Guest Blog by Rep. Eleanor Chavez: Stand With Me Against Legalized Racism

This is a guest blog by State Rep. Eleanor Chavez, a progressive Democrat who is running for a second term in House District 13 in southwest Albuquerque. Rep. Chavez is being challenged in the primary because she says what she means and advocates strongly for ordinary people and against the special interests. If she wins the primary, she will keep her seat since no Republican is running in her district.

It's imperative that we help her win in the June 1 primary, and she needs our time and money NOW to do that. After you read Rep. Chavez's post about the situation in Arizona, I hope you will be motivated to donate whatever you can to her campaign on her ActBlue page. In statehouse races, even a few bucks can make a big difference.

Dear Friends,
I hope this note finds you and your family well. I write this to you with a heavy heart. As most of you know Arizona just enacted a bill that legalizes the racial profiling of immigrants and gives police the authority to be customs enforcement.

Yesterday I was interviewed about this very issue. In that interview I called this legislation "legalized racism." I stand by that assessment and believe that we need to do all we can to bring light to this issue so that any effort to do the same in New Mexico is immediately thwarted.

The bill itself is clearly an effort by Conservatives to re-gain a foothold in what is becoming a losing battle. As states become more and more diverse we now see hardliners using it as an opportunity to divide families and communites. And as I said in my interview yesterday, we must use this opening to talk about comprehensive federal reform.

As someone who has fought for fair wages, fair labor practices and for basic human dignity I cannot help but feel enraged. This strikes at the very heart of why I ran for office.

I ran for office to stand up for working families that just want their own piece of the American dream. The values that we all espouse should dictate the legislation we enact. And in New Mexico, we can do better.

I will not stop making this an issue as long as I am a Representative in the New Mexico legislature. Anytime a person with a certain complexion or a certain accent is pulled over, is harrassed, is asked for papers for nothing else but their 'look' we have all lost.

Friends join me and send a message that be it in Arizona or any other state that we will not stand for this kind of hatred.

Thank you!
Eleanor Chavez
Email Arizona Governor Brewer: https://www.governor.state.az.us/Contact.asp

This is a guest blog by Rep. Eleanor Chavez. To get involved in the campaign, email her at eleanorchavez@gmail.com.

If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand corner of the page.