New Mexico Snapshots:

Watch: New Mexico: A Journey of Education, Culture and Equity (12 min) New Mexico's early childhood education programs, supported by W.K. Kellogg Foundation, offer more than just early education, they aim to bridge gaps in health, well-being, and food security, while also ensuring the preservation of indigenous languages and culture in the face of educational challenges.

Watch: New Mexico Beginnings (10min) New Mexico is at the center of a national maternal health movement to create equitable outcomes for infants and families. Black and Indigenous families are disproportionately impacted by disparate birth outcomes. By centering families, cultural congruence, language equity, traditional ways, midwifery, doula and lactation support as essential systems of care; community based organizations are working collaboratively and tirelessly to improve outcomes. (Produced by W.K. Kellogg Foundation).

Read: And Then I went to School by Dr. Joseph Suina, shares his experience going to school in Cochiti Pueblo at a time when total assimilation was again the official policy of the government, and provides examples of the culture conflict that school created for children.

Watch: Keres Children’s Learning Center (2.5min) A snapshot of parent, student and staff perspectives on the Keres language immersion school which uses the Montessori approach in service of the revitalization of the Keres language. (Produced by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians).

NM Early Childhood Policy

• How the New Mexico Land Grant Permanent Fund Works, Invest In Kids NOW Coalition
• New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee, 2023 Accountability Report: Early Childhood
• New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department, Annual Outcomes Report for Fiscal Year 2022 

Power & Movement Building

• Throughout the meeting, we'll consider different parts of the the eco-system that supports building power in communities and movement building, and how philanthropy and partners can work together to build and sustain that eco-system. Learn more about what we mean by power, community power, and power building here.

ECFC's Indigenous Early Childhood Learning Journey

• ECFC / Native Americans in Philanthropy Indigenous Early Childhood Workgroup
• Tribal Early Learning Initiative (TELI), ECFC and NAP Partnership with the Administration for Children and Families.
• Lessons from Philanthropy and Native Communities: ECFC/Native Americans in Philanthropy commissioned Roanhorse Consulting to interview philanthropy leaders and Native leaders about partnering with Native Communities.  Two resulting reports provide an analysis of findings from interviews, and are rich in detailed feedback, especially the recommendations for action beginning on page 22 in both reports:
  • Read the Executive Summaries for both reports
  • Read Phase 1 full report: Lessons Learned with Philanthropy
  • Read Phase 2 full report: Lessons Learned with Community 

Learn More About Indigenous and Tribal Communities

• Indian Health 101, National Indian Health Board
• The Invisible Tribes: Urban Indians and Their Health in a Changing World, Urban Indian Health Commission supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
• Language and Learning Resource for Non-Indigenous People, Native Americans in Philanthropy

Learn more about investing in and partnering with Native communities:

• Connect with the New Mexico Early Childhood Funders Group
• Investing in Native Communities, a joint Project of Native Americans in Philanthropy and Candid, provides resources for funders on Narrative Change, Investments in Action, and and other resources including collection of reports, case studies, news stories, and media.
• Philanthropy Self-Assessment for Working with Tribal Communities, a tool developed by Native Americans in Philanthropy was designed to help funders determine where you are in your work with tribal communities, Native organizations, and Indigenous peoples, and to identify areas that can be strengthened as you move towards equity and effectiveness.  This assessment is meant to spark internal discussion and aid in your organization’s planning and visioning.
• Supporting Native Workforce Development - A Guide for Funders from the Workforce Matters Funders Network helps funders understand how they can: establish and grow impactful philanthropic partnerships with Native Nation governments, Native nonprofits, tribal colleges and universities, and other Native entities to expand and enhance the quality and accessibility of workforce development services designed by and for Native people; and support policies designed to expand and strengthen the ability and capacity and resources of Native workforce development service providers.  Home Grown leads the national funding for this initiative in partnership with private and public in local communities.  providers.

Funders interested in learning more from ECFC about how philanthropy investments can strengthen Indigenous and other culturally-based early childhood programs and systems are invited to connect with ECFC.