The Grupo Mulheres do Brasil New York chapter celebrates five years of existence in September. Under the leadership of advertising professional and career coach Alejandra Merklen and architect Eliane Garcez, the chapter’s mission is to support and develop projects to inspire, inform, and empower Brazilian women living in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT). The ultimate goal is to strengthen their integration and that of their families into American society.
Divided into four cause committees (Entrepreneurship and Career, Combating Violence, Immigrant Rights and Benefits, and Health and Culture Integration), the group has developed over 422 projects that have directly and indirectly impacted more than 200,000 people in the past five years.
“We are still planting seeds, but it has been very rewarding to see the contributions our projects have made to the lives of so many women,” says Alejandra. “When we started, we wanted to share some of our knowledge and experience from living and working in this region for so many years. Over time, other women, professionals qualified in various fields, became interested in our mission and joined the group, allowing us to address all these issues faced by many immigrants.”
The established actions are many, but the leaders highlight one that addresses a very sensitive and complex issue.
“One of the greatest achievements in these five years was the creation of a hotline for victims of violence, a problem that unfortunately affects our community a lot,” emphasizes Eliane. There is a dedicated phone line for this issue (+1-914-713-5075) and an email (gmbviolencia@gmail.com) that were created specifically to provide psychological support, legal guidance, and referrals to local partner organizations. In addition, we provide information through the Women’s Handbook, which is available on our website and social media, and the Practical English project, which teaches women how to report in English to 911,” she adds.
Alejandra adds to this list of achievements the establishment of solid partnerships with organizations that serve the community, such as the Brazilian Consulate in NY, Mantena Global Care, Garra, Legião da Boa Vontade, and others.
“Among our principles is not to reinvent the wheel, but rather to contribute to maximizing existing projects. Thus, working together with other institutions only helps us increase our reach,” says Alejandra.
It is important to mention that the group’s projects are developed by women, all volunteers. Today, there are 45 women with knowledge and experience in different areas, dedicating a little of their time so that their fellow countrywomen can also establish themselves and integrate into life in the United States.
The group is still in the process of formal registration as a non-profit organization, so it relies exclusively on the pro-bono work of its volunteers to carry out its mission.
The Future
As it celebrates five years, in addition to finalizing the formal registration process as a non-profit organization, which will allow the group to expand its network of public and private partners, the chapter is focused on adding new volunteers so that more projects can be carried out.
“We believe it is possible for Brazilian women living in the tri-state to be empowered and fully integrated into American society to benefit from the opportunities this country offers, achieving personal and professional fulfillment,” concludes Eliane.
Grupo Mulheres do Brasil
The Grupo Mulheres do Brasil in New York is one of the chapters that make up the Grupo Mulheres do Brasil, founded in 2013 in Brazil by 40 women from different sectors with the aim of engaging civil society in the pursuit of improvements for the country. Presided over by entrepreneur Luiza Helena Trajano, chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Magazine Luiza, the organization today has 116 national chapters and 38 international ones, with participation from more than 118,000 women.
If you need help or are interested in joining the Grupo Mulheres do Brasil New York chapter, please contact us via email newyork@grupomulheresdobrasil.org.br or on Instagram or Facebook @grupomulheresdobrasilny.
Learn more about the group’s work on the website: https://www.grupomulheresdobrasil.org.br/nucleos/novayork/