New Women New Yorkers proudly serves an inspiring community of immigrant women, a vibrant tapestry woven from a diverse array of countries of origin, cultural heritages, education, and English proficiency levels.
In 2022, our LEAD and We Speak We LEAD job readiness programs welcomed participants from across the globe: 62% hailed from Latin America and the Caribbean, 18% from Asia, and the remainder from Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and Europe. Our participants are as diverse in their educational backgrounds as they are in their origins – 21% hold a high school diploma and 78% boast higher education degrees, primarily earned overseas. Our community includes English speakers of all levels, from elementary learners to fluent conversationalists. While two-thirds of our participants were unemployed, and 89% lived in low-income households, their determination to create a better future is unwavering.
Bridge to LEAD, a program designed for beginner English learners using a translanguage model in Spanish and English, currently caters exclusively to participants from Latin America and the Caribbean. The majority of these women are high school graduates or less, working in low-wage jobs or unemployed, and residing in low-income households.
At New Women New Yorkers, we champion cross-cultural dialogue and work tirelessly to address intergroup biases and tensions. Our aim is to foster a society where every immigrant woman feels included and respected, both in the workforce and in the wider American society. Our participant community is a microcosm of the diverse and inclusive New York City we envision.
Hear Their Stories
Dive deeper into the lives of the immigrant women we serve through our Real People. Real Lives. podcast. You’ll hear stories from Shorai, a grassroots organizer from Zimbabwe; Nataliya, a nurse from Ukraine; Leyla, a journalist from Ukraine; Rosa, a babysitter from the Dominican Republic; and Dorothy, a teacher from Nigeria.
Or explore our blog for first-hand accounts from our community members and other contributors:
- “My Native Tongue Does Not Define My Immigrant Identity After All” by Anamaria Ferferi
- “Lost in Translation: Finding Confidence and Community in LEAD” by Ilaria Maroni
- “Lessons I Learned from LEAD” by Daniella Golombeski
- “Meet Thais, a LEAD graduate from Brazil who landed a job in the middle of the pandemic” by Allie Ginwala
Each story is a testament to the resilience, determination, and potential of the immigrant women we serve.
