On March 3, Small Business Majority Public Policy Director Awesta Sarkash submitted writen testimony to the New Mexico House Health and Human Services Committee in opposition to House Bill 446, which would fall short of creating a robust family and medical leave program.
On February 19, Tracy DuCharme, owner of Color Me Mine in Colorado Springs, testified in support of House Bill 11 which would establish a paid family and medical leave program in New Mexico. She shared the positive impact of Colorado's paid family and medical leave program on both her employees and her business.
On February 19, Kristen Worthington, owner of Worthington Farms, testified in support of House Bill 11 which would establish a state-run paid family and medical leave program in New Mexico.
On January 27, Small Business Majority Public Policy Director Awesta Sarkash testified before the New Mexico House Health & Human Services Committee in support of HB 11 “Paid Family and Medical Leave Act," which would create a state-run paid family and medical leave program in New Mexico.
On January 29, Small Business Majority's Public Policy Director Awesta Sarkash submitted a letter of support for HB 7, the Health Care Affordability Fund, to the New Mexico House Committee on Appropriations. This legislation would keep funding levels constant for the Healthcare Affordability Fund, which would ensure the Fund could continue providing affordable coverage to our communities, particularly our small employers.
On January 24, Public Policy Director Awesta Sarkash testified in front of the New Mexico House Health and Human Services Committee in support of HB 6, which would create a state-run paid family and medical leave program.
Small business owners know it makes good business sense to care for their employees as this is crucial to hiring and retaining a skilled workforce. However, many small employers struggle to provide benefits like paid family and medical leave, putting them at a disadvantage when competing for talent with large corporations that can afford to offer robust benefits on their own. As state policymakers consider a number of proposals for the 2024 legislative session, a new opinion poll reveals that small businesses support a state-administered paid family and medical leave insurance program in New Mexico.
Sheyenne Sky, a Diné entrepreneur in Santa Fe, holds advanced degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology and Harvard University. Her textile collection, LAND+OBJECT, redefines 'Indigenous Luxury' by intricately weaving traditional wisdom into its tapestries. Meanwhile, her consultancy, HODZA.mgmt, specializes in crafting bespoke business growth strategies for Native entrepreneurs.
Shayai Lucero was born and raised on the reservations of the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna. In 2008, Shayai graduated from the University of New Mexico with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. It took Shayai 16 years from her high school graduation to finish college, but during that time she was Miss Indian World (1997), was the Tribal Liaison for Native Visions Arts and Communications (1998-2001) and was the Executive Assistant for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council (2001-2003).
Kristen Worthington has been the owner of Worthington Farms in Mesilla Park, NM since 2019. As a small pecan farmer, she uses her pecans to create innovative merchandise that is sold at farmer’s market/festivals and at local retail stores. Worthington Farms provides shelling services and custom manufacturing to other small farmers in the area. One of the ways she gives back to the community is being the president of the Las Cruces Pecan Festival. The festival runs each spring, and all proceeds go to the Wee Warriors Project that helps medically fragile newborns in New Mexico.
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