A recent report by NewMexicoWomen.Org (NMW.O) titled “Gender Justice at the Heart of New Mexico’s Pandemic Recovery” features many incredible organizations, including Southwest Creations.
According to NMW.O, the statewide women’s fund seeks to offer a gender justice perspective on the current pandemic and recovery process:
“In an economic context where women are already more likely to work in lower-paid industries and, simultaneously, are paid less than their male peers, the economic impacts of COVID-19 are deeply gendered. Further, women-of-color are even more likely to be in lower-paid industries and experience an even more profound and persistent wage gap. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, data from the Bureau of Labor has shown that unemployment rates nationally are rising the fastest for Hispanic and Black women. Further,recent national data has shown that Black women are twice as likely as White men to have been furloughed, laid off, or had their hours or pay reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such disaggregated data does not yet exist for all races, nor is it available for New Mexico, but it is likely other women of color in New Mexico will also experience significant harmful economic impacts stemming from the pandemic. Further, for undocumented and refugee women, the loss of livelihoods can be compounded by a lack of access to federal and state emergency relief resources and benefits.”
Southwest Creations is featured for its pivot to making face masks and PPE for service providers, while providing dignified full-time employment for 35 women.