The Southwest Organizing Project is a grassroots organization that formed in 1986. This organization advocates for multiple issues such as environmental justice, youth rights, food justice, feminist rights, and civil engagement (YOUTH RIGHTS, 2020). In 2015, students who were part of the Southwest Organizing Project learned skills that would help them lead protests, spread awareness, and manage town hall meetings (Project, 2016). The walk-out protest was able to inspire students from Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Curses, and Rio Rancho to leave their school on March 2, 2015 (Fns News, 2015). Students who are located in Albuquerque were able to get support from SWOP before and after the walkout. In 2016, the youth organizers of SWOP hosted a town hall meeting in April, before the students had to take the PARCC test for the second time (Project, 2016). The pressure from the students in 2015, led to the governor making changes on this specific test  (Project, 2016). However, the fight is still not over; SWOP is still fighting to get the PARCC test removed as a whole. 

In addition to fighting against the PARCC test, SWOP members are also trying to get standardized testing removed from elementary school because it has been affecting elementary students’ ability to move on to the next grade level(New Mexico Center On Law And Poverty, 2018). According to Marisol Archuleta, from SouthWest Organizing Project, she believes that these standardized “tests are not culturally appropriate and do not accurately reflect the talents and strengths of our children” (New Mexico Center On Law And Poverty, 2018). The New Mexico on Law and Poverty points out that grade retention has led to a higher likelihood of students dropping out because they do not feel like they are intelligent enough to continue on with their education  (New Mexico Center On Law And Poverty, 2018). Multiple education groups in New Mexico, such as SWOP, are trying to get more resources available to all New Mexican students so that they do not have to be held back at a grade level  (New Mexico Center On Law And Poverty, 2018).

Website: https://www.swop.net/youth

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Image #1: https://www.swop.net