New Women New Yorkers proudly serves an inspiring community of immigrant women, a vibrant tapestry woven from a diverse array of countries of origin, cultural heritages, education, and English proficiency levels.
In 2024, New Women New Yorkers’ LEAD and We Speak We LEAD job readiness programs continued to welcome a vibrant, diverse group of participants from around the world. Over half of our participants came from Latin America and the Caribbean, nearly one-third from Russia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries, and the remainder represented countries spanning Afghanistan, India, Turkey, the Ivory Coast, and more. Our community reflects a wide range of educational backgrounds: while 7% hold a high school diploma, an impressive 93% possess higher education degrees, most earned abroad. Participants also span all levels of English proficiency, from beginner to fluent, working to strengthen their communication skills as they prepare for the workforce. In 2024, we saw that 91% of our participants were from low-income households, and two-thirds were unemployed when they joined our programs. Yet their resilience and determination to build a brighter future remain a powerful force, driving them to overcome barriers and pursue new opportunities.
Bridge to LEAD, a program designed for beginner English learners using a translanguage model in Spanish and English, currently caters exclusively to participants from Latin America and the Caribbean. The majority of these women are high school graduates or less, working in low-wage jobs or unemployed, and residing in low-income households. Many of them are part of recent arrivals from Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, and other Latin American countries, and currently live in shelters.
At New Women New Yorkers, we champion cross-cultural dialogue and work tirelessly to address intergroup biases and tensions. Our aim is to foster a society where every immigrant woman feels included and respected, both in the workforce and in the wider US society. Our participant community is a microcosm of the diverse and inclusive New York City we envision.
Hear Their Stories
Dive deeper into the lives of the immigrant women we serve through our Real People. Real Lives. podcast. You’ll hear stories from Shorai, a grassroots organizer from Zimbabwe; Nataliya, a nurse from Ukraine; Leyla, a journalist from Ukraine; Rosa, a babysitter from the Dominican Republic; and Dorothy, a teacher from Nigeria.
Or explore our blog for first-hand accounts from our community members and other contributors:
- “NWNY Graduate Spotlight: Diana Cespedes, a civil engineer from Costa Rica“
- “My Native Tongue Does Not Define My Immigrant Identity After All” by Anamaria Ferferi
- “Lost in Translation: Finding Confidence and Community in LEAD” by Ilaria Maroni
- “Lessons I Learned from LEAD” by Daniella Golombeski
- “Meet Thais, a LEAD graduate from Brazil who landed a job in the middle of the pandemic” by Allie Ginwala
Each story is a testament to the resilience, determination, and potential of the immigrant women we serve.
