2026 - Q1 Newsletter

Welcome

Umoja Abq has some exciting updates to share! As we begin, we have to acknowledge the incredibly difficult times members of our refugee and immigrant communities are facing, nationally and locally. However, in the face of adversity, this community's strength and resiliency continues to shine. We're proud to stand alongside this community, and so incredibly thankful for a wider group of volunteers and supporters who remain committed to empowering refugee women and their families.

If you're looking for an easy way to get involved, subscribe to our newsletter using the button below! This really helps us get the word out about all of the great things happening in the life of this community and share important updates.

Umoja Abq Volunteer and Staff Appreciation

On January 10th, we held our first Volunteer and Staff Appreciation event! We were able to do this thanks to a generous grant from NewMexicoWomen.Org.

We met at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and had a delicious breakfast while we gathered. We were joined by a storyteller from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center who offered words of encouragement and inspiration and grounded us in the space that we were using.

Our facilitator, Antionette, led us in some important brainstorming activities and we have a lot of ideas to follow up on. Ron Solimon, former President and CEO of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, shared a reflection on when he and other tribal leaders met with then-Senator Barack Obama during his first presidential campaign in the very space we were in! We had a phenomenal lunch (maybe even better than the breakfast!)

We are incredibly grateful to NewMexicoWomen.Org for the opportunity to celebrate our volunteeres and staff this way, and also to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, our storyteller, our facilitator, and all of the staff that made this a great event!

Impact: Jeanine's License

We always want to highlight the triumphs that folks in our refugee community have experienced. This quarter, we want to highlight Jeanine.

Jeanine recently obtained her driver's license and got a car so that she can get to work!

All of this has been a culmination of years of preparation and hard work - way to go, Jeanine!

And if you want to get involved in helping folks like Jeanine, a hardworking mother of five now empowered with key tools to help her succeed, you can!

The whole process of going to our Driver’s Manual class, taking the test, attending driving lessons, and obtaining a license can cost more than $420. Grants cover this amount for clients who meet certain criteria, but there are others that we rely on individual donations for. We also need volunteers for our Saturday morning classes - you can use the buttons below to donate or contact us to learn more about getting involved.

Grant From New Mexico Community Trust

Umoja Abq is excited to share about new support we’ve received from the New Mexico Community Trust. This group reached out to Umoja Abq with a grant of $25,000 to support our work of empowering refugee women! We are incredibly grateful for their support. Find out more at New Mexico Community Trust.

January/February Classes

Our first classes of the year are underway, and students are about to graduate! We have cohorts going through our DRIVE Driver's Manual class as well as the LIFE Financial Education class.

In addition to our Saturday morning classes, we also have had several Women's Health classes covering topics like healthy intimate relationships and safe sleeping for newborns.

We're grateful to the staff, volunteers, and community partners who make these classes possible, as well as all the hard work attendees put in to equip themselves with the tools for their families to succeed!

Coming Soon

You can visit our calendar of events to see what's coming.

Thank You!

Despite numerous and unprecedented challenges facing our community, they continue to learn, grow, and succeed. Your involvement makes a difference in the life of refugee women and their families, and that difference is needed now more than ever. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop, and contact us to learn more about how to get involved. Thank you for everything, and we'll talk soon!