Democracy Issues:
Democracy Matters
An equitable and just democracy is critical to ensuring that our government serves and represents all New Mexicans and all communities. The communities hardest hit by climate change and plagued with legacy pollution – rural, Indigenous and/or communities of color – have also historically been denied access to the ballot box.
In 2021 alone, 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting, and more than 440 bills were introduced in 49 states. These restrictions disproportionately target voters of color, creating more obstacles to prevent communities from exercising their right to vote.
CVNM works to connect communities of color, Indigenous communities, low-wealth communities, rural communities, and young voters to our country’s civic process. The power to fight back against corporate polluters and take state action on climate grows when every voice in every community is represented in our democracy.
Related Work
Learn more about your political power.
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Environmental issues have always been social justice issues. From toxic dumping and exploitation to land removal and annexation, frontline communities – especially Indigenous, rural, and communities of color – have borne the brunt of environmental injustice.
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New Mexico’s Indigenous, low-income, rural, and communities of color are most severely affected by the symptoms of climate change - higher temperatures, worsening drought, and more extreme weather in general. These same communities also experience systemic obstacles to civic engagement, and as a result have been traditionally and historically left…
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New Mexico will boost democracy with its Voting Rights Act By Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Luján, Melanie Stansbury, Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernández Published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on February 27, 2023 On Jan. 6, 2021, a group of insurrectionists sought to overthrow a legitimate American election, challenging…
Broad-Based Support
CVNM partners with and supports these organizations in order to connect New Mexicans to the issues that matter most to them.
Special thanks to…