The Little Black Dress Initiative is a social media driven awareness and online fundraising campaign during which community advocates and members of the Junior League of Las Cruces (JLLC) wear the same black outfit for five days in a row with a button that says “Ask me about my little black dress” to spark conversations that allows advocates to share information with members of the community about the staggering statistics surrounding childhood literacy rates in New Mexico. 

 

New Mexico consistently ranks 50th in economic well-being and 50th in education. Those two things go hand-in-hand. Only 1 in 300 low-income children own their own book and 30% of New Mexico’s children live in poverty, nearly double the national rate. Because of this, 80% of 4th graders in New Mexico are not proficient in reading, which is 14% higher than the national rate.  

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The funds raised through the Little Black Dress Initiative support our "A Book of My Own' Initiative and the overall mission of the Junior League of Las Cruces.