News Release
October 10, 2019
Contact: Kelly Francisco, 505-681-1046 or [email protected]
The Native American Voters Alliance Education Project (NAVAEP) and NM Native Vote are beginning our search for a new Executive Director to ensure our next generation of advocacy, organizing and voter engagement continues forward. “We’re excited to move our work forward although we’re sad to see our current Executive Director leave. She helped create a pathway that we’re excited to continue” said Board President Kelly Francisco, Diné.
“NAVA was actually a strategy that was implemented to protect the Petroglyph National Monument from being desecrated by road construction. So, we’ve been around for a while, making sure our people are not disenfranchised” said Board member Joseph Ray, Laguna Pueblo.
“The new Executive will need to be an experienced community leader, who can navigate the complex contemporary issues facing our people and demonstrate the highest commitment to Indigenous values. Each Native community is distinct from one another; we share a lot of similar challenges but each of our communities are very distinct,” explains Board member Julia Bernal of Sandia Pueblo.
Board member, Thelma Antonio of Laguna Pueblo, adds, “It is important to continue the outreach and community engagement work that’s been started. With the changing environment and political climate this organization is a conduit for providing information and educating communities in the rural and urban areas.”
NAVAEP and the NM Native Vote are sister organizations. NAVAEP is focused on the community education, the 2020 Census and renewable energy in the Four Corners area. NM Native Vote is a 501c4 organization that focuses on a Native American working family political and legislative agenda. “That means that we support an increased minimum wage, a lower APR cap on payday loans and we think NM should open the Land Grant Permanent Fund to ensure consistent funding for early childhood education” said Laurie Weahkee, the current Executive Director. “All of these issues, along with voter enfranchisement are key to empowering Native American families. And of course, sacred site protection will always be near to our hearts, it’s what gave us the strength to keep moving forward.”
For more information on the position, please visit to www.NAVAEducationProject.org. The application deadline will be November 1, 2019 at 11:59 pm.
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