Programs
Familias Unidas
Our objectives are to build the capacity of low-income women workers as advocates for themselves and their communities on the border. We work to increase public awareness about development issues, education, and environmental racism to ensure we have a voice. Our organizing efforts are methodical and participatory; we develop leadership from each of the seven segments of Barrio Chamizal and welcome participation of residents of all ages.
Proyecto Verde
Proyecto Verde is centered on valuing and reinvigoration of our inherently healthy Mexican cultural expressions: traditional foodways and arts. We know that to fully embody and express ourselves as Mexican people, we need to start with our cultural traditions: connecting to land, growing and preparing fresh food, learning songs, poems, and visual arts. That is why our Proyecto Verde organizing initiative centers the wisdom of Chamizal neighborhood elders. We learn from their practice. Proyecto Verde’s cultural work is supported by local and international artists who are allies of the Chamizal, including indigenous Mexican women who practice their own ancestral artistic traditions for expression, commerce, and resistance.
Museo Mayachen
We document the history of Barrio Chamizal, including the struggle of Mexican garment workers who labored for decades in factories across the neighborhood. Being connected to history allows us to see parallels of systemic prejudice and community resilience between the past and the present. Our archive always welcome stories and artifacts of the Chamizal neighborhood; contact us if you have something to share.
Plaza Cultural
Over the past 30+ years, La Mujer Obrera has organized cultural festivals featuring the cuisine and culture of different regions of Mexico. We host El Paso’s oldest running Day of the Dead Festival, as well as Corn Festivals, Mole Festivals, and Ancestral Health Fairs. Each year, we host various film screenings, poetry and book readings, and cultural events featuring local, national, and international artists working in the intersection of art and resistance. Over 3,000 people from the El Paso/Juarez region attend our events each year.
Tierra es Vida
Stepping out of the factory, out of subservience industry and into the land, as women involved in agriculture, is a natural fit. Throughout human history, women have been the household stewards of good health and good eating. Growing food and cooking are sacred spaces in which we develop our love for the land and for our families, maintaining that critical connection to our nature as human beings and pillars of our family unit. That’s what drives our work at Tierra es Vida Community Farm, a one acre plot of land where we reclaim ancestral food growing practices. In addition to providing produce for the Chamizal neighborhood and the broader El Paso community, the community farm serves as a site for strengthening community relations and learning about traditional foods.
Connect with this program:
Volunteer Days: Sundays at 10AM – 2PM