OUR STORY
United Voices for Newcomer Rights (UVNR) grew out of over a decade of community-based work through the Refugee and Immigrant Well-Being Project (RIWP) at the University of New Mexico. RIWP brought newcomer families and UNM students together through weekly Learning Circles and one-on-one advocacy partnerships, creating spaces for mutual learning, cultural exchange, and collective problem-solving. As trust deepened and relationships strengthened, newcomer families voiced the need for a permanent, community-led organization to extend this work beyond the university. In response, UVNR was founded in 2019 by community leaders, former RIWP participants, student advocates, and faculty partners—united by a shared vision of a more welcoming and equitable New Mexico.UVNR builds on the core strengths of RIWP—deep relationships, flexible support systems, and evidence-based practices—while expanding its reach to promote newcomer well-being, integration, and structural change. Today, UVNR is a community-led organization powered by the voices, needs, and leadership of refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers.We mobilize resources, create pathways to education and economic opportunity, and work alongside communities to transform the systems that shape their lives. Our story began with research and partnership. It continues with community power at the center. Learn more about the Refugee and Immigrant Well-Being Project at rwp.unm.edu.
VISION:
We envision New Mexico leading the nation in creating humane policies and programs that welcome newcomers, build on their strengths, and promote their well-being and civic engagement —working toward a world where all individuals, families, and communities can reach their fullest potential.
MISSION:
We cultivate educational, economic, cultural, social, and health resources in partnership with newcomers (people who are new to the U.S.) to empower communities and drive systemic change that supports well-being.
WE DO THIS BY:
- Promoting mutual learning between newcomers and long-term residents to foster understanding and support effective and just policies.
- Collaborating with organizations, government agencies, and community members to advance shared goals and achieve our vision.
- Developing, implementing, evaluating, and sharing innovative programs that benefit newcomers— such as the Refugee and Immigrant Well-being Project (RIWP), an innovative model that connects newcomers with people and resources to promote mutual learning and improve mental health.
- Building capacity and leadership of newcomers to improve community responsiveness
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