Celebrating 50 Years of

Latina Mentoring, Education, Advocacy

Save the Date:

Join us October 3-5, 2024

Washington, DC

Washington, DC. 1974. An aspiring group of young Mexican-American women laid the foundation for the legacy of Latina leadership we now know as MANA, A National Latina Organization. This year, MANA members from across the country will gather during Hispanic Heritage Month in Washington, DC, to honor and celebrate this historical milestone for our organization, and for the nation.

 

On behalf of the MANA National Board of Directors, we cordially invite you to join us! For these three days, we will have educational and entertainment components for adults and youth that you would normally see at the annual Hermana and REACH Youth Conferences. The MANA 50th Anniversary Celebration will have all of the best parts of these conferences you have come to expect each year, plus some exciting surprises to honor this incredible milestone, where it all started - in the Nation's Capital. 

 

Honoring the Past, Present, and Future of MANA

The official announcement of our celebration was featured in the most recent edition of LATINO Magazine and marks the kick-off of our festivities! The ad was created by a Latina graphic designer, April Palmera, an Hermana who is a graduate of East Stroudsburg University. This design shows the multigenerational influence of MANA, with pictures from recent events, and acknowledges the Nation's Capital as our home. The watermark features the names of our original founders, as they remain ever-present in the legacy of MANA. April also designed the MANA 50th Anniversary logo and you can see some of her upcoming projects as we release the new MANA website in the coming months!

 

The MANA National Board visited Washington, DC, at the beginning of June to be the first to see the plans for this monumental event. Registration and hotel information will be made available soon, so mark your calendars and prepare for a truly unforgettable MANA 50th Anniversary Celebration!

How Can YOU Be a Part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration?

As we celebrate this historical milestone of 50 years of Latina Mentoring, Education, and Advocacy, we will be collecting artifacts and photos from Chapters, and stories from our Members, because the MANA story cannot be told without YOU! We ask you to share your memories, uplift the hermanas who have been instrumental in your journey and the hermanitas who will carry the legacy forward. This will be a celebration of our Past, Present, and Future for Latinas in the United States! Opportunities to participate include helping us archive Chapter History, nominating someone (or yourself!) for the 50 Latinas to Watch Campaign, or simply recording a memory for our Sharing Stories Project.

Honoring Chapter Contributions

Archiving Historical Documents and Artifacts

In an effort to acknowledge and honor the contributions of MANA Chapters throughout the nation as a vital part of the long-term success of our organization, MANA Chapter leadership is being asked to share archive photos and documents to be shared virtually during the 50th Anniversary Celebrations. Chapters Past and Present are invited to share historical documents and artifacts.

 

What Are We Asking For:

 

Below are examples of the types of historical documents and artifacts we would like to share from your Chapters. This is not an exhaustive list, but examples to give you ideas for how to document the impact of your Chapter. Chapter Presidents will be provided with a link to a virtual drive to share these items. If you are from a Chapter that is no longer active, please contact Amy Hinojosa at ahinojosa@hermana.org to get a link to share your archives.

 

  • Historical photos that represent the origins of the Chapters

  • Documenting Success

  • Timeline of Milestones

  • Acknowledgements

  • A view of the Chapter Today

     

 

Deadline:      August 15, 2024

How to Share My Chapter Archives

50 Latinas to Watch Campaign

Celebrating MANA Members in Action

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of MANA, we would like to recognize Hermanas and Hermanitas from across the country who are leading the way as we enter the next 50 years of Latina mentoring, education, and advocacy. This can be anyone from a young Latina who shows incredible promise as a current or future leader (leading an incredible community service project, for example); all the way to a current, established Latina leader who is paving the way for the next generation or who serves as a role model. We want to highlight women with long-term leadership potential or history. Who are the outstanding Hermanas and Hermanitas you think people should know?

 

The 50 Latinas to Watch will be featured in a national social media campaign to highlight their accomplishments, as part of the MANA 50th Anniversary celebrations. We will be looking for diverse nominations: geography, age, race/ethnicity, and interest areas.

 

Each person selected to be featured in the 50 Latinas to Watch Campaign will receive a certificate of recognition and small gift from MANA National, as well as social media exposure through a photo and video campaign.

 

Categories:

 

  • Youth (Middle and High School)

  • Emerging (College/Graduate School)

  • Professional

  • Senior (65+)

 

Criteria:

 

  • Candidates should be current MANA Members or recent Hermanitas.

  • The work or passions of the candidates should reflect a dedication to the Latino community, preference will be given to women/girls who focus their efforts on Latinas.

  • Candidates should be highly respected by their peers.

  • Candidates should demonstrate significant impact for their community.

 

Deadline: Monday, July 15, 2024

See Full Rules and Requirements
Nomination Form

Share YOUR MANA Story

We would like to uplift and share the stories of our members, hermanitas, friends, and supporters nationwide on social media and on our YouTube page. Your story is the story of MANA. We are asking you to record a 30-60 second video telling us YOUR MANA Story.

 

Tell us how you first joined MANA, or how a MANA scholarship helped you, or how the mentorship and community are important to you or your daughter, for example. The story you share is up to you.

 

The videos can be filmed with your phone or on your laptop - whatever is easiest for you.

 
Share YOUR Story

Chapter Fundraising Opportunity: Spark Good Local Grants

Each year, Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and Distribution Centers award local cash grants ranging from $250 to $5000. These local grants are designed to address the unique needs of the communities where they operate. Grants are taken on a rolling basis throughout the year. See guidelines, eligibility, and how to apply at: https://walmart.org/how-we-give/program-guidelines/spark-good-local-grants-guidelines

Want to Learn More About Fundraising:

Access These Educational Resources

Somos El Poder is able to provide resources and professional development to Latinx fundraising and development professionals. MANA is a national member of Somos El Poder and this membership allows all of our Chapter leaders to access this educational content to help you build your local fundraising capacity. We hope you can take advantage of the webinars, conferences, and other resources available: https://www.somoselpoder.org/

President Biden Issues Executive Order and Announces New Actions On Immigration Reform

At an event commemorating the 12th Anniversary of DACA, President Biden announced relief for families who struggle daily with the fear of deportation despite having lived and worked in the United States for years. New actions being taken by the Department of Homeland Security will allow certain noncitizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country. Additionally, DACA recipients and Dreamers who have earned a degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and who have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer, will be able to receive work visas more quickly. FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Keep Families Together | The White House

Quick Reads from MANA

March 21, 2024 – MANA Supports CARE Act Bill

MANA endorsed legislation championed by Senator Ben Ray Lujan (NM) to improve child protections and safety standards for the agriculture industry. The CARE Act takes steps to improve child worker safety by adjusting the age and work hour standards for children in agriculture to the standards for children working in all other industries. Among its other provisions, the bill would also increase the civil and criminal monetary penalties for child labor violations, and provide children with greater protection against pesticide exposure.

 

See the press release here: During Ag Week, Luján Introduces Legislation to Improve Child Protections and Safety Standards for Agriculture Industry - Senator Ben Ray Luján (senate.gov)

 

May 13, 2024 – Rosa Cavazos Op-Ed

MANA National Board Vice Chair, Rosa Cavazos, penned an op-ed for the Topeka Capital-Journal urging the Governor of Kansas to sign legislation to better regulate the 340b program to ensure grant funding goes to directly serve patients in most need.

 

Read the Op-Ed here: Laura Kelly must sign HB 2551 to help our most vulnerable Kansans (cjonline.com)

 

May 21, 2024 – Q&A: State of Latina Health

Amy Hinojosa was interviewed by LATINO Magazine for the Spring edition on the State of Latina Health, including the issues most important to the MANA network, how we work with our national coalitions, and how this shapes the national Hispanic agenda.

 

Read the Q&A here: Latino Magazine : Spring 2024 (qwinc.com)

 

Visit hermana.org/news for more articles, letters, and press releases from MANA

Making HERstory: Capitol Forum on Latina Health

May 24, 2024 - In partnership with LATINO Magazine, MANA co-hosted an event on Capitol Hill. The event titled, Making HERstory: Capitol Forum on Latina Health, presented a lineup of all-Latina featured speakers including Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging; Yvonne Rodriguez, Founder and CEO, Egality Sciences LLC, Board Member, National Hispanic Health Foundation; Lorena Kuri, Head of Diversity Strategy, Bristol-Myers Squibb; and Larissa Avilés-Santa, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Division of Clinical and Health Services Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

 

Across the U.S. economy, STEM-related occupations play an increasingly important role in driving innovation and economic growth. U.S. Latinas are making significant contributions to STEM-related fields and becoming an increasingly important part of the STEM workforce, including those in the biopharmaceutical industry who are developing new treatments and cures. To address pervasive disparities and achieve better health outcomes for Latino populations, we must raise awareness about the contributions of Latina leaders and champion public policy solutions that promote exciting career opportunities for students, boost diversity and inclusion, and ensure continued medical innovation.

Interested in the Founding of MANA?

Read more in this book by Elvira Valenzuela Crocker

Read One Dream, Many Voices
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