. It’s about rebuilding a movement of people, not about lifting up a logo.  It’s about rebuilding the movement so it reflects all of our communities, not the version most publicly acceptable at the moment.

So when I say I am committed to rebuilding a movement at EQNM, I’m not saying that we won’t continue to celebrate our movement’s past victories, I’m not saying we haven’t come a long way - we certainly are a far cry further down the road of liberation that we were in 1993, or 2003, or even 2013. I’m saying we can take this moment to rebuild, to reshape our priorities, refocus our energies, and rebuild for the future of LGBTQ liberation. We will put resources into finding, recruiting and training leaders in all of our communities across the state, starting with our siblings in rural communities who are often isolated but still working on powerful solutions to serious problems in their hometowns.  We will put time and intentional energy into making sure our movement is led by our siblings who have been historically left out or pushed to the side.  

And we will rebuild our organization’s role in this movement.  We will work to repair the relationships we’ve lost or broken in the past. We will work to uplift the work of our partners as equal to our own. We will be clear about when it is our time to lead, and when it's our time to follow and be supportive.  And we will be intentional and intersectional in our approach. Our intersectional existences are our power; the intersectional oppressions that we face were built to keep us down. EQNM will speak out for reproductive rights, abortion, and paid sick leave because they are LGBTQ issues.  And we will speak out about them with pride as we work side-by-side with our partners as we work towards liberation for all.

Amidst the Chaos - we will be fighting for LGBTQ equality.

Friends and Supporters of Equality New Mexico. Throughout the Legislative Session the EQNM team will add information here to keep you updated on who we are, what we’re working on, and what you can do to help! Check back for updates at least once a week!

We’re hearing a lot of news revolving around the Roundhouse and the state of emergency that was filed last week. With all this in mind, EQNM knows New Mexico’s 2021 legislative session is going to be one like we’ve never seen before. With Governor Lujan Grisham’s aggressive agenda to move our state towards progress, we’re going to have to fight with all our might to ensure that EQNM’s priority bills are passed in the next 90 days.

Our top priorities? Paid sick leave. Banning panic defense. Affirmative consent education. Workers’ justice. Getting rid of the old abortion ban on the books. And nondiscrimination laws for our LGBTQ+ community. 

Even amidst the threatened violence at the Roundhouse and towards our elected officials, EQNM will continue to advocate for justice for all New Mexicans. We cannot waste the momentum we saw in November of 2020, with our new legislature being the most LGBTQ+ friendly and diverse we’ve ever seen. The 2020 elections determined the possibility of change, and now we need your help to enact and advocate for change through this tumultuous session. 

Join EQNM on Facebook and online to stay up to date with our work. Thank you for your support and for continuing to fight with us for New Mexico!

Rebuilding a movement - 2021 Legislative Agenda

Equality New Mexico has an ambitious Legislative Agenda and we're going to need your help!

In 2021 we will:

• Repeal New Mexico's old abortion ban to ensure all people, especially LGBTQ people, have access to quality individualized health care without government interference.

• Ban Panic Defense to make sure New Mexicans can't blame irrational fears for violence against our community.

• Begin dismantling health care discrimination to guarantee all LGBTQ people can get the healthcare they need while having their identities respected.

• Require teaching Affirmative Consent as part of every Sex Ed curriculum in the state: because queer and trans youth deserve to be safe in all situations including sexual activity.

• Collect Sexual Orientation and Gender Identitiy data for State Services so we truly know how many in our communities are in getting the services they need.

Queer liberation  is intersectional and encompasses a wide array of issues.  LGBTQ people are workers, and parents, we are active community members and we live in all identities.  So EQNM will support partners who are leading efforts to:

• Guarantee Paid Sick Leave, because LGBTQ are at higher risk during a pandemic. Public health, the health of our own communities, needs us to be able to stay home when we are sick.

• Address Family and Medical Leave laws to apply to all of our families regardless of how we form them.

• Continue working the long fight for Racial Justice by supporting passage of the Crown Act in New Mexico. No one, especially Black and Indigenous Queer and Trans people should lose their job or education because of their protective hairstyles.

If we are going to be successful in this legislative agenda, we need your support to act now.  We are rebuilding a movement, and in these pandemic times we will need extra resources to organize, develop leadership and ensure that our LGBTQ voices can be heard by the Legislature.

2020 General Election Endorsements

New Mexico has always valued diversity, and we are truly a Land of Enchantment that has been welcoming and loving of our LGBTQ neighbors. But we are on the verge of making history!!! This year New Mexicans have a chance to elect 6 openly gay or lesbian candidates to the State Legislature. Check out the endorsements of openly LGBTQ Candidates below! Don’t forget to vote on or before Nov 3rd - as safely as you can.

EQNM Interim Executive Director

Supporters, Members and Friends of EQNM,      

I’m so excited to have a chance to introduce myself to you.  

As you may have heard  I have been appointed by the Board of Directors at EQNM as the Interim Executive Director.  I am both thrilled and honored to be taking up this position.

I'm no stranger to the fight for equality and liberation, my first job in the activism world was in fact here at EQNM.  I’ve worked as an organizer and political strategist for multiple candidates and organizations; from fighting climate change with the League of Conservation Voters to working for fair pay and safe working conditions with AFSCME-the public employees labor union. All personal fights because, like all of us, I have lived a multi-issue life.

I was born and raised in Alamogordo, New Mexico to a working-class family and a group of particularly strong women (and a few great men, too!)  In High School, I worked to educate young people about safer sex.  That’s when I learned that the rules don’t always align with what’s best for us.  I was proud to lead a group of youth who fought sex-ed rules in Alamogordo Public Schools that banned the carrying or distribution of condoms on campus.

When I moved to Albuquerque to attend UNM, I was bitten by the political bug.  I left UNM to work on multiple candidate campaigns, and for the Democratic Party. I’ve been doing it ever since.  Most recently I was the New Mexico Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains; leading the charge to grow that department in New Mexico from a staff of 1 and a roughly $50,000 per year budget to a political force - 6 full-time staff across the state and a 98% “win-rate” for PP endorsed candidates in New Mexico.

I'm excited to bring these experiences, my truly intersectional approach, and my passion for building coalitions and organizing across the state, to EQNM!  

But I strongly believe the African Proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together."  

That’s why I’m going to ask you to join me, to join us, in building a new EQNM that can harness and focus the power of LGBTQ New Mexicans across the state.  Those asks will come, but today I just want to let you know who is at the helm.

Of course, I do live outside of my work, though often not much.  In a pre-pandemic world, I could often be found performing as a drag queen at the Albuquerque Social Club or traveling with my closest friends. Now I wind down by sewing or reading at home or binge-watching legal and medical dramas on TV.  

Together I know that we can create and achieve a policy that betters the lives of Queer and Trans-New Mexicans, and that we can ensure the voices of LGBTQ+ people across New Mexico are heard in every place where decisions are made.  These will be my priorities, and I hope they will be among yours as well. 

I look forward to working with you,

Marshall Martinez 

Marshall Martinez

Interim Executive Director

Transitions at EQNM

Dear EQNM Members and Supporters

2020 has brought with it shifts and changes, in each of our lives. Some better, some worse. Equality New Mexico, and Equality New Mexico Foundation’s Board of Directors hope that you, your families, and our communities are weathering this tumultuous year, in the best possible ways.   Our thoughts are with members of the Queer and Trans communities, with New Mexicans across the state in this time of global pandemic, political uprisings, and economic struggles.

Equality New Mexico is also experiencing transition in this time, as many would expect.  From shifting our work to be more digital, helping our communities feel connected in an isolating world, to turning our eyes to the General Election where New Mexicans will elect 112 State Legislators, and Americans will choose a direction for the next four years. As you know Adrian Carver served as the organization's Executive Director for 3 years, a term that ended this July.  We thank Adrian for his work and service to our LGBTQ community across New Mexico. 

Equality New Mexico is excited to welcome an Interim Executive Director, Marshall Martinez.

Marshall is not new to Equality New Mexico, in fact his first Community Organizing job was at EQNM in 2002-2003 - when we were fighting for Workplace Discrimination protections at the State Legislature. New to Albuquerque, Marshall was born and raised in Alamogordo, New Mexico and was a student at UNM when he started this work.   In the years since Marshall has continued his activism and advocacy work, having supported many candidates and elected officials in their bids for public office on political campaigns.  Marshall was the Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico for 5 years, successfully overseeing the growth of that department to be the political force of nature it is now, while also working to help PPRM address abortion stigma through education and reshaping the organization’s image in New Mexico communities.  Marshall is no stranger to the work, and is well-suited to pick up the mantle of EQNM and move us into the next decade. 

Marshall will excitedly hit the ground running, and will make himself available for conversations with our Queer and Trans communities across the state in the coming weeks.  We are excited and grateful to have Marshall’s leadership as we continue though the growth that 2020 has thrust upon us all.

The Boards of Directors want to take this moment to reaffirm our core values, as a diverse and  inclusive education and advocacy organization for LGBTQ New Mexicans. We work in solidarity with those most impacted by policy change, especially communities of color, and we look to the leadership of Queer and Trans people of color as we work collaboratively to strengthen the voices of our communities.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors

Equality New Mexico and Equality New Mexico Foundation