About

OUR PURPOSE:

Strengthen the capacity of communities to shift power relations and advocate for policy and systems changes to create healthy and just communities.

SHARED VALUE: WHAT DO WE CARE ABOUT?

Every New Mexican should have the opportunity to lead a healthy life, to live in neighborhoods where our children and families can thrive and to be able to have a say in the decisions that impact their communities and their lives.

BARRIER: WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY?

Too many New Mexicans live in neighborhoods where the air is dangerous to breath, water is dangerous to drink, the quality of education is poor, there is no healthy food nearby, and people live in isolation from one another.

Many communities of color in New Mexico have lived in substandard conditions for years due to colonization and systemic racism. Yet, we shouldn’t stand idly by and accept this status quo condition. Everyone should have the same opportunities to lead a better life. A better life could mean many things including a living wage, life affirming education, affordable housing and convenient transportation, to name a few.

SOLUTION: HOW WE RESPOND

The New Mexico Health Equity Partnership (HEP) focuses on building the organizational and community infrastructure necessary to improve the living conditions in our communities.

HEP is the glue that brings people, community organizations and decision makers together to improve living conditions for historically impoverished communities. We are the coach, cheerleader, connector, mentor and project manager that make healthy communities possible in New Mexico.

We build infrastructure through trainings, coaching and by sharing tools that allow both residents and community groups to hold policymakers accountable. We help elevate the community’s voice so residents can be the drivers of change.

VISION: HOW WILL THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT?

Every New Mexican has the opportunity to succeed and live a healthy life that includes quality education, nutrition, safety, transportation, etc. The community is fully engaged in ensuring good living conditions and has a say in higher-level policy decisions that impact their day-to-day lives.

WHAT WE DO

NMHEP works with community partners that have the capacity and knowledge to change systems that make it possible for New Mexicans to live a healthy life. New Mexico needs community members actively involved in making a difference, and it needs a strong set of community-based organizations learning from one another and serving as a galvanizing force to offer creative solutions. NMHEP is building the foundation to make this possible. HEP engages in the following strategies to make this happen.

CAPACITY BUIDING

NMHEP provides training and technical assistance to support grassroots organizations to conduct community driven research to make a more compelling case to decision makers on issues that affect the health and wellbeing of communities. Key tools include Health Impact Assessment, photovoice, and graphic harvesting. By using these tools, community partners collect data and uplift stories to inform policy change.

CONNECTING

NMHEP creates critical connections by facilitating relationships and leadership opportunities across the network and distributes information and elevates stories via communications platforms to advance health equity and racial justice.

COLLABORATIVE FUNDING

In partnership with funders, NMHEP engages in collaborative grantmaking and provides coordination, connections, and opportunities to increase access in funding for BIPOC and grassroots organizations to advance health equity and racial justice.

CONVENING

NMHEP serves as a convener and co-creates spaces for relationship building and cross-cultural learning to advance health equity and racial justice. NMHEP builds loving and beloved community to do work for social justice. NMHEP provides opportunities for people to connect across the state, bridge rural and urban areas, and engage in mutually beneficial relationships and peer learning.