Rural south-county communities realizing the importance of government and politics

Following some important victories in the past year, a group of activists in Southern Doña Ana County, a place traditionally ignored by government, are working to organize area residents.

Several met Saturday in Mesquite to brainstorm and begin forming a plan.

Their goals are simple. Many spoke Saturday about the need for better infrastructure and less pollution in their communities. Almost all communities south of Las Cruces are federally designated as colonias that lack basic infrastructure such as roads, sewer systems and street lights.

The county’s colonias initiative, which has been recognized nationwide, has recently resulted in new sewer systems, street lights and paved roads in some communities. That has taught many residents about the important role government can play in their lives.

Last year, residents organized to recall four of five members of the Gadsden Independent School District board after it fired popular Superintendent Ron Haugen. The new board reinstated Haugen.

And citizen activism in Mesquite resulted several months ago in the state fining a company in Mesquite for environmental violations.

The New Mexico Progressive Alliance for Community Empowerment (PACE) helped organize Saturday’s event. In addition to community activists, some volunteer firefighters and a couple of dairy owners attended.

They had a frank discussion about the current situation and the power players in their area. They ranked State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, as a legislator who shares their values slightly more than the area’s other legislators: sens. Mary Kay Papen and Cynthia Nava and Rep. Mary Helen Garcia, all Democrats from Las Cruces. They ranked County Commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler, a Democrat, as someone who shares their values, while labeling Republican Paul Curry, the area’s other commissioner, as someone who does not.

There is certainly a Democratic slant to the group. The vast majority of south-county residents (at least those who bother to register to vote) are Democrats.

PACE is a social justice organization seeking better jobs, schools, and air and water quality; affordable health care; and clean elections. It’s a coalition of 23 community and labor organizations across the state, according to the group’s Web site.

Saturday’s participants discussed working with area non-profits, churches, elected officials and others to promote their goals, in addition to organizing house meetings to get south-county residents on board.

The plan sounded credible, but change won’t happen overnight. These communities have been ignored by government for decades, so these activists are talking about transforming a culture.

There are signs it has already begun. During the Gadsden recall effort, many younger adults registered to vote alongside their parents, who had never done so before. Some spoke about realizing for the first time the importance of voting.

These communities have the potential not only to improve their own situations, but to reshape politics in the county and Southern New Mexico. Most Democrats who have been involved in statewide campaigns know the importance of Sunland Park, a place that can bring in enough Democratic votes to influence an election when its leaders want, but that stays virtually silent otherwise.

There’s a lot of potential.