2020 Year in Review
In this unprecedented year, when it feels like communities of color are barely surviving, it’s important to reflect on the moments of good. Despite the circumstances and overwhelming challenges that 2020 brought us all, thanks to allies like you, some pretty amazing things happened at Adelante Mujeres this year. We hope that you feel proud when you see all of the good that has been poured into 2020 to counteract the bad. Cheers, friends. This is surely worth celebrating.
Highlights from 2020:
COVID-19 has hit small business owners in a big way, so it’s never been more vital to support them. We were honored to be chosen to to represent the Forest Grove branch of the four Washington County Business Recovery Centers, providing small business support for Washington County businesses.
From June through December, our team fulfilled 225 PPE orders for 110 businesses, 45 businesses received customized coaching, and over 300 businesses received outreach regarding COVID-19 compliance.
In our Chicas Youth Development Program, 100% of the girls graduated from high school, 100% enrolled in post-secondary education. The program served 705 youth and expanded to implement a college and career component.
“I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but now eight years later I gained leadership skills, mentors, and many friends…Without their support, I wouldn’t have the confidence and ambition to shoot for the stars. To Cristina, Karla, Marina, and Carina — y’all’s mentorship helped me tremendously and for that I’m forever grateful. They were my Chicas Advisors and are the reason I have the philosophy of paying it forward.” - Ruby Marquez, Junior at University of Oregon
Our Latinx educators are currently serving over 50+ Latinx, immigrant children ages 0-5 and over 700 Latinx youth ages 8-20.
Adelante’s education staff (25+) are centering trauma-informed care in all of their services. Having relationships is key to any individual’s social-emotional health. The Education staff are serving as direct service providers, on-call navigators for diverse relief aid opportunities, and trusted mentors for participants. Learning did not stop throughout the pandemic.
During the 2020 farmers market season, over $19,000 in COVID-19 food vouchers was distributed to families in need.
“It feels like a wonderful gift has been given to me. Thank you for everything." - A client at the Forest Grove Farmers Market upon receiving food voucher support.
“Maria Mata, a farmer from our Regenerative Agriculture Program, sold out for the first time at the Cornelius Farmer’s Market. She was amazed!
Due to COVID-19 food voucher support and nutrition incentive programs like SNAP and WIC, many farmers reported more sales than ever, which provided a steady income. For a farmer like Maria Mata, who plans to eventually hand her business to her daughters, her experience at the CFM gives her hope for the future!”
- Daniela Perez, Farmers Market Manager at Adelante Mujeres
Our Promotoras de Salud (community leaders who promote health related topics) provided education and outreach services, including helping families apply for SNAP, understanding how Pandemic EBT works, encouraging people to get a flu shot, hosting flu shot events, and connecting to other vital resources.
“The promotoras have been a source of motivation for me to stay committed, even when I'm overwhelmed. It humbles me to know they are volunteering their time and energy even when they face similar daily challenges.” - Kaely Summers, Health Equity Manager
The Adelante Mujere team (of now more than 70+ people!) has worked tirelessly since mid-March and has transformed our services into safe, virtual classes and workshops. No program has stopped. In fact, our programs have grown in coordination and infrastructure in order to support our families impacted by COVID-19.
“Our team was able to train participants to use the new virtual platforms, developed a new virtual curriculum, and kept participants informed about the resources available in the community to support Latino families in lessening the impacts of the pandemic.” - Yasi Lemus Isla, Adult Education Program Manager.
Our Adult Education team also created two new English classes, and many of the classes were moved to night shifts to attract more participants. The fall term served 40 women and focused on creating a strong sense of community.
Some of the students expressed their gratitude and said that the Adult Education Staff has become a true family.
Our online parenting classes flourished, providing families with nature walks, crafts, and yoga — all with a focus on socio-emotional support. The classes were attended by 30 families and taught parents how to guide and support their children.
“I’m in love with this class. I can’t wait to sign up for more.” - Erica, a mother 3 kids.
Through our Leadership and Advocacy programs, 2,917 people participated in virtual education on immigration topics (DACA, asylum, citizenship, etc.), 21 people graduated from our Know Your Rights training for trainers, and our team facilitated listening sessions and a voter registration campaign.
“..thank you for motivating us and believing that we can be spokespersons in our communities.” - Know Your Rights graduate.
Adelante Mujeres is one of the 20 organizations statewide navigating community members for the Oregon Worker Relief Fund and Quarantine Fund. These funds have distributed over $24 million to people impacted by COVID-19. As of today, Adelante Mujeres has navigated 1,683 community members for these two funds.
Women like Sonia Lopez received 1-on-1 support from our team. Sonia, a single mother who supports her family, lost her job due to COVID-19 and couldn’t pay her rent or utilities. Mayra, on our Nourish the Community team, found her resources, including a church that paid for her electricity and water bills. Sonia enrolled in our Produce Rx Program and started receiving food coupons, but soon contracted COVID-19. Mayra began delivering food to Sonia’s home. When she finally recuperated, Sonia's car broke down. It was her only means of transportation to get to work. Mayra was able to help Sonia apply for the Quarantine Fund, and with that financial assistance, she was able to pay for another car loan. Sonia is now doing much better and has a new job.
Our Empresas Team opened Casa Qui, a storefront which serves as a Retail Business Incubator Program for graduates of our Empresas Small Business Program, where four women are now selling their products.
"Casa Qui is the first place I'll be offering my sauce. In the future I want to sell in other states in the U.S.
Thank you to Adelante Mujeres for this opportunity, to offer our culture, our products, our work." - Araceli de la Cruz, Owner of La Popular, Casa Qui participant
Our Beyond Trauma Program helped women like Elizabeth. Elizabeth crossed the border when she was 12 years old. She remembers the border patrol shooting at them after they crossed and one of the girls with them got shot as they ran. Once in the U.S., she dealt with physical abuse by her mother, driving her to run away from home when she was 15.
In the sessions, Elizabeth shared that she had no idea why she has been so angry until now. Elizabeth says that she communicates better with her family now. “With my kids, I’m able to talk to them and give them more love. My kids are my everything. Now I realize that if I control myself and make changes about my trauma, my kids won't have the same thing happen to them. I don't want to repeat the same thing that my mom did to me. I know that I’m never going to be perfect, but if I said ‘sorry’ and ‘I’m always going to love you no matter what’ this helps my kids know that we are always going to have each other.”
Renovations to the Adelante Mujeres building in downtown Forest Grove were completed and the fundraising goal for our Capital Campaign has been reached! This is a huge milestone for Adelante Mujeres, and we celebrate everyone who helped make this possible. Once the pandemic is over, we can’t wait to open these doors to our community.
“Right now immigrants need to know the love that’s out there, the love that’s in your hearts. Your support for our new home made it all real. Thank you.” - Bridget Cooke, Adelante Mujeres Executive Director
A lot can happen in a year. While 2020 was an uphill battle, we’re ready to take a deep breath, stretch, and rejuvenate ourselves as we look towards 2021. And honestly, we can’t wait to take it on.
A glimpse at what’s on the 2021 horizon at Adelante Mujeres:
Continued small business assistance and coaching. Our Microenterprise team will continue outreach and technical assistance efforts to help small businesses in Washington County recover from the impact of COVID-19. This includes the addition of a Business Coach, presenting additional virtual business workshops, starting the Cornelius Farmers Market season in June, and exploring new access to market opportunities for existing and start up businesses.
Building more Leaders of Color. In 2021, as communities are facing the hardest socioeconomic disparities in recent history, building leaders of color with the lived experience of our community is how we will recover and build a more just society. Our leadership and advocacy training programs will only grow with increased community organizing and infrastructure.
More support for families. Our Education team plans to provide as much support to our families as possible by empowering them to be leaders at their children’s school, communities, and homes. They’ll be guiding parents in providing their children with healthy development and wellness, and preparing them for school by increasing the parenting classes and parent-children activities.
Empowering more health leaders. Our Nourish the Community team plans to continue facilitating a cohort of promotoras in order to reach more community members. In January, they plan to start off with a mental/emotional health workshop series to promote self-care for the promotoras so that they can better support others.
More STEAM for our Chicas. Our Chicas Youth Development team is excited about expanding the program’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) competent, which will include the addition of a STEAM Coordinator.
More mental health support. Our Beyond Trauma Program will be expanding in 2021 by forming a new Mental Health Counseling and Training Support project which will allow us to provide more culturally-appropriate mental health services for our community in partnership with culturally-responsive Mental Health Providers.
You stood with us this year in ways that we never imagined. With your support during 2020, you shouted from the rooftops that you stand with Latina women and their families — that you’ll do what it takes (and more) to stand in solidarity with our Latinx community, to lift everyone up, and create a more just society by empowering Latinas to lead.
Change like this is powerful. Empowering women of color is a game-changer for communities. When a woman rises within her community, the entire family follows.
This work is a marathon, not a sprint. Powerful grassroots change takes time and sustained effort. We know that, together, we can achieve anything.
Happy New Year, Adelante family. Here’s to 2021.