A day in the life of many Native children begins early.
Before sunrise, students across New Mexico from the quiet of the Shiprock Pinnacle, to the morning traffic of Albuquerque, to the pine tops of Mescalero are already getting ready for school, helping siblings tie their shoes, feeding livestock, or preparing for a long bus ride.
For some students, getting to school means traveling rural highways, while others pass through crowded intersections.
In a state shaped by long distances and rural geography, transportation access matters.
Yet only
68%
of Native children live in households with access to a vehicle.
By the time the first bell rings and students greet each other in the hallways, not every seat is filled.
Across New Mexico, about
6 in 10
Native students regularly attend school.
For many students, the language spoken at school is also heard in community at ceremonies at home
Keres,
Towa,
Tewa,
Tiwa,
Diné Bizaad,
and so many others.
38%
of Native children in New Mexico live in households where an Indigenous language is spoken
By lunchtime, students gather in cafeterias with friends, siblings, classmates, and teammates.
At the same time,
51%
of Native children live in households that participate in SNAP, reflecting the economic pressures that many families navigate on a daily basis.
Many students head to practice, tutoring, jobs, while others return home to help care for family members.
Across the state,
27%
of Native children live in multigenerational households, where more than three generations reside in one household.
As the day winds down, screens light up as students complete homework assignments and prepare for the next day.
Though infrastructure has improved, only
64%
of Native households have reliable internet access.
In many student households, families are stretching every dollar to get through the month.
In New Mexico,
44%
of Native children live in households experiencing severe housing-cost burden
Despite the challenges, Native students across the state are building futures for themselves and their communities.
66%
of Native youth report feeling confident in achieving their goals
Behind every data point is a young person carrying far more than a backpack
responsibilities, language, culture, humor, hope, and dreams for the future.
They deserve systems as strong as they are.
