Greetings:

As we transition from New Mexico winter season to spring and summer, we mark the eve of the New Mexico Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity Council's 25th Silver Anniversary! The Council has a long and distinguished tradition of service and leadership in New Mexico and looks forward to continuing that tradition. We are also pleased to announce the 2009 Summer Seminar!

We move into 2009 with a renewed sense of hope, but we also pause to consider the daunting economic challenges our country is currently facing. The United States experienced the loss of 524,000 jobs in December, bringing to 2.6 million the total job loss for 2008, the largest annual total since World War II, and pushing the unemployment rate to 7.2% of the labor force.* Consequently, many national, state and local organizations have been affected by significant restructuring and decreased financial support for training initiatives. These factors reinforce the need to reinvest in of one of America’s most precious resources: its workforce.

Today, the Council’s founding purpose remains more relevant than ever: to offer valuable and affordable training and awareness experiences for our constituency. To that end, the NM EEO & Diversity Council is committed to presenting training events this year that focus on workforce recruitment, training and retention strategies. We have begun planning a 2009 seminar that will prepare employers for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. (In addition, board elections for 2010 will also take place at the summer seminar). Please continue visiting our website for important dates and announcements.

We invite you to join in our pledge to “Reinvest in America’s Workforce.”

The NM EEO & Diversity Council

* US Labor Department