Three non-profit organizations committed to advancing the leadership, wellness, and economic power of women of color are partnering to provide women with a place to gather for a one-day program designed to help them connect their personal stories to their financial futures.
“Word & Worth: Storytelling, Finance, and the Art of Being You” will be hosted by Midwest Mujeres, Beacon of Hope Support Services, and the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW) at the Hunger Task Force Building, 5000 W Electric Ave, in Milwaukee on Saturday, April 11, 9 a.m.
Midwest Mujeres Collective is a nonprofit organization founded by Madison Chicana author and speaker Araceli Esparza that educates entrepreneurial women on growing their businesses and freeing their voices. Through storytelling, community programming, and cultural celebration, Midwest Mujeres amplifies the voices of Latinas and women of color across the region.
Beacon of Hope is a Milwaukee nonprofit dedicated to empowering survivors of domestic violence through education, advocacy, and a relentless commitment to abuse prevention. The National Conference of Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW) Milwaukee is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the participation of Puerto Rican and other Latina women in the economic, social, and political life of the United States.
“We know we have a story to tell, but we’re not always empowered to say it,” says Marta Carrión, president of the NACOPRW Milwaukee chapter, who is helping to plan the event. Carrión sees Saturday’s event as a new model for women’s development. “This is a different way to empower women into leadership, based on how women tell their story. We need more events that help women find their voice and be confident to share their stories — and this is one of those opportunities.”
Featured speakers for “Word & Worth will include Esparza, Qiana Holmes, a Black women wellness facilitator and embodied empowerment practitioner supporting women in reclaiming their physical, emotional, and social well-being; and Ana Cheng, a financial advocate and educator focused on closing the wealth gap for women, with a focus on practical tools for long-term financial independence.
Esparza says that this is an important event at “a time when financial stress, economic instability, and social isolation disproportionately affect women of color.” She adds that she is excited to partner with Carrión on this project.
“Marta works for us from Milwaukee, and she really wanted to bring what we have going on with Midwest Mujeres to Milwaukee and the way she describes it is ‘this is leadership training utilizing our own lived experiences through the arts of storytelling.’ So it’s a different approach,” Esparza tells Madison365 about how the event came together. “I’ve heard Marta say that ‘We know we have a story to tell, but we’re not always in a position to say it.’ It’s so true. In a community of women of color, it’s oftentimes hard to find other people who are in leadership or who can guide us in telling our stories.”
“Word & Worth” is built on the belief that when women understand their story, they begin to understand their value, and make different decisions about their future, according to a press release from Midwest Mujeres. Saturday’s program will weave together guided storytelling exercises and personal reflection, practical financial education and planning tools, community connection and peer support and on-site resources from local partner organizations
“Participants will leave with both emotional clarity and tangible tools to support themselves and their families,” Esparza says.
Attendees will connect with local organizations and community partners offering direct support like United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC); Leti Rico, Spanish-speaking life coach; A & K Experience Paralegal Services, Financial Literacy Campaign and Ella’s Conectan.
“This is a great opportunity to get resources and do some networking,” Esparza says. “It’s a unique opportunity. This is a time to give to yourself to meet other interesting people and to leave with a tangible story to tell about your own leadership using creative means. And you’re going to have fun doing it. 
“You are going to get liberated. A lot of times, we don’t think of leadership as a fun activity. We think about the rules and regulations of policy and procedures, and Kiana [Holmes] brings that embodied experience where you actually get to act out your leadership voice. She has this beautiful workshop … it’s really fun.”
Esparaza is well-known in Madison for her advocacy and her activism, but with her Midwest Mujeres organization being a statewide and regional brand, she is excited to host interesting events in different cities.
“Personally, this has been such a trip. I love partnering with other women and trusting that we can do this all together and in the face of fear, right? Because there’s a lot of fear out there right now, ICE raids, concentration camps, there is a lot of negativity everywhere,” Esparza says. “And I feel that this event, to me, is like a homecoming of many homecomings. It’s another homecoming for Latinas, for Chicanas, for Black women, for women of color, to come together in a region and in an area where we’re typically not seen as that voice or that our stories matter … but we clearly have economic impact in this state.”
“Word & Worth” plans to offer a culturally relevant, judgment-free space where personal narrative and practical financial education come together, she adds. The event is free and open to the public. To register, click here.
“This is the first time we are doing an event like this and I think it’s going to be interesting to see who comes out. I think that this event is really about networking and taking yourself out of your comfort zone,” Esparza says. “And Milwaukee is such a safe sister city to do that with it. We are only an hour and 15 minutes away … so drive out and come and join us for some food and some good networking experiences.”
