This Mother’s Day, I’m thinking about my mom — and the fight she passed down to me.
My mom, Mary Toya, was born and raised in a boxcar, where the Laguna people created a community far from their home. She proudly served in the U.S. Navy, raised four kids as a military wife, and devoted 25 years to Indian education at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She played the snare drum in the Santa Fe Indian Band.
My mom was proud, practical, and fierce. She taught me that strength is about showing up — even when it’s hard. It’s about doing what’s right, not what’s easy. And it’s about never backing down from a fight that matters.
That’s the governor I will be.
Right now, Donald Trump and his billionaire allies are gutting public education, slashing food assistance, and threatening programs that helped me survive as a young single mom — and continue to be a lifeline for so many New Mexicans right now.
Governors are the first line of defense against the new Trump administration, and I promise to fight fiercely to defend the families who are doing everything they can to stay afloat, just like mine once did.
I’ll fight because I know what it’s like to struggle, and because my mom taught me to never look away when people are hurting.
This Mother’s Day, I’m carrying her strength with me. I’m standing in the values she passed down — values rooted in love, service, and fierce determination. And I’m using every ounce of that strength to build something better for New Mexicans.
Be fierce and Happy Mother’s Day,
Deb
