DOÑA ANA COUNTY, N.M. – To quote John Lewis, “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” Although we face uncertainty and fear, we will keep standing up for equality for all. Let us turn these times of grieving and transform them into positive action. We will continue our commitment to a world fueled with love, compassion, and justice over hate. 

No matter how challenging times may seem we will not be disheartened. We will remain faithful and have the courage to stand up for ourselves and others. It’s important to note that change requires time and a strong collective effort. Remember, achieving our goals is not a sprint but rather a marathon.

Rising Youth is an organization led by young people representing the diverse experiences and identities of our home in Southern New Mexico. Our commitment, love, and support is with the BIPOC, low-income, immigrant, queer youth we work alongside everyday.  

So, what do we do now? We grieve, we rest, and we cry together. But tomorrow — we organize. 

We radically choose hope over despair, in awareness that the true transformational power needed to build the world we envision lies within us. We continue to create spaces to share joy, to accompany our collective sorrows, and to give attention, love, and tenderness to our collective needs.

Although our future seems uncertain, we are committed to standing together in solidarity and supporting our community members in the face of adversity. 

We will manage to persevere through these difficult times. Despite the challenges that are yet to come, our young leaders demonstrate strong resilience and are prepared now more than ever to use their collective strength and power to advocate for themselves and their communities. 

Together, we are committed to standing strong and promoting a message of love, hope, and unity. 

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Rising Youth NM is an empowering youth organizing program by NM CAFe, dedicated to cultivating the next generation of leaders in Southern New Mexico.