Acerca de
Entre Mujeres
Approximately 21 million female immigrants live in the United States. In their multiple roles as students, professionals and other workers, spouses, parents, and caregivers, immigrant women make important contributions to local communities, the economy, and society.
Nonetheless, partly because of a lack of a work-family infrastructure, limited English proficiency and other cultural factors, immigrant women are less likely to be in the workforce or have health insurance and more likely to live in poverty than U.S. born women.
Immigrant women often also lack the ability to obtain needed services to address trauma and attain affordable legal counsel. Because of experiences in their home countries, they sometimes mistrust police and other authorities, which leaves them vulnerable to domestic abuse.
Entre Mujeres (Among Women), a program developed by Centro Hispano de Frederick with critical support from the Frederick Women’s Giving Circle, uses education, training and advocacy to positively impact the lives of women disadvantaged by social, economic, language barriers and cultural differences.
This program helps enable immigrant women to enhance and develop their quality of life, in turn strengthening families and transforming the Frederick communities where they live and raise their children. Participants are able to open up – many for the first time – about personal challenges, anxieties and fears – in a safe circle of women experiencing similar situations and emotions. They bond strongly to encourage each other, learn together, and celebrate advancements in their lives. This creates a grassroots network of Latinas who are emerging as life coaches for each other and for the next group of women to join the program.
The program typically brings in guest speakers to educate women on specific topics. Recent topics include:
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How women can develop roles in community leadership
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Presentation by female police-force veteran discussing how she identified and achieved her career goals
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Tips for achieving personal happiness
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Insurance considerations when starting a business
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How to promote a business in social media
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How to start and register a business in Maryland
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Habits for a healthy lifestyle
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Parenting tips for parents with infants
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Reflections on friendships between women
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Diabetes and cancer prevention for women
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Identifying the signs of domestic violence
Entre Mujeres also includes an optional sewing class, which meets in eight-week sessions and provides women a path to employment or options for a home business.
Entre Mujeres conducts group programs every Friday at Centro Hispano and also provides a variety of support services for immigrant women.
