Adelante Mujeres

We continue celebrating our beautiful Heritage this month! We are spotlighting Gemma Balderas, a dedicated advocate for Latina entrepreneurs and a vital member of our community. Gemma serves as a Business Coach and Retail Specialist at Adelante Mujeres, where she plays a pivotal role in the Casa Qui program. Casa Qui is more than just a retail business incubator; it’s a beacon of opportunity for Latina women entrepreneurs. Under Gemma’s guidance, participants in the program receive personalized coaching and develop crucial skills in financial planning, marketing, and store design. Her commitment to empowering women through entrepreneurship is evident in the success stories of those who have graduated from the program and gone on to achieve their dreams. Beyond her work in business development, Gemma is also a dedicated Promotora at Adelante Mujeres. Her role includes providing translation support and helping Spanish-speaking community members access vital resources, such as COVID-19 vaccinations. Gemma’s efforts have been instrumental in building trust and ensuring that the Latino community receives the support they need to thrive. As a member of the Latino Business Advisory Council (LBAC), Gemma continues to advocate for the economic empowerment of the Hispanic community. Her work not only uplifts individual entrepreneurs but also strengthens the fabric of our entire community. Gemma, your dedication and passion inspire us all. Thank you for being a champion of empowerment and a true leader within our community. ¡Gracias, Gemma! 🙌🏽✨

Happy Hispanic Heritage month! Read on for a reflection on this month from Steering Committee member, Jo Davis, Director of Nonprofit Banking and Community Development for OnPoint Community Credit Union. The last few weeks my heart has been so very heavy with a topic that is deeply intertwined with our Latinx communities: immigration. Controversy around this topic is not new and regardless of your political persuasion or what you believe needs to be done to address the challenges surrounding immigration, it is impossible to deny that without immigrants, our country would look very different. While it is not new to us, it is no less hurtful every time lies are spread about our communities. The TASTE movement without a doubt is made up of immigrants. 
 Many of our chefs, winemakers, vendors, committee members, volunteers and the nonprofits we support identify as immigrants and serve immigrant-heavy communities. TASTE is about joy, good food, amazing wine, and community. 
 It is also about amplifying the causes and work being done by so many amazing people to end systemic marginalization and oppression. 
This Hispanic Heritage Month, I encourage you to boost the missions of our amazing community based organizations focused on empowering our local Latinx communities. 
While there are many in our community, I recommend three organizations that have close ties to TASTE for Equity: ✨Adelante Mujeres (2024 beneficiary) ✨Latino Network (2019-2023 beneficiary) ✨PCUN (Executive Director Reyna Lopez was a 2022 Equity Champion honoree) To my fellow immigrants – Latinx and otherwise…I see you. I appreciate you. I fight for you. I am proud of us.  
 As Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature one said: “Podrán cortar todas las flores pero no podrán detener la primavera/You can cut all the flowers but you cannot stop the Spring.” In solidarity and with so much love and hope,  - Jo Davis #tasteforequity #tastegala2024 #ubuntu #iambecauseweare #community #oregonchefs #oregonwineries #bestoforegon #pdxeats #portlandevents #adelantemujeres #latinonetwork #pcunoregon #hispanicheritagemonth

🗣️ Have you heard of Adelante Mujeres? They are a non-profit organization based in Forest Grove that provides holistic education and empowerment opportunities to marginalized Latina women and families, to ensure full participation and active leadership in the community. Adelante Mujeres means, “women rise up” in English and that is exactly what this team of fierce women are doing. We are so lucky to have incredible partners like Adelante Mujeres in the fight for food justice. Mayra Hernandez and Petrona Dominguez Francisco are key leaders in the Food for All Oregonians campaign — and are among the founding advocates who helped envision and craft this historic legislation. “We know that food is medicine and that food is the most important element alongside water. By addressing food insecurity and food accessibility we can foresee a ripple effect on other social-economic issues that we see in our communities, such as mental health and climate change…That is why I am asking and encouraging everyone to support this campaign — because it’s very crucial and a stepping stone to what [other] states are already doing across the country,” Petrona says. Join Adelante Mujeres and many other powerhouse organizations, companies and community members this Hunger Action Month and pledge to support Food for All Oregonians. FoodForAllOR.org/Pledge

Today, we take tremendous pride in shining a spotlight on the vibrant traditions and rich cultural tapestry that our Hispanic and Latino colleagues bring into our community. We're delighted to share a special message from New Seasons Market Human Resource Manager - Bilingual, Maria Lopez: Hispanic Heritage Month is month-long observance, Sept. 15th through Oct. 15th, that aims to shine a light on the contributions of Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. We recognize that experiences are not monoliths, and that the cultures being uplifted during this month are diverse and rich in their own rights. Each community may also have their own culturally specific terms that speak to their unique heritage.   As we commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re excited to share some conversations with our friends Nikki Guerrero of Portland favorite Hot Mama's Salsa and New Seasons Market community partner and Mission Advisory Council member Adelante Mujeres. Please check back to explore more about their collective journeys! • Hoy, nos sentimos muy orgullosos de destacar las vibrantes tradiciones y el rico tapiz cultural que nuestros colegas hispanos y latinos aportan a nuestra comunidad. Estamos encantados de compartir un mensaje especial de la Gerente de Recursos Humanos Bilingüe de New Seasons Market, Maria Lopez: El Mes de la Herencia Hispana es una celebración de un mes, del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre, que tiene como objetivo destacar las contribuciones de los estadounidenses que rastrean sus raíces en España, México, América Central, América del Sur y las naciones de habla hispana del Caribe. Reconocemos que las experiencias no son monolitos y que las culturas que se enaltecen durante este mes son diversas y ricas en sus propios derechos. Cada comunidad también puede tener sus propios términos culturalmente específicos que hablan de su herencia única. Al conmemorar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, estamos emocionados de compartir algunas conversaciones con nuestras amigas Nikki Guerrero de Hot Mama's Salsa, el restaurante favorito de Portland, y Adelante Mujeres, socio comunitario de New Seasons Market y miembro del Consejo Asesor de la Misión. ¡Vuelva a visitarnos para explorar más sobre sus viajes colectivos!