WOMENS INTERCULTURAL CENTER INC

<div></div><h1><strong>Alternative Education and Personal Development<br /></strong></h1> <h2><strong>Mission</strong> </h2> <p>To provide alternative, non-intimidating, non-traditional learning settings for women who have limited access to; had bad experiences with formal education; and /or whose life circumstances prevented them from entering fully into society, the workforce or traditional schools.</p> <h2><strong>Program Description</strong></h2> <p><strong> </strong> The program employs a holistic approach and utilizes some principles of Popular Education for social change as taught by Brazilian educator,Paulo Freire. </p> <p>Through our educational programs, the Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center serves as a springboard for women to unlock their potential to subsequently consider higher education and/or starting/advancing a career field through classes such as English as a Second Language (ESL): The five multi-tiered ESL program (Pre-ESL, Beginning, Intermediate, Advance and El Civics) includes group sessions and individual tutoring.</p> <p>Other Classes Offered Per Semester: A broad range of courses are incorporated into the Center&#8217;s semester schedules in the spring, summer and fall. Course offerings vary throughout the year depending on availability and demand. Classes include but are not limited to: basic computer skills, financial literacy, health and fitness, job hunt readiness, nutritional cooking, parenting, public speaking, values and life, visual arts and crafts, and special skills classes.</p> <p>Special Workshops/Sessions: These workshops / sessions are provided on Fridays and tend to vary.&nbsp; Example topics include but are not limited to: managing grief, domestic violence, organic gardening, diabetes, weight control, tai chi, spiritual days of reflection, and much more.</p> <h2><strong><strong>Program Partnerships</strong></strong></h2> <p>Partnerships in this program include:</p> Do&#241;a Ana Community College Adult Basic Education - Provides comprehensive adult education instruction such as English as a Second Language (ESL), Citizenship and GED to enhance the quality of life of Center participants leading them to life-long learning, civic participation, and personal success.&nbsp; <div></div>

Long term success for&nbsp; the women to find their voice and realize their potential to affect societal change.

A short-term success for our participants is them learning a skill from the classes that are provided to them.

<div>- Participant attendance/course completion</div><div>- Pre and Post surveys</div><div>- Participant evaluations <br /></div><div>- Word of Mouth Referrals <br /></div><div>- Participant success stories <br /></div>

<p>&nbsp;<strong>Elva Alarez</strong> moved with her twin grandsons to Anthony, NM in November 2008 from Creel, MX.&nbsp; She received TANF and SNAP benefits to help support her family. </p><p>Elva volunteered at the Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center to fulfill her TANF work requirements and it was clear that she valued her work with us.&nbsp; She participated in many classes, including citizenship, English, jewelry making and dance.&nbsp; Elva especially appreciated the Center's positive role in empowering single mothers like herself to succeed in a new country.</p> <p>Staff, instructors, participants, supporters and visitors alike took notice of Elva's work ethic, her desire to learn, her initiative, her trustworthiness and her ability to make others feel welcomed at the Center.&nbsp; What started out as volunteer work evolved to temporary work and eventually into a job.</p> <p>Because of her skills and abilities, Elva was hired for the position of Hospitality Manager.&nbsp; She is responsible for setting up logistics for guests, rentals, catering services and on occasion the Border Awareness Experience including - providing meals, ensuring guests participant and staff accommodations are presented in a clean and welcoming condition and maintenance of Center facilities.</p><br /><p><strong>Petra Devora</strong> came to the Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center four years ago hoping there was a class on how to play guitar.&nbsp; Since that type of instruction was not available she stayed for the oil painting classes.&nbsp; <em>"I was embraced by everyone and immediately felt at home.&nbsp; The receptionist had this ability of getting people interested in participating in the classes provided by the Center."</em> said Petra.&nbsp; As time passed she learned that in educating a woman, you not only educate and transform her family but her community as well.&nbsp; <em>"The </em><em>Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center </em><em>is the place where women transform and learn to be self reliant."</em></p> <p>At the Center Petra was given the opportunity to develop her artistic and leadership abilities.&nbsp; She currently represents the voices of the participants as a member of the Center's Board of Directors.&nbsp; It is in this capacity that she traveled to New York to the WhyHunger Chapin Awards Dinner to receive the 2009 Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Award on behalf of the Center.&nbsp; <em>"It was quite an experience to be able to meet with other grassroots organizations from across the country and learning about their work.&nbsp; It made me appreciate the uniqueness of the </em>Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center<em>.&nbsp; The Center provides women the tools necessary to succeed based on the individual learning development plan of each participant." </em>she proudly stated.<br /></p><div>&nbsp;</div> <p> </p><strong>Reyna Urbina </strong>had focused her entire life on her six children and found herself lost after her youngest daughter left home.&nbsp; Since she didn't know how to drive and there is no means of public transportation in Anthony, NM she felt trapped and alone.&nbsp; The only things she could concentrate on where her husband who worked very late hours, her home and her sewing machine. <p>Her youngest daughter, former volunteer at the <strong>Women's Intercultural Center</strong>, encouraged Reyna to register for classes as it would be the most appropriate venue for her mother to continue her personal development. In spite of her fears and with lots of encouragement from her children, Reyna learned to drive and got her driver's license at age 62 in order to follow her daughter's advice to come to the Center.</p> <p><em>"That's how I came to this wonderful Center where I found the most beautiful people." </em>says Reyna.&nbsp; <em>"I enrolled in computer classes as I knew nothing about computers.&nbsp; I have learned so much since I first came here."</em></p> <p>Armed with a new laptop that was given to her by her children, Reyna continues her computer classes at the Center and practices at home.&nbsp; <em>"Thanks to the </em><em><strong>Women's Intercultural Center</strong></em><em> for thinking about women like me in designing their programming that has taught me so much and all their beautiful smiles that greet me each day I come to class." </em>say Reyna with a smile on her face.</p> <p>Reyna credits the <strong>Women's Intercultural Center</strong> and the support of her children for changing her life.&nbsp; She now realizes that something was missing, a void that was filled by the learning opportunities offered at the Center.</p> <p><em>"Thank you for being here for us women and for the opportunity you offer us for our continued personal development."</em><br /></p> <p><strong> </strong><br /></p><p><em></em> </p>

<h1 ><strong>ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY (ESS)</strong></h1> <p><strong> </strong><strong> </strong></p> <h2><u><strong>Mission </strong></u></h2> <p >To foster the entrepreneurial spirit of women through the development of diverse and creative opportunities that promote an exchange of knowledge and skills that will enable women to produce and market quality goods and services.</p><p ><br /></p> <p ><strong> </strong></p> <h2 ><u><strong><u><strong>Program Description</strong></u></strong></u></h2> <p ><strong> </strong>The program provides a spectrum of opportunities for women to achieve economic self-sufficiency by tapping into their existing talents and building employment and marketable skills to eventually secure a job or consider micro-enterprise/small business possibilities.&nbsp; The Center also assists in the marketing and selling of products handcrafted by its program participants. Economic Development Projects&nbsp; are developed based on the needs of the participants.</p>

Making women economically self-sufficient (i.e. employment and/or starting a micro-enterprise/small business).

Graduating from our Small Business Development Academy, honing their skills to produce handcrafted products or services, and/or start supplementing their income from the sales of their products and/or services.

<div>Participant Attendance</div><div>Participant Pre &amp; Post Surveys</div><div>Participant Evaluations</div><div>Participant Follow-up <br /></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div>

<p>Mireya Nelson is a resident of the rural community of Chaparral, NM.&nbsp;Married with three (3) children, her dream was to start a family business.&nbsp;What started out as a summer creative program for her daughter Arlett, who is hyperactive, generated the idea of making floral arrangements out of seeds and beans as it was a way to keep her daughter entertained.&nbsp;It was also a way to help the environment save water which floral arrangements required.&nbsp; Armed with the knowledge she gained from the Women's Intercultural Center's Small Business Development Academy, Mireya and her family started making flowers with different seeds creating elegant floral arrangements.&nbsp;She and her daughters make the flowers and her husband and son make the wooden bases out of recycled wood, a base which was recommended to her by her peers from the Academy. Although, she is currently based out of her home, Mireya has already developed a variety of product lines and designs which are accessible through her wholesale catalog she distributes to potential buyers.&nbsp; She was able to connect to a local businessman from El Paso that was guest speaker at the Academy who has taken her under his wing and is working on getting her products into specialty stores in El Paso, TX.&nbsp; She is also taking advantage of the business training opportunities sponsored by the Center to continue educating herself on being a successful business owner.<br /></p>

<h1 ><strong>CONCIOUSNESS-RAISING FOR CHANGE</strong></h1> <h2> <u><strong>Mission</strong></u></h2> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p >To provide opportunities for women to arrive at the truth in order for them to determine means of action and organizing to eventually create change within their respective communities.</p><p ><br /></p> <h2 ><u><strong>Program Description</strong></u></h2> <p >The program provides the means for women to make an analysis of social, environmental, immigration, and economic justice as well as any other situation(s) for them to in turn organize others, leading to an action phase.&nbsp; The program awakens women to start thinking and acting. &nbsp;Issues are presented through both sides of the coin in order for women to make the appropriate decisions for their families and respective communities.</p><p ><br /></p> <p >It is through this program that women realize that their current understandings of the world and their place in it have been limited by existing social structures. Most importantly, women learn to find their voice and realize their potential to affect societal change.</p><p ><br /></p> <p >Outreach is done through workshops, forums, guest speakers and cultural events scheduled throughout the year to address issues impacting communities at the local, state, regional, and federal levels.&nbsp; Topics include but are not limited t immigration, environment, drugs and youth, impact of global economics on border communities, and much more. Skits and &#8220;street&#8221; theater, field trips, participation in community events, and other types of interactive experiences are often utilized.</p>

Participants learn to become individualized thinkers in order to process information on issues impacting their lives, the lives of their family and their communities.&nbsp; The program produces human rights leaders in the region that have gone on to co-lead human rights organizations and communities leaders in Southern NM and West TX.

Program participants take the first steps toward civic engagement and leadership development.

<div>Participant evaluations <br /></div><div>Participant stories</div>

<div><strong>Olivia Contreras</strong> has two grown children and six grandchildren.&nbsp; She came to the Women&#8217;s Intercultural Center for the first time in May 2007. She always heard that the Center offered many classes but she never came.&nbsp; She finally came because she wanted to become a U.S. Citizen and when she went to the community college she couldn't enroll because they didn't have citizenship classes in Spanish and she didn't think she could learn citizenship in English.&nbsp; She was surprised that the Center had English tutors who could also teach citizenship classes in Spanish.&nbsp; She had been in the United States for 26 years and thought that it was about time she learned English and became a citizen.&nbsp; Thanks to her tutor, Elizabeth, she passed her citizenship test and became a U.S. citizen on November 6, 2007.&nbsp; She feels secure now that she is a citizen and it is very important to her to be able to vote.&nbsp; She would like to tell all women at home to come to the Center and that if she can do it they can too and if they need help to become a citizen.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>As a way to give back to the Center, Olivia now teaches the Spanish Citizenship class.&nbsp; To date she has a 100% record of success in preparing her students to pass the Citizenship Exam. <br /></div>

<h1 ><strong>BORDER AWARENESS EXPERIENCE (BAE)</strong></h1> <p><strong> </strong><strong> </strong></p> <h2><u><strong>Mission</strong></u><strong> </strong></h2> <p >To raise awareness of border issues and promote cross-cultural dialogue. </p><p ><br /></p> <p ><em> </em></p> <h2><u><strong><u><strong>Program Description</strong></u></strong></u></h2> <p >The BAE is an educational immersion that takes place on the Southwestern U.S./Mexican Border.&nbsp; This region is a microcosm for global concern, and a place where critical issues intersect in tangible ways -- economics, human rights, ecology, migration, labor, militarization of the border, health and more.&nbsp; BAE participants have the opportunity to engage in discussions with local residents and professionals, receive presentations from topic experts, and meet with local grassroots organizations involved in the issues.&nbsp;&nbsp; Participants stay overnight with local host families (optional) -- a highlight of the overall experience.</p><p ><br /></p> <p >The program educates the participants on the complexities of border life and its implications at the national level.&nbsp; The BAE is intentionally designed to be a challenging educational experience centered on questioning and reflection on the presented material(s) and experienced realities.&nbsp; This Center initiative is much more than simply a border tour.&nbsp; It is an initiative to present BAE participants with a tacit understanding of the issues so they can form their own opinions about U.S. and Mexican policies in relationship to the present day globalization process.&nbsp; This in-depth experience takes participants beyond the sound bytes of the nightly news.&nbsp; The immersion also provides a taste of the rich culture that is alive on both sides of the border.&nbsp; The personal face of immigration and border life is a face that impacts the participants and one they can learn from.&nbsp; This program prepares participants to take actions on the issues presented in one's local community.</p><p ><br /></p>

<p>The <strong>Border Awareness Experience (BAE)&nbsp;</strong> allows participants to explore the many aspects of border life through official meetings, presentations, site visits and specialized tours with local, state, regional, national and international experts. The program includes a three day home stay experience with immigrant families from the Anthony, NM community to further an authentic understanding of the border region, its culture and its people. </p> <p>The&nbsp;<strong></strong>program to provides participants the ability to ask questions, share insights and develop discussions with grassroots leaders, key professionals, dignitaries (when available), government experts,&nbsp; and locals to gain a tacit understanding of border issues so they can form their own opinions about U.S./Mexico policies in relationship to the present day globalization process.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>The personal face of border life is a face they carry them.&nbsp; It changes their view of the world and inspires them to take action.&nbsp; The program has been featured in a book, experiences and action activities conducted by the participants after their BAE participant have been featured in college campus newspapers, and the Center has gained interns wanting to return and make a difference in the border region.<br /></p>

<p align="justify">The program provides participants from around the country the ability to understand the intricacies and inter-connectivity the nation has with the U.S./Mexico Border through its seamless boundary as well as the opportunity to build cultural understanding.&nbsp; As a result, the <strong>BAE</strong> focuses on the following objectives:</p> <ul><li>Unique, face-to-face experience of border life and culture</li><li>Experience the life of a bi-national community</li><li>Learn and understand the unique risks and protective factors of living along the border <br /></li><li>Learn how to be a good neighbor and global citizen</li><li>Learn through fun, challenging, and life-changing activities</li><li>Learn in a matter of days the truth of border issues that will stay with you throughout your life</li><li>Learn that the power of change is in your hands</li></ul> <p>It gives participants greater understanding of all aspects of border life.</p>

<p>The program success is monitored by the evaluation sheets filled by the participants and the feedback received through their accomplished projects.<br /></p>

<h1>Article written by a former participant. <br /></h1><div>Spring break trip is a catalyst for change</div> <h3>By: Iris M. Feliciano, Border Awareness Participant</h3> <h3>Printed on 4/30/10 in the NEIU Independent Newspaper</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>How can a converted two-car garage be the center of change for so many lives? 12 NEIU students know the answer to this question. The students that attend the Border Awareness trip as part of NEIU's second annual Alternative Spring Break had the opportunity to share in the stories f the families served by the Women's Intercultural Center in Anthony, New Mexico last month.</p> <p>The Center, which began as a converted garage, was founded in 1992 to provide educational opportunities to women in the local community. As of spring break 2010, it has evolved into a multi-faceted community center providing classes in ESL, sewing, art and jewelry making, and includes a child care center and a newly added garden, provided by NEIU students. But that is just a small part of the change. The real change is occurring in the lives of immigrant women who have come to the Center in search of help, hope and a place to call home.</p> <p>NEIU's Alternative Spring Break trip, which took place March 21 - 29 offered selected students the opportunity to explore the U.S./Mexico border. It was an educational experience that exposed students to various perspectives of border issues. After meeting with migrant farm workers and hearing their stories of exploitation and hardship, students were taken on a guided Border Patrol tour to learn the legal processes of immigration control. There definitely seemed to be a disconnect between the law and the human face of immigration. Another disconnect was visible during the immigration court-hearing students were allowed to attend. The judge coldly read the docket numbers and you could see the faces of all the immigrants who had tried for years to go through the legal process, while being separated from their children and families.</p> <p>One woman from the Center shared her story of applying for residency after her husband and children had legally moved to the U.S. Due to 'filing errors' in the processing paperwork, the woman was threatened with jail time and given a lifetime penalty that excluded the possibility of ever returning to the U.S. Her husband explained with teary eyes the abuse and dangerous conditions his wife faced working with coyotes to cross the border. Their children, sitting at their mother's feet, explained that they cried often because they're afraid their mother would be taken away.</p> <p>During the same week, Border Patrol agents told the story of 'humanitarian assistance' and 'voluntarily returning' a woman and her three children that had snuck across the border after being beaten and abused by her husband in Mexico. As NEIU students were paraded around the Border Patrol's processing center staring at the woman and her children through her glass cell like a zoo exhibit, one agent said, "You want change, change the law. Then I will happily abide by it."</p> <p>Projects like El Paso's Caf&#233; Mayapan and La Mujer Obrera (The Working Woman) showed the NEIU students that many women were organizing and fighting for justice and dignity in the face of the crime, murder, corruption and inhumanity of their sister city, Juarez, just across the border. Organizations like these, as well as the Center where students stayed for a week, were proof that change is possible.<br /><br /> And change is necessary. There are several stories like these even closer to home. NEIU's diverse population includes students whose parents moved them to the U.S. at a very young age. Without the proper documentation, these students can receive a bachelor's degree, but lose any hope for a job after NEIU. These same students have very little, if any connection, to a life on the other side of the border since they were raised in the U.S. Without immigration reform, these students are in limbo and face the threat of deportation to a land that is not their home.</p> <p>This is where we come in. The NEIU students on the trip included those majoring in Political Science and Women's Studies, as well as, artists, musicians, military veterans, dancers, gardeners and massage therapists. The varied perspectives brought to the trip were precisely those needed to address the various problems surrounding the diverse border issues. The students are currently working to put together a presentation about their experiences in order to bring awareness and make a call for action. Collectively, the group has agreed that they must share this knowledge and be a catalyst for change in order that the efforts of women at the Center and others at the border are not in vain.</p> <p>The trip's student leader and NEIU Women's Studies Major, Alison Greer, stated it best, "I feel connected to the border and feel the people calling me back. I feel there is so much that can be done there. But for now, my community is here, NEIU. So the question is, where do I start in my community?" The group will share their experience and pose this question to the NEIU community before the end of the semester. In the meantime you may ask yourself, 'where do I start and how can I help?'</p>