ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Independent Women is driving through the finish line of a week-long, statewide “Her Game. Her Legacy.” bus tour across New Mexico, traveling more than 1,550 miles and visiting all 33 counties to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Title IX—and stand with New Mexican families, athletes, and communities in protecting women’s sports and spaces.
The tour kicked off on June 23 in Santa Fe, coinciding with National Women’s Sports Week (June 22–28), with a powerful celebration event honoring female athletes as the champions they are. Hundreds gathered for games, popcorn and snowballs, an inspiring program, and pink carpet moments, along with commemorative medallions recognizing the impact of women and girls on—and off—the field.
From Santa Fe to Taos to Las Cruces, Independent Women met face-to-face with hundreds of New Mexicans—atheltes, coaches, parents, and other supporters—listening to their concerns, sharing stories, signing the bus, and building enthusiasm within the state in joining the national movement to protect fairness, safety, and opportunity for women and girls in sports.
Independent Women’s Features (IW Features), the grassroots storytelling and original journalism arm of Independent Women, today published a commentary, “New Mexico’s Families Want to Protect Women’s Spaces. Will State Leaders Listen?” The piece details the voices of New Mexicans at many of the stops who are united in their fight to keep women’s sports—and their daughters.
“Independent Women’s ‘Her Game. Her Legacy.’ event and week-long bus tour gave New Mexican female athletes and their families something they’ve been denied for too long—a voice,” said Victoria Coley, vice president for communications at Independent Women and lead of “Her Game. Her Legacy.” “Communities are coming together—including in America’s most liberal states like New Mexico—to stand up for fairness and integrity in women’s sports and say: enough is enough. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but gatherings like this show that parents, athletes, and advocates are no longer willing to stay silent. Every voice, every story, every signature on our tour bus adds to a growing national movement to defend opportunities for women and girls and support leaders who do the same—and this bus tour is one more step in turning that tide.”
Brianna Howard, ambassador and influencer manager for Independent Women, said, “This week wasn’t just a road trip—it was a rallying cry. New Mexico’s communities—rural towns, big cities, athletes, parents—showed up. ‘Her Game. Her Legacy.’ Bus Tour has made a lasting and meaningful impact on the Land of Enchantment. Kicking off Women’s Sports Week in New Mexico as we mark the 53rd anniversary of Title IX builds on the spirit and values of what sports represents for New Mexican women and girls: teamwork, dedication, and determination. These same words could be used to describe the bus tour as we visited each corner of the state, meeting with incredible female athletes from all ages and backgrounds. The legacy of New Mexican women and girls deserves to be celebrated each and every day, and this week’s bus tour was the perfect reminder of why we must continue to fight for the preservation of sex-based rights, fairness and safety in athletics, and the common sense policies that ensure women and girls can thrive in every space uniquely designated for them.”
Coley added, “States and institutions that refuse to comply with Title IX’s original intent must be held accountable. The integrity of women’s sports—and the safety and opportunities for women and girls—depend on it.”
As national momentum around the fight to preserve the integrity of women’s sports continues to bulid, this week, the Trump administration took further action to enforce Title IX’s original intent. This includes action by both the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, against California and Minnesota, respectively. The Trump administration’s message is clear: states must adhere to Title IX and keep women’s sports female—or face consequences.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1: Santa Fe Launch — Monday, June 23
“Her Game. Her Legacy.” launched in the state’s capital with a high-energy celebration marking the 53rd anniversary of Title IX. Special guests included U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, Payton McNabb, Linnea Saltz, Coach Kim Russell, and Annemarie Wiley, and other athletes, New Mexico parents, and advocates. Together, they called attention to the need to keep women’s sports female and celebrated the progress made in the last year by the administration and several states advancing protections for women’s sports.
All attendees had the opportunity to sign the “Her Game. Her Legacy.” tour bus at the kick off event in Santa Fe—including Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who wrote “Victory.”
Additional photos from “Her. Game. Her Legacy.” event in Santa Fe can be found HERE, (PHOTO CREDIT: INDEPENDENT WOMEN).
Day 2: Across the Enchanted State — Tuesday, June 24
The “Her Game. Her Legacy.” bus logged 500 miles across northeastern New Mexico, making stops in DeBaca, Guadalupe, San Miguel, Quay, Curry, Roosevelt, Union, Colfax, Mora, and Harding counties before stopping for the night in Taos.
Day 3: Voices from Northern New Mexico — Wednesday, June 25
Independent Women traveled through San Juan, Rio Arriba, and Los Alamos counties. More than 200 New Mexicans participated at the stops—including young female athletes, parents, and grandparents—sharing their stories, concerns, and unwavering passion for protecting the spaces, teams, and scholarships Title IX promised women over five decades ago.
Day 4: Southern Swing — Thursday, June 26
The tour continued through McKinley, Cibola, Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, Sierra, Luna, and Doña Ana counties. In the afternoon, Independent Women met with residents in Deming and Las Cruces.
Independent Women is proud to have a New Mexico Voices Chapter in Las Cruces that joined the “Her Game. Her Legacy.” bus tour for an event. Following Las Cruces, Independent Women also had the opportunity to visit New Mexico State and meet their graduate assistant coach for women’s track and field.
Today and tomorrow, for Day 5 and Day 6, Independent Women’s “Her Game. Her Legacy.” bus tour will travel through Bernalillo, Otero, Lincoln, Chaves, Eddy, Sandoval, Torrance, Valencia, Socorro, and Lea counties, visiting Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico as one of its many stops to conclude the tour and wrap up its Women’s Sports Week celebration.
“Her Game. Her Legacy.” with the World’s Largest Pistachio!
For all media inquiries and to learn more about the “Her Game. Her Legacy.” event and bus tour, please email [email protected].
###
Independent Women advances policies that actually enhance opportunity and well-being.