FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jim Ekstrand
New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light, jim@nm-ipl.org, www.nm-ipl.org
Interfaith Climate Group to Walk 320 Miles from Permian Basin to Santa Fe in Climate Justice Pilgrimage
“A Pilgrimage for Our Shared Home” Calls on State Leaders to Protect Communities and the Planet
SANTA FE, NM – New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light (NM-IPL) announced “A Pilgrimage for Our Shared Home,” a 320-mile walk from the Carlsbad, New Mexico in the Permian Basin to the State Capitol in Santa Fe taking place January 12 to February 5, 2026. The pilgrimage will bear witness to communities suffering from climate impacts and join the call throughout the state to enact bold policies to protect people and the planet.
Three NM-IPL team members will walk the entire route, beginning in New Mexico’s oil and gas country and ending at the State Capitol. The pilgrimage will pass through areas where air and water quality are compromised by fossil fuel industry operations, uplifting the voices of New Mexicans affected by climate change.
“The Earth is our shared home, a sacred place entrusted to us across generations,” said Rev. Clara Sims, Assistant Executive Director, NM-IPL. “This pilgrimage is a spiritual and moral act of bearing witness to this precious and imperiled world. We walk to call our leaders to act with moral integrity upon the urgency of the climate crisis and its consequences for all generations of New Mexicans.”
The pilgrimage is supported by people and communities of faith across many traditions, with key support provided by The Journey Project of the NM Conference of Churches.
The pilgrimage will arrive at the State Capitol on Climate Action Day, February 5, joining a broad coalition of climate justice organizations and advocates calling on legislators to take bold action. There will be a focus on a renewed version of the Clear Horizons Act to be introduced in the 2026 legislative session. NM-IPL is a member of the Clear Horizons New Mexico Coalition advocating for this Act, which provides a regulatory framework aligning state and industry pollution reduction goals to meet greenhouse gas emission targets.
The pilgrimage aims to bring voices and stories of affected communities directly to legislators, urging support for the Clear Horizons Act and other policies that:
- Enshrine the fundamental right to a stable climate and livable future
- Develop a long-term strategic plan for a just transition to renewable energy
- Hold the oil and gas industry accountable for waste and pollution
- Protect communities from extreme weather events
“The Clear Horizons Act provides the critical framework New Mexico needs to hold polluters accountable and protect communities from the worst impacts of climate change,” said Desirée Bernard, Executive Director, NM-IPL. “We walk to express active hope in the family of humanity and pray for our elected leaders to have the political courage to meet the moment.”
“Our leaders have a powerful choice,” Bernard continued. “Remain beholden to the financial interests of the few or commit to the common good of all. We are part of a coalition uplifting stories of families who can no longer wait for positive change to restore health to the living systems within which we are embedded.”
The pilgrimage honors Indigenous peoples who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial and their legacy of protecting future generations. It is both confessional and prophetic—acknowledging complicity in systems of extraction while proclaiming hope for transformation toward a just and sustainable future.
How to Get Involved
Detailed route information and updates are available at www.nm-ipl.org/pilgrimage. Community members can:
- Attend a Send-Off event in Carlsbad on January 11 or Welcome event in Santa Fe on February 5
- Walk with the pilgrims on the final leg to the State Capitol on February 5
- Send prayers and blessings to be carried throughout the journey
- Contribute meals, music, art, or other creative offerings
- Donate to cover food, water, safety equipment, and logistics
- Follow virtually through regular updates
“This pilgrimage is a call to action for us all,” said Jim Ekstrand, Marketing & Communications Lead, NM-IPL. “It is a journey of hope, celebrating that a more just and sustainable future is not only possible but already arriving. We invite all people of faith and good will to join us.”
About New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light: NM-IPL is an interfaith organization spanning the New Mexico and El Paso region mobilizing people of faith and conscience to respond to the climate crisis. For more information, visit nm-ipl.org
About the Clear Horizons Act: The Clear Horizons New Mexico Coalition is a partnership of 35 climate, equity, social justice, and conservation organizations advocating for climate action. For more information, visit clearhorizonsnm.org/clear-horizons-act
About The Journey Project: The Journey Project of the NM Conference of Churches, funded by the Lilly Endowment, provides support to NM churches with opportunities to reflect upon their histories, mission and values, consider the role of the church post-COVID, foster spiritual growth and community building, and consider their outward ministries past, present, and future. For more information, visit: nmchurches.org/the-journey-project-home