NEW MEXICO LISTENS
A platform for promoting civic engagement through active listening.
New Mexico Listens, a dynamic civic engagement initiative, was made possible through the generous funding of the National Endowment for the Humanities under the initiative “A More Perfect Union.” Spearheaded by a partnership between the New Mexico Humanities Council and the League of Women Voters of New Mexico, this statewide program served as an inviting platform for audiences across various locations to embark on a profound journey of dialogue and listening. The program aimed to inspire reflection upon our rich and diverse history while embracing the ideals that underpin our democracy.
At its core, New Mexico Listens sought to strengthen civic engagement and rekindle faith in the democratic process. By organizing community conversations in different settings, this program fostered an inclusive space where participants were encouraged to delve into a myriad of topics. Education, democracy, media literacy, civil discourse, and local issues were among the focal points that ignited these transformative dialogues. Through the act of active listening and respectful exchange, the program aimed to facilitate a mutual learning experience, allowing individuals to gain invaluable perspectives from one another and cultivate a sense of empathy.
Through New Mexico Listens, participants were given the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations that transcended the boundaries of geography and ideology. By actively listening to each other’s viewpoints and narratives, individuals were able to broaden their own perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of the complex issues that shape our communities. By creating spaces that facilitated honest and respectful exchanges, the program sought to strengthen the bonds that unite us as a society, ultimately paving the way for collaborative solutions to the challenges we face.
New Mexico Listens was a catalyst for positive change and social transformation by inviting community members to actively listen to each other and breaking down the barriers that keep us from doing so. By emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and promoting active participation in democratic processes, the program empowered individuals to have a voice and make a difference in their communities. It is through these collective efforts and ongoing conversations that we can forge a more inclusive and equitable society, ensuring that the ideals of democracy remain vibrant and resilient for generations to come.
In 2021 the NEH awarded $2.8M to state and jurisdictional Humanities Councils for projects that celebrated America’s diverse and complex history.
New Mexico Listens was developed as a special initiative under “A More Perfect Union,” funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to promote civic engagement.
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CELEBRATE AND LEARN ABOUT DIVERSE CULTURAL HISTORIES YEAR-ROUND
“The ‘A More Perfect Union’ initiative supports projects that explore, reflect on, and tell the stories of our quest for a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society throughout our history.”
![Gottlieb, W. P. (1947) Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, Milt Milton Jackson, and Timmie Rosenkrantz, Downbeat, New York, N.Y., ca. Sept. United States, 1947. , Monographic. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress](https://newmexicohumanities.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NMHC-Blog-Ella-F.jpg)