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Year of the New Mexico Girl |
Year of the New Mexico Girl: Believe in Me!
The original Year of the New Mexico Girl was a yearlong project designed not only to show the girls of our state that we care about them but also to answer the question "What is it like to be a teenage girl in New Mexico ?" We wanted to inspire and empower them to be the best they can be and also celebrate who they are .
We set out to achieve a variety of goals but also to listen and learn from the girls themselves. Our premise was that although diverse in racial and economic backgrounds, that girls were facing the same issues no matter the color of their skin or wher e they lived. We knew girls throughout the state had dreams and ambitions, obstacles and concerns but we didn't know what they were.
The NM Commission on the Status of Women began asking questions in May 2004 with their "Year of the NM Girl: Needs Assessment Survey". Over 1200 girls from around New Mexico , all between the ages of 13 and 18, filled out the survey addressing not only demographics but also their career goals, their feelings regarding their communities and schools and, most importantly, what THEY believed were the issues.
In addition, during the conference in April 2005, over 150 girls completed "The Year of the NM Girl: Behavioral Inventory Survey." This survey was personal. It asked questions about their families, personal health habits, school attendance and body image.
Although not scientific surveys, the Commission believes the surveys tell a real story about the girls of our state. The surveys were voluntary and anonymous. And, we believe, honest. The Commission learned quite a tale about the girls of our state and hope to learn even more.
What started out to be a year-long project of the Commission has now taken on a new form. We realize the girl s of this state need us, as we need them. The Commission is now embarking on new territory as we continue to look at the lives of girls in our state -- for they are the future women.
In 2006, over 415 girls from around the state registered for the "Believe in NM Girls 2006 Conference." This conference centered on many of the same principles of the first conference but updating the topics and adding opportunities for the girls to get to know one another. The girls evaluated the program with high accolades.FOR MORE INFORMATION or to obtain copies of the survey results or conference final report, please contact the Commission or download the reports here.
The NM Commission on the Status of Women is joined by Girl Scouts of Chaparral Council, Girls Inc. of Santa Fe, Office of African American Affairs, Soroptimist International Albuquerque Chapter, Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition, NM Coalition Against Domestic Violence, University of New Mexico Women's Resource Center, Young Women United, and honorary chairs, Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish and First Lady Barbara Richardson.
Sponsored by the NM Commission on the Status of Women
Site Design by Kenneth Winfrey