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Hola, happy volunteer appreciation week! As we grow our network, I do not want to lose sight of our volunteers. If it weren't for our volunteers, we wouldn't have been able to grow our efforts to build this digital network for Midwest Mujeres, a multicultural group of women from different backgrounds who are united to closing the wage gap. Left to Right: Shadayra Kilfoy Flores, local Activist, and Organizer; Lucero Steele, MS MFT, Marce Ixta Olascuaga, Younique Beauty Consultant; and Veronica Figueroa Velez, Executive Director of Dane Arts Mural Arts. We love that our volunteers are growing their networks! Lucero recently started her private practice. www.mmhservices.net, we caught up with her and asked her what she enjoyed about volunteering with us! "I’ve had the pleasure of working with Midwest Mujeres in two different capacities. One of the most rewarding ones was volunteering on their Facebook page by providing mental health tips on Fridays both in English and Spanish. In addition, I have also done a podcast and Facebook live show discussing different subjects that are important and very valuable to myself and others. It has been a pleasure working with Midwest Mujeres!"

We have the Pan Dulce (Mexican Sweetbread) and the ganas (deep passion) to do this Bilingual event! ​ ~Habrá intérpretes para hispanohablantes~ Cultura cura! Culture heals! Join us for this interactive event of culture, money talk, curandera, Mujeres, and high-impact everyday women coming together! ​ And YES, you can come if you don't speak Spanish! Make new friends have some food, and childcare will be provided for ages 4-10 years old. What is the thing that brings us together? Culture! ​ Our speaker Afra Smith is a powerhouse presenter; she speaks on the chains of generational trauma of money and finance for women. Adina Appelbaum, co-creator of Immigrant Finance, is a national speaker on investing as an undocumented person. Get moving with Robbi Dominguez from Studio 11! ​Black, Latinas, and all women continue to make less than men in the job market and business growth. Midwest Mujeres' mission is to break the isolation of living in the Midwest and close the wage gap!

Our location was special, with huge windows, a nice lounge area, and breakout rooms. MyArts building is a beautiful example of when the artist and our community are put into the center of the design. Our collective member and business owner, Yazmin Sulem Lopez of Kashima cleaning, hosted our breakfast. Then we were blessed by having interpreters from the interpreters' coop, Latino Chamber, WWIBC, Roots4Change, and part of the leadership of Urban Triage, along with so many women entrepreneurs who got to network and get to know new faces! Robbi Dominguez from Madison Studio 11 talked about commitment and change and what it takes to realize our goals. We then had Afra Smith of The Melanin Project and Adina Appelbaum from Immigrant Finance. Coming from the east coast, Adina had a couple of travel challenges. While she gave her talk, her voice filled with pride and emotion as she realized this travel helped her affirm her mission to help empower others to become financially sound! Then we had catered lunch by Primos Restaurant, which is co-owned by Adrianna. Yazmin, Shadayra, and Lisset, our Be Bold graduates, assisted with placing the food! Thank you, ladies! Thank you so much to our sponsors, supporters, and attendees!!

In March 2022, Midwest Mujeres had a milestone. We graduated our first cohort of Be Bold women. Over 30 Mujeres applied Twenty-three received either partial or full fellowship stipends. This dream began in 2020 at a local pitch session. We dared to dream about a future for Midwest Mujeres. We dreamed of a future that was both rewarding and educational for women of color, specifically low-income women. We dreamed of women who were out of the workforce or in careers and wanted to change or upgrade their job would take this course and find value. Women who wanted to hone their speaking skills, do online presentations, and participate in real conversations about finances and budgeting. In partnership with our online community, we conducted a five-week series where we invited speakers from across the nation. We talked about cash-day pay loans, and the cultural divide in generational wealth growth. We learned how to tell our stories and how to listen to others navigating being a woman of color business owner and making an online presence. Women from all backgrounds came to learn new skills: to grow their online presence, and they wanted to learn from other women who are micro-influencers. Over 60% of the women wanted to learn how to pitch their business and gain the skills to be on a panel as a speaker or thought leader. 75% of all applicants need childcare to attend our meetings. We provided them with a $100 stipend. This is a big opportunity to tap into online work resources. When women can create multiple income streams from their homes, they need a community. Midwest Mujeres is that community. Next cohort: How to be Chingona on LinkedIn. Thank you to our funders, supporters, cheerleaders: Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores, Dulce (Madison College, LessWork Media, Iris Design, The Rich Girl Network, Doyenne Madison, and Roots for Change, and Afra Smith of the Melanin Project.

Welcome. Midwest Mujeres Event Recap. We had five local professional Latinas as our inspirational speaker lineup. Sandy Morales, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters; Erika Villafuerte, Founder of Salud First; Yazmin Lopez, Owner of Katharisma Cleaning and Robbi Dominguez, Owner of Studio 11, and Jane Salazar Olsen, Bilingual Contact Center Manager, Summit Credit Union. Who is Midwest Mujeres? We are a networking Latina lifestyle, Mindset, upskilling, mentorship Collective. We help other women with mentoring, workshops, and co-creation opportunities! Yo quiero crecer. Yo quiero communidad. I want to grow. I want community and sometimes I want to dance. These are the things that I have heard women tell me over the years. This event, sponsored by Summit Credit Union and JLA Architects, answered the call.