Justice for Women Timeline 2011-22

JUSTICE FOR WOMEN Events held

since 2011

2011

LATINAS CONNECTED FOR CHANGE CONFERENCES

2012

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP SERIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN LEADERS

Justice for Women: Latinas Connected for Change! Ten years of Justice Circles in 45 cities throughout Washington State led the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center to organize Latinas Connected for Change, two conferences in Spanish:

March 5 – Sunnyside

Central Washington Conference

Sponsored by IPJC and Nuestra Casa

Sessions:

 Descubriendo nuestro poder como mujeres para el cambio social (Discovering our power as women for social change), facilitated by Jacque Larrainzar

 Organizándonos para el cambio (Organizing for Change), facilitated by Guadalupe Guajardo, SNJM

November 5 – Seattle

Western Washington Conference

Sponsored by IPJC, the City of Seattle, the Seattle Center and The Children’s Museum.

Sessions:

 Descubriendo el misterio de nuestro poder interior (Discovering the mystery of our inner power), facilitated by Leticia Nieto

 Materializando nuestro poder como mujeres para el cambio (Materializing our power as women for change), facilitated by Jacque Larrainzar

Sponsored and organized by IPJC. This series was composed of five workshops in Spanish, three held in Western Washington and two in Central Washington. The series responded to the need of Spanish-language training of those who attended Latinas Connected for Change!

September 8 – Seattle

El Corazón de la Curandera: Explora tus Habilidades Curativas para la Liberación

The Heart of the Healer: Exploring your Healing Skills for Liberation

Facilitated by Jacque Larrainzar

October 13 – Seattle

Mi Voz Merece ser Escuchada: Generando Conciencia Cívica y Participación Social

My Voice Deserves to be Heard: Generating Civic Engagement and Social Participation

Facilitated by Paulina López

November 10 – Seattle

Cómo Encontrar mi Luz Interior e Irradiar mi Esencia en Comunidad

How to Find My Inner Light and Radiate My Essence in Community

Facilitated by Giselle Cárcamo

2013

February 23 – Sunnyside

Mujeres Sin Fronteras: Construyendo Sueños y Futuros

Women without Borders Building Dreams and Futures

Facilitated by Laura Contreras, Directing Attorney of Northwest Immigration Rights Project (NWIRP) Granger

March 9 – Sunnyside

Sembrando y Cosechando Bienestar: Cómo Construir Relaciones Afectivas Saludables

Sowing & Harvesting Wellbeing:

How to Build Healthy Affective Relationships

Facilitated by Michele Besso, Northwest Justice Project; Leticia García, Jovita Ayala and Rosalinda Álvarez, Lower Valley Crisis Clinic & Support Services

2015

March 23 – Seattle

Diálogo por la Paz y Desarrollo Sostenible

Dialogue for Peace & Sustainable Development

Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center presenta

Diálogo por la Paz y el Desarrollo Sostenible

2014

March 21st – Seattle

Uniting Latino Leaders for Social Change! Conference

COMMUNITY DIALOGUES

Lunes 23 de marzo de 12:00-1:30pm El Quetzal

3209 Beacon Ave S Seattle, WA 98144

A statewide conference for organizations that serve or are connected to the Latino community. Designed with the input of over 60 organizations serving Latino communities across Washington State. Organized by IPJC in partnership with the UW Foster School of Business to discuss salient issues impacting the Latino community; network to strengthen collaboration and community engagement; and develop coordinated action plans to address social justice issues.

 Video presentations by: Verónica Quintero (young leader from Mattawa), Phyllis Gutiérrez-Kenney (former WA State representative) and Jorge Barón (NWIRP Executive Director)

 Keynote address by Justice Steven González

Three breakout Sessions:

 In & With the Community, facilitated by Rebecca Saldaña

 Advocacy & Community Mobilization, facilitated by Elsa Batres-Boni

 Empowering the Next Generation & Emerging Latino Leaders, facilitated by Jacque Larrainzar

IPJC, in collaboration with the Washington Latino Equity Network, organized Community Dialogues in five Washington State counties to create a safe space for dialogue. The wisdom of the community was used to name the issues that affect them, engage in decision making processes and brainstorm next steps for social change. Several of the ideas raised by community members prompted additional presentations and organizing efforts described below.

October 24 – Tacoma

Pierce County Community Dialogue

November 7 – Tukwila

King County Community Dialogue

November 18 – Everett

Snohomish County Community Dialogue

November 25 – Olympia

Thurston County Community Dialogue

January 8, 2016 – Sunnyside

Yakima County Community Dialogue

José Inocencio “Chencho” Alas Ex sacerdote católico actualmente dedicado al activismo de la paz en El Salvador

Facilitated by José Inocencio “Chencho” Alas, former priest from El Salvador

December 12 – Everett

Legislative Community Forum

October 29 – Seattle

Hacia una Vivienda Digna & Saludable

Organized by Washington State Family & Community Engagement Trust, Familias Unidas, and the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center to respond to the community dialogue that was held in Snohomish County.

A dialogue with representatives from Washington´s 21st Legislative District: Marko Liias, State Senator, Lilian OrtizSelf and Strom Peterson, State Representatives

2016

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WORKSHOPS

Towards a Dignified and Healthy House, an interactive Spanish workshop was directed at immigrant Latino families. The idea arose from the Community Dialogues series. IPJC partnered with tenant rights counselors and King County Public Health community health workers to facilitate it. Topics discussed were: what are tenant rights and responsibilities; what constitutes a healthy home (free of mold, hazardous chemicals, dust mites, etc.); and the benefits of green cleaning and how to advocate for better living conditions.

Presentations:

 Derechos y responsabilidades como inquilinos (Rights and Responsibilities as Tenants) facilitated by José Camacho, Tenants´ rights specialist

 Los siete pasos para una vivienda saludable (The Seven Steps to a Healthy Home) facilitated by María Rodríguez and Michelle Di Miscio, King County Community Health Workers

One common theme that emerged from the Community Dialogues was immigration education. The Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center, with the help of two community leaders (Jacque Larrainzar and Paulina López), organized Know Your Rights interactive workshops named Conoce Tus Derechos to address fear of deportation, provide skills for navigating ICE encounters and raids, and encourage long range planning for care of families and communities.

January 30 — South Park Resource & Information Center, Seattle Conoce tus Derechos

Presentations:

 Del Miedo al Poder (From Fear to Power) by Jacque Larrainzar

 Conozca sus Derechos (Know your Rights) by immigration lawyer Sandy Restrepo

 Proteja a sus Familia (Protect your Family) by family law attorney Norma Linda Ureña

 Comencemos a preparar nuestro plan familiar (Let´s Start Preparing our Family Plan) by Paulina López

March 19, 2017 – St. Mary’s Church, Seattle Conoce tus Derechos

Presentations:

 Del Miedo al Poder (From Fear to Power) by Jacque Larrainzar

 Conozca sus Derechos (Know your Rights) by immigration lawyer Sandy Restrepo

 Proteja a sus Familia (Protect your Family) by family law attorney Norma Linda Ureña

March 4 – Granger

Sowing & Harvesting Wellbeing Forum

IPJC collaborated with farmworker attorneys, therapists, government offices and advocates for sexual assault survivors to organize Sembrando y Cosechando Bienestar, a Spanish-speaking forum for immigrant farmworker women and community leaders who reside in the lower Yakima Valley region.

IPJC partnered with Northwest Justice Project in Yakima and Radio KDNA in Granger. Speakers from seven organizations including Comprehensive Healthcare (Yakima), Lower Valley Crisis and Support Services (Sunnyside), Northwest Justice Project (Yakima), Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (Granger), Washington Human Rights Commission, The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Seattle Fandango Project were invited to discuss the issue.

September 22 – Everett

Free DACA Renewal Clinic and Q&A

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COHORTS

IPJC, in partnership with Everett Community College, organized an event in which immigration attorneys from Colectiva Legal del Pueblo and NWIRP completed and filed applications to renew DACA permits that expired between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018. At the Q&A, leaders from Colectiva, the WA Dream Coalition and attorneys gave updates and resources so the community could make educated choices.

June 2 – Seattle

December 1 – Lynnwood

June 29, 2019 – Belfair

Protege a tu Familia

IPJC and Ureña Law Office organized Protege a tu Familia to respond to a specific community need: to delve into the topic of family preparedness so Latino families learn to prepare emergency plans that will allow them to protect their minor children in case of an emergency, detention and/or deportation.

The workshop was two-fold: an interactive workshop in Spanish with presentations by attorneys Sandy Restrepo (immigration attorney from Colectiva Legal del Pueblo) and Norma Linda Ureña (family law attorney from Ureña Law Office) and a free Family Law Legal Clinic for individual consultations in Spanish.

Leadership Development Cohorts were created by IPJC in the summer of 2015. They advance Latina leadership in civic engagement and public action by fostering leaders to serve as facilitators between the grassroots communities and groups of influence.

The Leadership Development Cohort training sessions and processes are proving to be strong community builders, strengthening the participants’ influence in the public arena and cultivating sustainable community leaders. Cohorts took place in five Washington State counties.

Fall 2015 — Connell

Franklin County

Leadership Development Cohort

Summer 2016 – Cashmere

Chelan County

Leadership Development Cohort

Fall 2016 – Sunnyside

Yakima County

Leadership Development Cohort

Winter 2017 — Bothell

King County

Leadership Development Cohort

Fall 2017 – Mattawa

Grant County

Leadership Development Cohort

July 15 –

September 9 - Online

Fortaleciendo mi mundo interior

Semillas de Cambio

Five Episodes

July 15 - Episodio 1

Conectando con mi fortaleza emocional

Connecting with my emotional strength

July 20 - Episodio 2

Recuperando mi equilibrio emocional

Regaining my emotional balance

August 12 - Episodio 3

Sanando mis heridas emocionales

Healing my emotional wounds

August 26 - Episodio 4:

Aprendiendo a escuchar a mi cuerpo

Learning to listen to my body

September 9 - Episodio 5:

Reencontrando mi luz interior

Rediscovering my inner light

The series “Fortaleciendo mi mundo interior” (Strengthening My Inner World) consisted of five prerecorded Zoom interviews in Spanish with three renowned psychotherapists. The topics addressed how to connect with your emotional strength, regain your emotional balance, learn to listen to your body, heal emotional wounds and rediscover your inner light, self-efficacy and resiliency.

Twenty-five Virtual Sessions

July 20 – September 18

Following each episode Giselle facilitated twenty-five virtual sessions in Spanish with immigrant women who reside in five counties: Grays Harbor, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Walla Walla. Each group met five times every other week using platforms such as Messenger Rooms for Groups and Zoom. Each virtual meeting strengthened the concepts learned in each episode, processed new insights and discoveries and built a virtual space for emotional growth.

The series had great reviews and it was viewed in more than ten Latin American countries. To access the prerecorded videos in Spanish, go to: ipjc.org/justiceforwomen/ fortaleciendo-mi-mundo-interior/

Semillas de Cambio (Seeds of Change) was conceived to celebrate and honor thecontributions of former Justice Circle facilitators and active Circle members and to create a space for connection, growth, networking, and mobilizing. After deciding to delve into mental health, a topic identified by community members as urgent, we distributed a survey among potential participants to identify the most critical gaps in mental health services for Latinos. Survey respondents mentioned the lack of access to: health insurance, financial resources to afford therapy, culturally appropriate services, and skilled professionals who speak Spanish. Many surveyparticipants also named the struggle to seek out mental health care due to the myths, stigma, and shame related to mental health.

On September 17th, roughly 50 Latinas from over 30 cities inWashington and Oregon gathered in Tacoma to learn from testimonies of former Justice Circle participants and facilitators. They joined in dialogue to deepen the conversation around mental health. Together, the group celebrated past Circle actions and created a vision for changes the community hopes to actualize in the future. The day concluded with an emotional workshop focused on the intergenerational trauma caused by colonization, racism, and patriarchy. Participants were guided through exercises to process this trauma and begin to free themselves from the harm of inherited toxic patterns that are often unconsciously continued.

As a result of the gathering, we invited former facilitators to join a network and continue to work as a collective. Many participants shared that during the gathering they experienced a call to become seeds of change and germinate in the community. As one attendee said, “We are not alone. I feel that now we have a common language and a sisterhood that unites us.” Seeds of Change will become an annual event.