This Women’s History Month, in the midst of a chaotic political moment, we are remembering our collective power and grounding in feminist leadership and ways of knowing. Where do we direct our energy in this moment, and what does “right action” look like? If intersectional feminist leadership has taught us anything, it is how to hold complexity and sit with multiple truths. At once, we need to “be brave” and take “bold action” while we also “assess risks” and “manage crises”— skills we are collectively practicing and learning.

We are connecting local wisdom with national movement insights, knowing that decentralized, localized community expertise often produces the most effective solutions. In the face of a political moment designed to disorient, divide, and destabilize, we can resist by summoning our deepest and most intuitive feminist leadership practices. We can forge alliances, cultivate community, and build power when we are grounded and centered. Therefore, our task for these times is to remain rooted, strengthen connections, trust our inner guidance systems, and remember our shared power.  

NMW.O has outlined a four-point response to this moment, based on our team’s scenario planning and ongoing check-ins with community partners. In the spirit of our feminist forebearers who knew how to hold complexity, we offer our response, knowing that there is no one “right way” to respond to chaos and no one group that has the answer. Instead, these four points are simply that: an offering alongside which we encourage you to educate yourself, find community, and trust your intuition.  

The 2025 Legislative Session has come to an end, and we want to take a moment to recognize the tireless advocacy of the many organizers, coalitions, and community members who continue to fight for policies that will directly impact the lives of New Mexicans. While this session saw meaningful wins, it also revealed ongoing challenges in advancing key reforms. 

One of the biggest disappointments was that HB 11, the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) bill, failed to pass out of the Senate Finance Committee. The substitute bill proposed by the House differed so much from the original bill that advocates and ally legislators couldn’t support it in good conscience. Despite this setback, we are incredibly proud of the work and tenacity of the NM PFML Coalition, who will continue to fight to ensure that all New Mexicans have inclusive, equitable, and lasting paid family and medical leave.  

Similarly, the Public Safety Coalition worked hard to advance critical investments in prevention, housing, and addiction treatment, all structural issues key to gender justice. However, many of the critical, evidence-based community informed solutions were tabled. As the ACLU NM put it, while some progress was made, lawmakers ultimately failed to address the root causes of community safety and health concerns. 

On the bright side, we saw major victories, including the MVD Data Privacy Act (SB 36), which enhances protections for personal information held by state agencies, and the Confirmatory Adoptions bill (SB 417), which also successfully passed. A significant win for reproductive and maternal health, HB 214—the Doula Credentialing and Access Act—unanimously passed in the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor. We look ahead to April 11th, which is the deadline for the Governor to sign remaining bills into law. To see a recap of key legislation and various other bills, read more here.

Future dialogues will take place on May 28, August 20, and November 12. 

Reach out to Development Director, Rachel Rodriguez, at rachel@newmexicowomen.org for more information. 

With Love & Solidarity,



Sarah Ghiorse

President & CEO