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Discover and connect with these Pride leaders who helped make our country strive to be a fair and equal place Ž Sylvia Rivera Born in 1951 to Venezuelan and Puerto Rican parents Participated in the Stonewall Inn riots in 1969 Started the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) House with Marsha P Johnson in 1971 Discover more about Sylvia Rivera Frida Kahlo Born in 1907 in Mexico Disabled as a child by polio and was hit by a car at 18, leaving her with medical problems and pain for the rest of her life Used her art to explore societal questions on identity, gender, class, and race Widely regarded as an iconic figure for Chicanos, the feminist and LGBTQ+ movements Bayard Rustin In 2013 he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Rustin fought for many causes, including racial equality and workers' rights and in the gay rights movement

With a warm welcome, we present to you our guest speaker, Robbi Dominguez! Robbi Dominguez is a visionary Latina entrepreneur who is on a remarkable journey to make a meaningful impact while pursuing her passion and building a thriving business. Driven by a deep sense of purpose, Robbi embodies the spirit of empowerment, striving to uplift others while embracing her love for wellness and fitness. Her new business, "Your Gym Bestie" speaks to Robbi's inspiring path, from her humble beginnings to her current pursuit of helping women transform their commitment to fitness, all while turning her passion into a profitable venture. Connect with her https://www.instagram.com/your_gymbestie/ Here is an excerpt from our recent radio show with Ali Muldrow, on WORT 89.9's A Public Affair, show. Catch the whole show here! Thank you Ali + WORT Radio for your continueous support of our organization!

With a warm welcome, we present to you our guest speaker Shadayra Kilroy-Flores! Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores is a seasoned speaker and civil rights organizer working with organizations grounded in social justice, like the Dane County Community Restorative Court and Midwest Mujeres. Shadayra helps clients go from being tokenized to empowering and specializes in creating equitable policies. She’s an international consultant known for her sister-city work with Tepititlan, Mexico. She frequently speaks for audiences like the United Nations Ambassador forum, National Association for Civilian Oversight for Law Enforcement, and Water protection actions. Shadayra currently sits as the Chair of the City of Madison’s Police Civilian Oversight Board. When Shadayra is not advocating for our rights, you can find her gardening at Rooted Community center, where she is a garden advocate and sits on their advisory board. You can connect with her here. Watch her in action, while she talks about how Brown and Black folks are not given the agency to question why we react to oppression.

Hello Friends and supporters, Spring has finally come to Wisconsin. The birds are singing, and the flowers are blooming. At Midwest Mujeres, we are planning our second Yo Quiero Dinero event. Unlike last year's conference, we are hosting a special interactive storytelling show for you! In talking to my community of Brown, Black, and White friends, many have asked me What does Yo Quiero Dinero mean? It means I want Money in Spanish! We have been using this term as a metaphor and a call to action to bring attention to the racial wealth gap. Now, we are using it as our prompt for our annual event Who will be there sharing their stories? Dr. Sagashus Levingston, Founder of Infamous Mothers Karen Garcia, Legal Professional Victoria Thayer, CPA Shadayra Kilfoy-Flores, Community Organizer Yazmin Lopez, Kathamira Cleaning owner, and Entrepreneur Qiana Holmes, Village Girl Boutique owner, and consultant Robbi Dominguez, Your Gym Bestie owner and fitness instructor Araceli Esparza, Midwest Mujeres founder and speaker EVENT BREAKDOWN: This is a storytelling event that is interactive and motivational. Women will come to the stage and tell stories about taking their businesses to the next level as entrepreneurs. These stories will be about their fears, failures, culture, and resiliency for creating a new "stream of income" and why they wanted more money or value for their lives. Yo Quiero Dinero is a song, a metaphor, and a movement for women of color in Wisconsin who want more. Wisconsin Women want money, more life, and more freedom. Free your mind, and the rest will follow (En Vogue). Facts: While white households make up 64% of the population, they held more than 80% of all wealth measured in assets in 2022. (Federal Reserve) According to Equal Pay Today, Latinas working full-time, year-round, and part-time earn only 54 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. Black women have the highest labor force participation rate of all women. Typically, Black women have higher labor force participation rates than other women, meaning a higher share of Black women are either employed or unemployed and looking for work. For instance, in 2019, Black women's labor force participation rate was 60.5% compared with 56.8% for white women. Even in 2020, during the pandemic, their labor force participation rate was 58.8%, compared to 56.2% for women overall. (Current Population Survey) Please join us on Friday, June 16th at 6 PM at 1055 E Mifflin Street, Madison, WI, at the MyArts Theater. Come early for networking and appetizers. We will have a raffle and a professional photo booth. Event Link: https://bit.ly/YoQuieroDinero2023

With a warm welcome, we present to you, Karen Garcia. She will tell her story of what financial freedom means and her journey to Yo Quiero Dinero! In her words👉🏼 "My name is Karen Garcia. I am passionate about family and community. I believe that to encourage and motivate those around us. We must be free to be our authentic selves. Outside of my family, I dedicate my time to a career in the legal field. In addition, I am a contract and volunteer interpreter." "Regardless of the setting I emphasize the importance of representation in our work, and communities. I immigrated from Colombia to Madison WI in 1995. Grew up on the Northside of Madison, and attended UW-Milwaukee where I graduated with a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice." "Navigating the immigration system, becoming a parent myself at 16, and foster care gave me the lived experience that has shaped me into who I am today." What does Midwest Mujeres mean to you? "Midwest Mujeres is important to me because it provides a space for all of me to show up. For many of us, our time is spent scheduling and calendaring ourselves into different categories with Midwest Mujeres; I can bring myself as a Latina/Immigrant/Mother/Professional/Community Member." Said Mrs. Garcia. "In my experience, we have been conditioned to be satisfied and not ask for more. We should be the ones to take care of our families, career, and community with a smile on our faces and not daring to ask for more resources or assistance. Because of these demands, we do not stop to think of our own needs and the pressures of life." "When we come into a Midwest Mujeres space, we ask each other questions and challenge each other. Our success depends on our ability to talk with clarity and encourage one another to do the same." Said Mrs. Karen Garcia "When I was a baby, my mother kept a candle burning when I slept for fear the rats would get at me—hearing my mother talk about the importance of that light. It reminds me of the importance of keeping a shining light on each other so that we can keep the pains of the world away and grow. Midwest Mujeres shines a light when we see someone expressing their ideas." "At Midwest Mujeres we come together to encourage others to either stay steadfast on the path they are on, or to take that step and write that next goal!" THANK YOU KAREN!

With a warm welcome, we present our Guest Speaker, Yazmin Lopez! Yazmin Lopez is the owner of Katharisma Cleaning. She is an immigrant, mom and entrepreneur. Yazmin enjoys sharing her life experiences as an entrepreneur to help other immigrants to uplift and encourage immigrants to pursue wealth as a tool to better our communities. Mrs. Lopez is also, the member coordinator for Midwest Mujeres online community! Yazmin has participated in all of our courses and has been a wonderful volunteer, developer, and member engager! In her words, What does being part of Midwest Mujeres mean to you? "Hello, my name is Yazmin Lopez. Yo quiero dinero, I want money to better my community and support the work of those who help make our world better. My journey with money was always negative. The lack of funds was a block for me. This feeling kept me down. In moments when I felt down, I turned to the internet, where I found my tribe. I had looked at money as a bad thing either not enough or too much was a problem. I'm learning to see money as a flow of positive energy bringing me joy for what I do, helping to support local resources that help our community and give more, learning to use the money how it works and how to make it work for us. "In our communities, money has rules; if we don't learn to play by those rules, we will get played." Thank you, Yazmin! Connect with Yazmin Lopez and her business here. Buy your tickets!

MAY ASIAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY MONTH Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month) is an annual celebration that recognizes the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States. Source: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - Origins, Themes & Populations - HISTORY We will get to know these notable Asian and pacific islander leaders in this month's blog series. Patsy Mink Christine Sun Kim Toshiko Takaezu PATSY MINK Born in 1927 in Paia Hawaii Was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1964 First Japanese-American woman to practice law in Hawaii Also the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives Discover more about Patsy Mink

JUNE PRIDE HISTORY MONTH Pride Month is celebrated every June as a tribute to those who were involved in the Stonewall Riots. We’re getting ready to dust off our rainbow flags, douse ourselves in glitter, and go join in the fun. With parades, festivals, and concerts going on across the globe, there’s always some way for you to get involved — as well as learn some important social history along the way. Source: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​PRIDE MONTH 2023 - June | National Today We will get to know these notable Pride leaders in this month's blog series. Sylvia Riviera Frida Kahlo Bayard Rustin SYLVIA RIVERA Born in 1951 to Venezuelan and Puerto Rican parents Participated in the Stonewall Inn riots in 1969 Started the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) House with Marsha P Johnson in 1971 Discover more about Sylvia Rivera

Discover and connect with these Asian leaders who helped make our country strive to be a fair and equal place! Patsy Mink Born in 1927 in Paia Hawaii Was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1964 First Japanese-American woman to practice law in Hawaii Also the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives Discover more about Patsy Mink Christine Sun Kim Born deaf in 1980 in Orange County, CA Christine had a passion for creating art and is now a sound artist Despite Christine being deaf, she experiments with sounds and vibrations, and conducts her own "silent choirs" Toshiko Takaezu Born in 1922 to Japanese parents in Pepeeko, Hawaii Trailblazing female ceramicist Viewed creating ceramics to be a fine art, rather than to serve a functional purpose Combined abstract expressionism with the spiritually infused traditions of East Asia

Vanessa Jimenez, our UW Chicano Studies Intern, wrote this blog post. To say she has been a resource is an understatement. She has brought so much gentle planning and has been a force for our organization! This semester, she has been helping Midwest Mujeres get our first cohort lined up with our new collaboration project with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Life. We have teamed up to record six stories of transformation. Some of these stories you will see perform on stage at our June event. WPR x MWM In her words: The Wisconsin Public Radio and Midwest Mujeres collab has been one of the most influential opportunities I’ve had so far as a UW student. I read about empowered individuals and how they got to where they are today and learned about where they plan to go next. The range of experience among these individuals gave me perspectives from every section possible, ranging from businesswomen to activists, medical professionals, mothers, and storytellers. After various emails and phone calls in preparation, I finally met everyone virtually on February 20th, when we held our first meeting and talked about the process of this project. This meeting also served as a workshop where everyone could further verbalize their stories and work on what they wanted to share on air. In these moments, I could connect deeper with everyone’s experience and learn about the personalities that fostered them. I resonated with one of our members who was grieving the loss of a friend but continued to power through life in honor of their friend. It is inspiring to see the complexity of life and how much one can do no matter what cards they are dealt with. I was also inspired by this person’s ability to be vulnerable and share memories of her friend. The inspiration definitely did not stop there. I could sit in with the Mujeres and listen to their recordings live. There was not a moment in time when I was bored with what was being shared. I got to sit in and listen to Yazmin (in the picture center), who owns a cleaning business and advocates for immigration and children's rights. Yazmine shows so much passion for everything she cares about and can recognize the limits of wanting to succeed. One thing that stuck with me from her story was, “One cannot do everything,” which to me means that asking for help and letting go of control can help you in the long run. Another member, Tamara (the Black woman standing in the middle), she spoke with such elegance and authenticity about her journey to become a Dula. She spoke about how it was never something she actively pursued but more something that suddenly called her name after surrounding herself with individuals who had worked in the field. She spoke a lot about advocacy for oneself and mothers in our community. The vulnerability that could be brought to the table while remaining a strong, influential woman inspired me in more ways than one. So many of the women I heard were able to cope with traumatizing experiences and power through with the same, if not more, passion for their jobs as when they first began. It’s important to note that you are in charge of how you use each experience and opportunity brought into your life. I admire the women who participated with us and can only describe them all as powerful and beautiful. This opportunity is something that I am so grateful for, and I hope to continue to get the knowledge and become inspired by the Midwest Mujeres community. (Written by Vanessa Jimenez)

Midwest Mujeres (MWM) is announcing the third annual iYo Quiero Dinero! Telling Our Stories on Friday, June 16th, 2023, at the MyArts building (1055 E. Mifflin St.) at 7 PM. The event is about empowerment through stories of financial success and financial failures. The community is invited to celebrate local women of color on a journey to be public speakers and storytellers in this red-carpeted extravaganza. WE are so excited to announce that we have secured an outstanding local and national influencer to headline this event!!! We will share later! Gracias! The highlight of the evening will be the eight storytellers who have completed the Chingona Leadership program and will receive premium awards for their work. Visit: https://www.eventsmidwestmujeres.com/ “These are our stories, not just one single story of success and failure.” Shares Midwest Mujeres founder, Araceli Esparza. “Telling Our Stories will highlight stories from local women of color, all orbiting work Midwest Mujeres has been involved in. Yes, we want economic independence, but we also want to be valued. We always want to make money!” Tickets to the event are $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite Reserve your seat! (https://bit.ly/YoQuieroDinero2023).

Save the date! Friday June 16th, 2023 We are excited to announce our annual event, iYo Quiero Dinero!, is set to happen on Friday, June 16th, 2023, at the MyArts building. You are invited to witness the powerful stories of our Midwest Mujeres cohort. Participants will go through a month-long training to become public speakers and storytellers. Check out our events page where you can find out about our event and join in on the fun! https://eventsmidwestmujeres.com/ This storytelling forum will be a bang-out red-carpet event open to the public. As our reach continues to grow, Midwest Mujeres is known to host authentic and quality events. We will celebrate all these women's hard work and those who have participated in the program. Friday (June 16th) night, we will present our “Telling our Stories” This event is open to the public to come and enjoy a night on the town. This exclusive storytelling Friday evening event will have Hors d’oeuvres and encouraged space for networking and photo opportunities.