The Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) family of organizations and programs, released the following statement regarding the events in Charlottesville. The CVNM family of organizations includes Conservation Voters New Mexico and Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund (CVNMEF) and its dedicated organizing programs that work with communities directly impacted by pollution, many of which are communities of color.
CVNM mourns the lives that were lost in Charlottesville, stands with the victims, and strongly condemns the white supremacist terror attack that shook our nation last weekend. We will continue to fight against bigotry, racism, and the systems of power and structural inequity that disenfranchise our communities and our planet.
New Mexico is a state that contains multitudes of cultures. It’s part of what makes us unique. In the past few days, we’ve witnessed communities across our state come together to reject statements of hatred and intolerance. Despite the strength and resiliency that is at the heart of New Mexico, we still deal with systemic issues, like environmental racism.
The white supremacists and neo-Nazis that we saw in Charlottesville stand for the proposition that the structures of our society should be oriented to silence the voices of diversity. At CVNM/CVNMEF, we work with communities who will tell you that racism is built into our nation’s institutions. The result is that sources of pollution are often in close proximity and directly impact communities of color.
We’re committed to identifying and addressing environmental racism here in New Mexico and standing in solidarity with the communities most impacted by pollution. We’re honored to have your support in doing so.
