Help Us Celebrate International Migrants Day

Written by Arielle Kandel

Today, December 18, is International Migrants Day — and there’s no better time to extend a welcoming hand to newcomers from all around the world.

As a nation of immigrants, most of us have ancestors who came from distant lands and struggled to rebuild their lives here. It’s important to remember that, and to honor our immigrant heritage by helping those who are struggling today, those coming to the United States to seek new opportunities for themselves and their families, and often to escape poverty, persecution, and violence in their homeland.

We established New Women New Yorkers in 2014 to support and empower first generation, young women immigrants and refugees from around the world in New York City. Young women immigrants and refugees shoulder huge responsibilities with minimal acknowledgement or support, while facing severe challenges and vulnerabilities. Our flagship project, the LEAD Program, offers free professional development to better prepare these women for college and for entry into the workforce.

You can support our work by making a donation to our end-of-year crowdfunding campaign, and by sharing this campaign with your networks to help us spread the word. Being a young organization with limited funding, your support is critical and all the money raised through our campaign will go directly toward our programming for young women immigrants, allowing us to continue and expand our work next year. 

What makes New Women New Yorkers and the LEAD Program unique is our cross-community vision: We work with young immigrant women from all backgrounds, so that on a small scale, we can reduce cultural prejudice. We also have no other choice than to speak English, since this is the one language we all have in common. While we focus on skills training and professional development, we also provide a safe space for young immigrant women to share their experiences, support each other, speak out, and take on leadership roles.

Did you know?

Nearly half of women immigrants in the US have limited English proficiency, and a third have not completed high school; they are underrepresented in managerial and professional occupations, resulting in lower earnings and higher poverty levels. Many struggle to have their degrees recognized and valued, and lack the information and network to advance professionally.

Also, one-fifth of all immigrant households are female-headed families. Even in households with both parents present, immigrant women often remain the sole caregivers, with obvious implications for their educational and professional advancement.

They are also much more likely to suffer from discrimination, violence, and abuse, both at work and at home.

Up to the establishment of New Women New Yorkers in 2014, there was no organization offering programs geared to the needs and vulnerabilities of young immigrant women.

 

This year we ran four series of the LEAD Program, in partnership with three host organizations: Atlas: DIY, Catholic Charities, and The New York Public Library. Nearly 25 young women immigrants will be graduating from the program by the end of the year, completing six final projects. We’ve built a dynamic, talented team of over 15 volunteers and six Board Directors, and our achievements are a testament to their commitment and hard work, and to the strong support and faith our supporters have in our vision and work.

We plan to do even more in 2016. Our vision is to expand and to improve the LEAD Program so that we can serve more young women immigrants, respond better to their needs, and provide them with more opportunities for professional development. Our target is to run 10 series of the LEAD Program in 2016, for 100 to 120 young women immigrants. We’ll continue to offer the program’s general track, but we’ll also start offering three specialized tracks for: 1) high school and college students, 2) refugees and asylum seekers, and 3) mothers with young children. Participants in all tracks will also have access to one-on-one counseling sessions for professional development and drop-in childcare for mothers with young children.

To accomplish these ambitious goals, we need YOUR support!

In honor of International Migrants Day, donate now to show your support and to help fund our upcoming series of the LEAD Program. With your help we can continue to empower young women immigrants in NYC. Every donation counts!

All donations are tax deductible. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Please share our campaign with your social and professional networks to help spread the word!