Vulnerable

the group said women have had an equal and equitable voice in the COAD, so much so that their feminine energies and nurturing, compassionate qualities have been keys to the group’s overarching success.

According to Anjanette Brush, Taos County Commissioner, District 4, “Women have brought a fresh energy and a voice to this group. We’re impatient and we own it.”

Indeed, that impatience has been the catalyst to make things happen where age-old limitations would likely have prevented that progress prior to the pandemic. Women are natural communicators and as the community faced a pandemic of epic proportions their communication skills prevented a ‘left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing’ scenario.

Emergency manager Elliot’s knowledge of other COADS and disaster response measures has been a core component to meeting the needs of the community. Other male leaders have also played an integral role in funding initiatives and problem solving and continue to do so, yet never before, they say, has the voice of the female resonated so loudly and effectively as it has during COAD’S response to the pandemic.

Oftentimes women run households and when they do, it is usually by fostering a safe and loving environment with a no-nonsense, ‘pick up your dirty socks’ approach. The matriarchal energy combines compassionate, nurturing qualities with a common sense pragmatism that isn’t afraid to ask, “Why not?” and certainly doesn’t abide by the, “We’ve never done it that way before” excuse.

These are the leadership qualities women have brought to the COAD, effectively nurturing their community with a holistic healing style while concomitantly raising the bar to more effective and efficient problem solving.

In one example, the group learned a growing number of senior citizens quarantining for safety were experiencing food insecurity.

It became apparent there were two local organizations that could help – one with a truck they weren’t utilizing and the other with access to food and volunteers, but no way of distributing it.

With no time or patience for entertaining how things were done or not done before the pandemic, the COAD employed their common sense approach and within a matter of days, the previously parked truck was loaded and volunteers were distributing food to seniors in need.

The ripple effect of those first small successes has led to larger successes and continues to do so.

At press time, the COAD has nearly 50 active members and is working to represent every demographic. With hope that the disaster may soon be receding, the COAD has its eyes on the future of economic development and preparedness.

Perhaps Taos County Commissioner, District 3, Darlene Vigil said it best, “No one would wish this pandemic on any community, but through the strength and resilience of the COAD, we’ve not just survived, we’ve thrived.”