Presenting New Mexico
Outspoken, independent, and fiercely proud of her heritage.

She?s good natured, very hospitable and welcoming, and likes to look after those she considers family. She only tends to get irritable when made to feel she doesn?t belong, or finds herself the scapegoat for certain problems.

Though the other states sometimes (or often depending on the states) tease her about her accent, she isn?t ashamed of it and is in fact glad to be bilingual. And if others start in on her for her customs or language, New Mexico points out that she was there first, and she didn?t force Uncle to take her in. He wanted her, knowing full well what she was like, and it?s rude to ask her to change now. Or she just takes them down, if the insult is bad enough. States forget New Mexico is an accomplished fighter (Except Texas, who actually fought her during the Civil War).

She?s quite smart and adept at problem solving, but she?s often ignored or looked down on by others, even sometimes by her siblings, which hurts her the most. Arizona is flat out embarrassed by her these days, and to her distress as wanted less and less to do with her. He?s gone so far as to deny or obscure some of their shared history in favor of Europeanized versions of history. He even told her she (and Florida) should be deported, which is the first time another State made her cry since Texas joined the Confederacy. Because of his stance on immigration, she worried Texas felt the same as Arizona, but he assures her he doesn?t (and does genuinely like her and is even letting her re-teach him some of the Spanish he?s forgotten). Since she has accepted Nevada, they have more or less been on good terms; in fact, she gets along with him better than her other brothers.

California doesn?t consider himself her brother, but she still considers him family. However, she respects his decision to change to represent his people as he wants.

She has become good friends with Colorado since they began to talk about being blamed for economic problems (Colorado is Jewish). She is also close friends with Florida (Florida would pursue more than friendship were New Mexico not straight). Colorado, Florida, and New Mexico are often together if she is not with one of her siblings.

She finds herself in a bit of an odd spot age wise, being one of the youngest states, but also one of the oldest settlements in the USA (she has the oldest Capital!). So she resents being treated like she?s a child when in fact she?s nine years older than Virginia. Because of this, many of the states call her the Little Sister of Nevada and Texas, whereas Texas and Nevada call her their big sister. Texas and Nevada can be quite pushy about this as they know it upsets her to be called their little sister.

She sometimes calls Texas ?Tejas? and Nevada ?Alta?

he?s Catholic and again, it caused her to have issues with California and Nevada for a long time, but by modern times she has come to terms with it, deciding that God?s answer to her prayers is to accept them as they are. She often takes grief for this ? in fact it was one of the reasons Uncle wouldn?t let her become a state. She just waited until Uncle got over it and let her in. She often talks with Maryland and attends church with her.

Currently, she tries harder than most states to get along with the Native Tribes. She and Navajo and Pueblo have a better relationship than they have had. She tries now to make up for how she treated them in the past. She feels guilty about it, but is at odds with them often none the less.

adding that she still gets sick because of Uncle?s atomic testing. For a long while she wouldn?t say why she got so sick. When her brother?s found out, they were furious at Uncle and felt it showed how little he cared about her. New Mexico though, insists she knew the risks and isn?t mad.


Notes: I?m very much intimidated by her in some respects. In trying to keep the states diverse I am absolutely not writing what I know and this is one of the characters way outside my comfort zone. I?ve forgotten most of the Spanish that I learned, and her culture is not mine. However, she is a hugely important part of American culture, so I hope I do her justice. And if I do screw up, please tell me! Part of what makes this fun for me is the learning aspect and I am open to being wrong and learning. Just know, I am trying.