$15,000 / 2015
211 10th Street SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Javier R. Benavidez, Executive Director
Website: www.swop.net
Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) is a multi-issue, intergenerational organization founded in 1980 with an explicitly anti-racist and values-based social justice reform agenda for New Mexico. Over the last few years, SWOP youth have had success in bringing visibility and change to systemic education and food justice issues for primarily Latino communities in Albuquerque. With one year $15,000 grant support from Hazen, SWOP youth will continue to confront systemic racial inequity in schools by improving school climate, making school food more affordable and nutritious and reducing suspensions and expulsions of students of color. Due to SWOP’s success in voter registration and turnout campaigns, youth leaders have exhibited their power and have therefore been invited to join school system leaders in various committees aimed at addressing questions of equity and tracking baseline data to help close the achievement gap.