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A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING MARCH 9, 2007 AS "ENLACE NEW MEXICO DAY" AT THE

LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is committed to

providing access to quality education for all students from

pre-kindergarten through graduate and doctoral studies; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico has a rich multicultural heritage

that is rooted in its unique history, geography and relations

among its people with different identities, varying languages

and diverse narratives; and

WHEREAS, over the past five years, Engaging Latino

Communities for Education (ENLACE) New Mexico has established

community partnerships, including with institutions that

prepare students for careers in law, medicine and other

professions; and

WHEREAS, ENLACE New Mexico believes in inclusivity and

that a Latino-focused educational initiative will create a

world-class educational system for all students; and

WHEREAS, students, parents and communities must define

programmatic and policy issues necessary to effect systemic

change; and

WHEREAS, the work of ENLACE recognizes, validates and

embraces the core cultural values of its stakeholders, namely

the strength of familia, the bonds of comunidad and the

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mutuality of respeto; and

WHEREAS, bottom-up change is needed in this state with

students, parents and communities themselves defining the

programmatic and policy issues necessary to effect systemic

change; and

WHEREAS, elected officials throughout the state have

united in a bipartisan effort to support the continuation and

expansion of the ENLACE New Mexico mission; and

WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislature has shown its

commitment to education by demonstrating its support for

improving the New Mexico educational system by funding

programs such as ENLACE;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that March 9, 2007 be recognized as

"ENLACE New Mexico Day" at the legislature and that

recognition be extended to ENLACE New Mexico for increasing

opportunities for academic achievement, school completion and

success in higher education, not only for Latino students,

but for all students in New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to local chapters of ENLACE statewide.