From the Director
On Saturday, November 7, Joe Biden was declared our nation’s President-elect and Kamala Harris was declared our Vice-President elect, making her the first woman and the first Black and Indian-American to hold the office. People around the world joined us in collective celebration to mark the end of the most destructive administration in American history.
Demis Foster, CVNM Executive Director
That night I, like so many, looked forward to my first restful sleep in ages. Around midnight, a thunderbolt cracked so loudly, I thought my windows would break. You could see the lightning flashing and wind whipping through the trees before a massive hailstorm pelted the high desert. The next morning I walked outside to that sweet smell of wet earth so distinctive to the Southwest. The sun was warming up a crisp November day in a calm blue sky. We had just received a cathartic cleanse from Mother Nature to begin a new era of hope and healing.
New Mexicans understand the power of nature profoundly. We are bound by centuries of deep connection to this land and reverence for our air, water, wildlife and culture. These values were reinforced by the record number of voters who turned out to cast their vote for a President who ran on the most ambitious climate platform in history.
Here at home, we also voted for a full slate of pro-climate candidates in the New Mexico House and Senate – people who will represent their long held conservation values. Some of our election milestones include voting in over 50% women to the NM House for the first time, electing the first African American into the Senate, and the first transgender Representative. More women and people of color ran and won then ever before, and they ran on pro-climate platforms. The pro-environmental majority was significantly strengthened in the Senate and we defended our pro-conservation majority in the House. We are now strongly positioned in both chambers and in the administration to pass equitable proactive legislation to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink.
We don’t yet know what the upcoming session will look like in terms of timing and how it will be held due to Covid-19, but our legislative team is already preparing for an ambitious pro-active agenda. We look forward to keeping you updated on how you can support this work and engage in the legislative process. It’s Conservation Voters like you who help build on the momentum that we have already created in tackling the climate crisis, addressing racial inequities, strengthening our economy, and protecting the health of our communities. Together we are powerful.
Thank you for being a Conservation Voter!
Demis
