Leading with Courage: How New Mexico Made Universal Child Care a Reality

6 November 2025

by the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers

At the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT), we believe that when communities lead and advocates persist, transformational change is possible. This month, we’re proud to spotlight Amber Wallin, an NCIT Steering Committee member whose leadership helped make universal child care in New Mexico a reality, a milestone recently featured in ABC News.

The national organization, the State Revenue Alliance, that Amber now leads will join us as a featured speaker at the upcoming NCIT 5-State Meeting in November to share insights from New Mexico’s journey and what other states can learn from this historic achievement.

Building Political Will Through Persistence

“This didn’t happen because lawmakers and corporate lobbyists in Santa Fe suddenly had a change of heart,” Amber writes. “It happened because advocates refused to give up. For more than a decade, we knocked on doors, testified in hearings, and fought for an equitable tax system and for a share of our state’s wealth to be used for our youngest citizens.”

Through that persistence, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to offer free child care for all families, while also becoming the most improved state in tax equity, proof that sustainable revenue policy can and should center on children and families.

Through years of advocacy, revenue reform, and community leadership, New Mexico became the first state in the nation to provide universal child care.

Lessons for States Across the Nation

Amber’s work offers a roadmap for advocates and policymakers nationwide. By putting equity and community voices at the center of fiscal reform, New Mexico demonstrated that states can lead boldly even when federal action slows.

Today, advocates across Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington are building on that momentum, proving that the path to progress lies in courage, collaboration, and sustained advocacy.

Looking Ahead: The Power of Shared Learning

At the upcoming NCIT 5-State Meeting, the State Revenue Alliance will share key takeaways from New Mexico’s and other states’ revenue campaign experiences and discuss how other states can adopt similar approaches to fund the future for children and families.

Her message is clear: progress is possible when we center people, persistence, and purpose.

Laura Coleman is the Advocacy Media Relations Manager for Voices for Healthy Kids, an initiative of the American Heart Association, and the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT). She leads media strategy across campaigns nationwide and helps equip Voices for Healthy Kids grantees and NCIT members with the skills they need to build strong, strategic relationships with reporters to advance public policy. Laura holds an M.S. in Strategic Communication from Louisiana State University and a B.S. in Mass Communication from Jackson State University. Off the clock, she’s with family, friends, and her fur baby, Eve.

See the blog on NCIT’s website here.