NMVC News:

New Mexico Voices For Children (NMVC) announced that BSP Research has release a comprehensive statewide survey revealing that a large segment of the state’s Hispanic population, including immigrants, continues to struggle financially.

The poll demonstrates the continued economic vulnerability of families who have experienced a reduction of income and who have been excluded from assistance such as unemployment payments, cash relief, and stimulus programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Local elected officials, who signed a statewide letter calling for the use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for COVID-19 economic relief, participated in a press conference Thursday to urge the Legislature to invest a portion of its surplus and ARPA funding on cash and stimulus relief.    

The survey, conducted with 1,000 Hispanic adults in New Mexico was commissioned by the New Mexico Economic Relief Working Group (ERWG), which is comprised of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, Comunidades de Fe en Acción (CAFé), NMVC and the Partnership for Community Action.

The survey was a follow-up to a Latino Decisions survey commissioned by the EWRG that was released in June, 2020.   

Speakers at Thursday’s press conference included:

• Dr. Gabriel Sanchez, Lead Researcher, BSP Research;
• Las Cruces City Councilor & Mayor Pro Tem Kasandra Gandara, District 1;
• Santa Fe County Commissioner Anna Hansen, District 2;
• Albuquerque City Council President, Isaac Benton, District 2; and
• Mirna Lazcano, El CENTRO member, family impacted by COVID.