learn about our history
To provide a forum for collective action by Black and Brown nurses in New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, and provide a platform for them to advocate for and implement strategies to ensure access to the highest quality of health care for persons of color.
To empower Black and Brown nurses in New Mexico and El Paso to become leaders in healthcare through advocacy, education, mentorship, and community engagement.
Dr. Lauranne Sams, NBNA Founding President
The Black Nurses Association of New Mexico & El Paso (BNANMEP) emerged from a shared vision: to build a supportive professional home for Black nurses and allies serving a highly diverse, largely rural region. New Mexico’s Black/African American community is small—about 2.7–2.8% of the state’s population by recent estimates—yet it contributes profoundly to the state’s cultural and healthcare landscape. At the same time, delivering care and building professional networks here can be challenging: half of New Mexicans live in just three counties (Bernalillo, Doña Ana, and Santa Fe) while nearly a quarter of residents live in rural areas, making outreach, mentorship, and consistent engagement harder to sustain.
In August 2023, local nurse leaders began organizing a chapter grounded in inclusion across all races and professions, reflecting the multiracial reality of our communities and the collaborative nature of effective health equity work. This multiracial, interprofessional model strengthened our capacity for service—expanding mentorship, community screenings, and education initiatives while aligning with the National Black Nurses Association’s (NBNA) long-standing mission (founded 1971) to advocate for Black health and elevate Black nurses’ leadership.
Despite barriers typical for states with smaller Black populations—such as limited critical mass for networking, fewer role models in leadership, and geographic dispersion—BNANMEP steadily built partnerships, programming, and membership. After two years of growth and community impact, the chapter was formally chartered into NBNA in August 2025, marking a new chapter in regional advocacy, professional development, and culturally responsive care.
Today, BNANMEP stands as a dynamic, multiracial coalition of nurses, students, and community partners advancing health equity across New Mexico and El Paso—connecting those who serve with those in need, and turning commitment into measurable community outcomes.
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