COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our country was not prepared. We have lost so many Americans to this virus. I listened to the stories of need across my district, from our eastern borders, to our northwest quadrant, from our beautiful northern mountain villages to our larger cities of Santa Fe and Rio Rancho. That’s why, when our nation needed it the most, I voted for the American Rescue Plan.
This bill responds to the stories of thousands of constituents and local governments with action. For example, since the pandemic began, we’ve seen increased reports of abuse of women and children. This bill helps fund shelters, refuge and mental health services. It also ensures that our health clinics have the funding to care for our communities.
Our comunidades continue to be resilient in the face of adversity. Not only did the COVID pandemic bring grief and mourning to our communities, but the creative economy took a big hit. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, 63% of creative workers experienced unemployment, translating to over 2 million Americans. One in ten paychecks in New Mexico is tied to the arts. That’s why I introduced the Creative Economy Revitalization Act, to create a workforce grants program to employ artists and writers to create publicly available art.
The work doesn’t stop here. We will continue to listen to our communities and ensure funds get to those most in need.