Advocacy Timeline

CSVANW was an active participant in the passage of IFPA. We worked alongside our amazing community leaders and organizational partners to share stories on the importance of a stronger state ICWA. Through heartfelt testimonies and coordinated advocacy, we helped center the voices of those most impacted Native families and youth ensuring their lived experiences guided the conversation.

In the spring of 2022, we were grateful to gather in a day of celebration at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center where we heard from advocates, legislative partners, and community on what the bill’s passage meant to them. The event was filled with moments of reflection, hope, and renewed commitment to protecting Native children and upholding tribal sovereignty. It served as both a recognition of the hard work that made IFPA possible and a call to continue building a future grounded in justice, cultural preservation, and community-led change.

CSVANW played a pivotal role in the successful passage and signing of the Turquoise Alert bill into law in New Mexico. Recognizing the urgent need for a coordinated response to missing Indigenous persons, we worked closely with New Mexico’s legislators, Tribal leaders, grassroots advocates, and families directly impacted by the crisis. Through strategic advocacy, powerful storytelling, and public education efforts, we helped elevate the issue to the forefront of legislative priorities.

Our team provided critical policy input, mobilized community voices, and helped ensure that the legislation reflected the unique challenges Indigenous communities face. The passage of the Turquoise Alert system marks a vital step forward in the fight for justice and visibility for missing Indigenous peoples, and we are honored to have contributed to making this historic change a reality.

SB 41 now removes the statute of limitations for certain serious sexual offenses in New Mexico, allowing survivors, especially those impacted as children, to seek justice at any time, regardless of how much time has passed. The bill reflects an understanding that trauma can delay disclosure and ensures the legal system better aligns with survivors lived realities.

The bill’s passage was deeply shaped by community advocacy. The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) supported several advocates and survivors in providing powerful testimony, uplifting lived experiences that helped lawmakers understand the lasting impacts of sexual violence and the harm caused by time limits on prosecution.

This effort was led by Angel Charley, who championed the initiative and worked to center survivor voices throughout the legislative process.