MANA de Albuquerque

Nonprofit Grant Recipient: MANA de Albuquerque

Photography by Hyunju Blemel

MANA de Albuquerque

MANA de Albuquerque is an all-volunteer driven organization committed to creating a community of informed and active Latinas working together to support the success of all Latinos. Serving the local area since 1985, the Albuquerque chapter is part of a national network of Latinas throughout the U.S. who value education, service, advocacy and leadership development.

Through its Hermanitas® Youth Leadership program, hermanitas (little sisters) participate in monthly workshops on topics like financial literacy, healthy relationships, and creativity—taught by MANA volunteers and its partners. The program, which pairs young women with older mentors to expose them to ideas and opportunities they might otherwise encounter, is designed to encourage girls to stay in school, pursue high academic and career goals, maintain and/or improve their health and raise their self-confidence and expectations for the future.

A first-generation college graduate herself, MANA President Lorena Blanco-Silva knows firsthand the value of having examples of successful women in one’s life and the challenges faced by being among a first generation applying for and going to college. The organization’s goal is to assist Latinas ages 11—18 in achieving their full potential personally and professionally while serving their community.

“I wish that someone had done something like this for me when I was younger to help remove barriers,” says Blanco-Silva.

MANA also encourages past participants to return to the organization as mentors to share their own experiences and personal and professional lessons learned. MANA’s mentors, called Madrinas® (godmothers), include Latinas of varied interests, careers and lifestyles who support the mission of empowering Latinas through education, leadership development, community service and advocacy.

“We used the grant from the Albuquerque Community Foundation to support our regular $1000 scholarships for graduating seniors. They also get a new laptop and backpack to help with their studies,” says Blanco-Silva. The scholarships are for graduating seniors who enroll in an accredited college or university and who demonstrate a commitment to community service.

During the pandemic, MANA pivoted its workshops online, and incorporated health and well-being topics such as suicide prevention, exercise through activities like yoga, ice skating and running, and the value of nature walks along the river.

After a challenging year, the organization appreciates the vote of confidence the Foundation grant signified. “It was nice to count on this support from the Albuquerque Community Foundation to improve the quality of our workshops—we needed more supplies for this programming. Because we are a local chapter of a national organization, this local funding means everything as we invest in the next generation of leaders in the community,” Blanco-Silva says.