Fall 2025 Newsletter
- Umoja Abq
- Aug 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 25
Welcome
As summer wraps up, and school begins, we want to take a moment to re-launch our newsletter. We'll use this to provide quarterly updates about everything happening in our community! If you'd like to be added to our mailing list, just click the button below!
Looking Forward
We are excited that, even during challenging times for refugee communities, Umoja Abq has been able to move forward and grow in our mission to empower refugee women.
During the summer we have continued to assist those who are in the process of getting their driver's licenses, worked with partners to offer gardening and nutrition classes, and have been busy preparing for our fall classes, resuming the Healthy Women, Healthy Homes program, and organizing the 2025 Health Fair.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by everything happening in the world right now, but there are many ways you can make a difference! If you're interested in supporting our community of refugee women and their families, you can donate to one of our programs. You can contact us to volunteer as we have a variety of opportunities with each of our events. You can subscribe to our emails or follow us on social media and help spread the word.
We thank you for your support of our refugee community and hope you continue to read to celebrate the impact you're helping to make in the life of our refugee community.
Impact: Daudi's Story
Daudi recently stopped by to share the great news that had just passed his driving test and obtained his driver's license! He was willing to take a few minutes and share a little about his story for our newsletter. Our discussion has been lightly edited for this format.
Would you share a little bit about yourself?
Yes, I just moved to this state a year and a couple of months ago. I moved from Uganda but I'm originally from South Sudan.
You and your family?
Yea, me and my family. I have four siblings and two parents. I have an older sister and two little brothers. I'm 18.
What brought you to Umoja Abq?
My dad had already gotten his license. My mom came here last summer. My mom, my sister, and I [attended last year's DRIVE class]. My mom did her test afterwards. She passed quickly because she used to drive before. And then my sister got her learner's permit through Umoja, too. When I turned 18 I went to Chantal and Debby. They helped me with this whole process.
What was the process like?
They said all you need to do is study for the tests and that they'd enroll me in the program. Two days later, I'm doing the written exam. I had studied the resources, so the test was really easy. They said I should practice a little bit. My mom's been helping me practice once in a while. Then we scheduled a lesson with Best Price Driving School. That was today. So we did the lesson, and the teacher said, "do you want to do the test right now?" I'm like, "yeah, cool!"
Wait, really?
Yea, exactly. We did the test and I passed it and I'm really happy. I'm really grateful for Umoja Abq because they helped me throughout the whole process and funded me. It's a shame that many people out there are not so sure about this opportunity they have. They make bad decisions, like driving without a license which can cause a big stain on your permanent record or something that could ruin your life forever, you know? So it's better to just come here and have the process done quickly, because these people actually care about you, you know?
That's awesome! And what are you planning now that you have your license?
I got my license mainly because my parents work and I might be needed at home to drive people places. I'm going to college at UNM in the next two weeks for my freshman year. My dad said it would really be helpful if I could drive. I said I would get it done this summer, and I got it done - in two days!
Congratulations, Daudi! You put in the work that made this possible!
If you're interested in helping to make a difference in the life of people like Daudi, we could use your help! Daudi is a special case because he went through the process the fastest we've ever seen; but typically the process of scheduling driving classes and paying for the written and driving tests costs approximately $420. If you'd like to help cover the cost, just note that you'd like your donation to go towards the DRIVE program.
Grant From Santa Fe Community Foundation
Umoja Abq is excited to share about support from a valued community partner - the Empower! Black Future Community Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation. This group has awarded Umoja Abq a grant of $10,000 to support our work of empowering refugee women! This represents one of the first grants ever made from this fund, and Umoja Abq is honored to receive this support. You can find out more about the Santa Fe Community Foundation at www.santafecf.org.
Coming Soon
You can visit our calendar of events to see what's coming.
On September 9th our Fall English Literacy classes begin. These are for individuals with a basic foundation of English. The classes help participants dive deeper into reading and writing. If you're interested in volunteering as a conversation partner, please let us know!
On September 13th our Fall DRIVE and Financial Literacy classes start. The DRIVE program helps participants prepare for the written test and beyond. The Financial Literacy program helps provide a foundation of financial knowledge and assistance as participants begin saving. We need volunteers in a variety of roles - if you're interested, please contact us!
On October 25th we will hold the 2025 Health Fair! This important event offers a variety of resources and services to attendees, including medical and dental screenings, vaccinations, and more. We will need many volunteers, as we are planning for a very large turnout. Please contact us for more details.
Thank You!
Thank you for all of your support and concern for our refugee community during this difficult time. You are making an impact in peoples' lives, and we could not operate without you. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to stay tuned. We'll talk to you soon!
