HOUSE MEMORIAL 29

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Luciano "Lucky" Varela

A MEMORIAL

CELEBRATING COMPLETION OF THE NEW MEXICO HISTORIC WOMEN MARKER INITIATIVE BY THE NEW MEXICO WOMEN'S FORUM TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL STATE AGENCIES AND REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO CENTENNIAL STEERING COMMITTEE TO RECOGNIZE THESE HISTORIC WOMEN IN THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

     WHEREAS, in 2006, the important contributions by women to the state of New Mexico were noticeably absent from the over five hundred historic markers along New Mexico's highways; and

     WHEREAS, it is clear that many women of courage, vision and fortitude have contributed to New Mexico and its people throughout the state's long history; and

     WHEREAS, encouraged and supported by the New Mexico women's forum, some forum members, including Beverly Duran, Patricia French and Alexis Girard, undertook a significant legislative initiative to establish a public-private partnership between the department of transportation, the historic preservation division and the cultural properties review committee of the cultural affairs department and the state historian to address this grave oversight; and

     WHEREAS, a key factor of the initiative was to recognize and honor those deceased women whose contributions exemplified the great spirit of New Mexico and whose legacies would serve as historical reminders for future generations; and

     WHEREAS, the criteria for nomination and selection of a candidate to be recognized on a historic marker required documentation of the historical significance of a woman's social, educational, political, architectural, artistic or other notable contribution to her community and to the state, the southwest or the nation; and

     WHEREAS, the 2006 historic women marker selection committee, composed of representatives from the department of transportation, the New Mexico association of counties, the commission on the status of women, the historic preservation division of the cultural affairs department, the New Mexico women's forum and the general public, sought nominations and urged community input from local organizations of women and other groups and individuals knowledgeable about local history and the contributions of women in particular; and

     WHEREAS, the nominations were submitted to tribal governments and county managers in September 2006, and the respective governments judged the nominations and made recommendations to the historic women marker selection committee for review and recommendation to the cultural properties review committee of the cultural affairs department for its review and approval; and

     WHEREAS, the early efforts of the New Mexico women's forum to achieve bipartisan support engendered such support from Representative Luciano "Lucky" Varela, Senators Stuart Ingle, Sue Wilson Beffort, Dianna J. Duran, Gay G. Kernan and H. Diane Snyder, First Lady Barbara and Governor Bill Richardson and other members of the executive cabinet; and

     WHEREAS, the initiative initially sought to erect fifty-four markers to represent the contributions of New Mexico women from each county and from every Indian pueblo, tribe and nation, with the legislators and the governor contributing capital outlay funds for the project; and 

     WHEREAS, the number of markers that were actually erected was increased to sixty-six due to the careful management of the New Mexico women's forum and the creativity and support of the secretary of transportation, resulting in twelve more markers being erected than was initially anticipated; and

     WHEREAS, historic markers have now been erected in all thirty-three counties to honor the women of those counties as well as women from the state's Indian pueblos, tribes and nation; and

     WHEREAS, with the approach of New Mexico's centennial celebration in 2012, the New Mexico women's forum and all who participated in this important effort are pleased to have completed the project in time to honor the achievements of the over one hundred women reflected by the historic markers during New Mexico's one hundredth year;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico centennial steering committee be requested to include in the state's centennial celebration all the appropriate events and activities that acknowledge and honor the many women who have contributed so much to New Mexico as evidenced by the New Mexico historic women marker initiative; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the house celebrate and honor the efforts of the New Mexico women's forum, the department of transportation, the state historian, the historic preservation division and the cultural properties review committee of the cultural affairs department and the historic women marker selection committee as well as the tireless efforts of countless New Mexicans who gave of their time and their expertise, those who shared their rich historical and cultural stories of grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts and friends and those researchers who devoted many long hours to researching the history of the women of New Mexico, thus enriching future generations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico women's forum, the secretary of transportation, the state historian, the secretary of cultural affairs and the members of the historic women marker selection committee.

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