The fact that the $18 billion permanent fund is a sacred cow used as an insurance policy against “higher taxes” while children of color experience some of the worst child wellbeing outcomes in the country is an example of institutional racism..
The permanent fund was created at statehood, with the feds taking “choice land” that at the time belonged to Native Americans and Hispanic land grants to create what’s now the permanent fund...
If the #nmleg is serious about dismantling racist systems of oppression, they can start by fully funding ECE to ensure that children of color are afforded every opportunity to get a healthy start in life...
The opportunity gap begins almost at birth, yet our legislature has been content throwing pennies at programs widely accepted as transformative for children and for entire communities. The permanent fund belongs to the people. Not politicians intent on protecting the status quo..
I’m not calling any individual “racist.” But certainly the decisions made by some result in upholding racist systems of oppression. The permanent fund is a gross and obvious example of this. They claim to be protecting the fund for “future generations.”
But the fact is that the “future” never really arrives (think about it if you need to...), and we’ll always be sacrificing today’s REAL children, for the fictional kids of tomorrow...
And we then pat ourselves on the back for having one of the biggest permanent funds in the world....and yet we’re blind to just how bad NM’s children have it....
80% of NM’s children are children of color. Most of them have reading proficiency levels that should disturb us all. Not that I’m a big fan of standardized assessments, but we have to measure somehow....
Next time you hear a politician talk about race and racism, ask them about their position on whether NM’s most vulnerable children are worthy of a piece of the permanent fund.
If the same prison complex that ultimately imprisons men and women of color, many of them for drug related offenses, can receive a piece of the permanent fund, the youngest and most vulnerable amongst us should certainly be worthy of the permanent fund as well. Enough is enough.
The permanent fund belongs to the people. Not to politicians who are happy with the status quo. #InvestInKidsNow @NMHouseDems @NMSenateDems @GovMLG
