05/02/2016
On behalf of the New Mexico Forum Family, we wanted to send a personal note of thanks and deep appreciation for you as young leaders and longtime community partners. We have some sad news to share about the Forum.
Much like many non-profits across the State, we’ve been struggling with decreased funding opportunities and recently learned that a significant portion of our funding was cut. These dramatic funding cuts led our Board to vote to end all Forum initiatives on June 30, 2016. During this transition, our Board is committed to mobilizing and getting back to the volunteer-based convening structure from which the Forum originated (please see the full Board message here: http://www.nmfyc.org/ #!board-of-directors-message/rvs0c and direct questions to [email protected]).
Though the New Mexico Youth Alliance and Public Allies New Mexico will not be housed at the Forum beyond June, we believe the work done over the previous 11 years will continue to thrive through each and every one of you. These are just a few of the many successes to which you all have contributed:
-National and Statewide impact on Positive Youth Development, Authentic Youth and Civic Engagement.
-Over 500 young people across New Mexico served 2-year terms as Youth Alliance members, representing youth voice with their legislators, tribal council members, mayors, city council members, school boards and communities.
-Over 200 youth-led community impact projects resulting in local, state and tribal policy changes, increased opportunities for youth leadership, awareness campaigns and peer education addressing poverty, child abuse and neglect, r**e culture, and environmental racism, and reducing dating violence, su***de, substance abuse, bullying, and early/unplanned pregnancy.
-158 Public Allies successfully graduating, investing 223,513 hours of service in communities statewide, with 17 in current nonprofit leadership positions
-Creating a thriving Leaders Organizing to Unite and Decriminalize (LOUD) youth advisory council to the Bernalillo County Juvenile Justice system, resulting in local and state policy transformation which positively impacted young people and their families.
-Developing the Nation’s first youth-led means restriction campaign, Gun Access and Su***de Prevention (GASP), focusing on the intersections of gun access, gun safety and su***de prevention.
-Meaningfully contributed to the Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RRED Committee) in partnership with young people, community stakeholders, juvenile justice and children’s court staff, and law enforcement to promote healing, systems transformation, and anti-racism work.
As a member of our Forum Family, we felt it was really important that you hear it from us. We know many feelings will arise as a result of this transition and we welcome you to join us for our Board and Community Dialogue, May 3, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in the Forum Community Room, 924 Park Avenue SW, Ste. E, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102. This convening is a space to answer questions and gain feedback on ways to continue this work statewide. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you this Tuesday.
With deep respect,
Anna Nelson, LISW
Executive Director
505.319.8822
Board of Directors Message
