Francis Flores Ahumada is an administrative professional in Madison, Wisconsin. Originally from Peru, she studied journalism before coming to the United States in 2007. Her experience includes childcare, customer service, quality inspection, manufacturing and office administration. She currently works as an administrative assistant with the National Youth Advocate Program. Join her on Sunday, Nov 1 at the Goodman Community Center and witness her story in community.

Meet Jackie Holland, a bilingual HR leader redefining strength through quiet leadership, self-trust, and the courage to be heard. Meet her and the 2026 Midwest Mujeres' Voices & Dreams Academy cohort on Sunday, November 1 at 3 PM at the Goodman Community Center. Jackie Holland has built a career helping others navigate difficult conversations. Now she is learning that her own quiet voice carries power.

After nearly 10 years in the same job, Luz Padilla returned to school and began building a new career in real estate. At 42, she is proving that it is never too late to begin again. Join her and the women of Midwest Mujeres on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 3 PM at the Goodman Community Center. These women have powerful stories to share with our community. American Dream through the eyes of women of the Americas.

Midwest Mujeres Collective is all about empowering women through connection, education, and opportunity.

From cafecito with local Latina leaders to our annual Voices & Dreams Academy graduation (Sunday, November 1) and community Día de los Muertos altar, each event creates space to connect, honor our roots, and celebrate our stories.

For some women, the dream is surviving discrimination and refusing to let it define them. For others, it is creating opportunities for the next generation that they never had themselves. Join Voices & Dreams Academy and create your story and impact your community.

We teach women how to shape their lived experiences into powerful, structured narratives. Midwest Mujeres is more than an organization; we are a community rooted in storytelling, healing, and economic empowerment.

The Midwest Mujeres Collective is a shining example of how mentorship can be structured to maximize impact. This organization is dedicated to Latina and other Black and Brown women entrepreneurs, providing a space where mentorship is accessible, culturally relevant, and empowering.

My personal journey of becoming a founder might have begun from a place of sadness or rejection, but that was just the spark. I found hope in the stories of other women. When I began to share my story, they shared mine. I could not help but think, "If I'm learning from you, what could others learn? What inspiration would other people get?"

As Midwest Mujeres closes our first year as an official nonprofit, we’re reflecting on the women who shaped this journey — women like Stephanie Habeck and Georgina Guerrero Hernandez, whose stories remind us why this work exists. Stephanie, a cosmetologist and owner of Stephanie’s Chair, joined Yo Quiero Dinero while navigating the everyday realities of rent, bills, and survival. She came for business support, but what she found was community — a place where her voice was val