$200 raised by 1 donor
1% complete
$25,000 Goal
Our school Backpack Program ensures that local children have the necessary supplies and backpack at the start of the school year to succeed academically, setting them up for a brighter future.
Our Las Posadas Coats & Toys Christmas Program brings joy and warmth to families in need during the holiday season.
Our "Celebrating Cultural Heritage" Program aims to celebrate our cultural heritage and traditions in a variety of ways and events. There are two project currently; one is arts/crafts and the other is cooking/baking.
Our arts/crafts pilot project is Celebrating Cultural Heritage (Through Arts/Crafts for Girls and Boys). ©2024 Mujeres de Colores All Rights Reserved
This project promotes cultural appreciation, creativity, and family bonding through the power of art and storytelling, with results being well-rounded children, with increased confidence, creativity, and appreciation of their cultural heritage and traditions.
The objectives of this PILOT are to:
Facilitate meaningful conversations between parents and children about their cultural heritage and traditions; Encourage children to explore and express their cultural identity through arts/crafts; Provide a hands-on art/crafts making experience that promotes creativity and self expression; Teach children practical skills in design and transfer techniques for creating personalized artwork on different mediums; Foster a sense of pride and connection to one's cultural heritage and traditions through artistic expression; Inspire the children to understand, celebrate, and respect each other's cultures and traditions, while celebrating their sameness as humans traveling this journey together.
Project Activities include:
Parent-child and extended family-child discussions at home about culture and traditions, stories, and experiences; Children creating drawings based on their understanding and interpretations of the discussions with their parents and relatives; Art/Crafts workshops led by project sponsors/volunteers to teach children how to design and transfer artwork onto t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, stickers, other media.
We recently completed the inaugural project of our PILOT. During this first project, the children completed 3 sessions: first was creating vinyl stickers; second was creating customized mugs; and third was creating customized t-shirts all based on their interpretation of the discussions they had at home with their families about culture and traditions.
A second offering is anticipated during fall/winter OF 2024. Continuation beyond the second offering of this PILOT is contingent upon donations and community interest.
Our cooking/baking project is Celebrating Cultural Heritage (Cooking/Baking Classes for ages 15 and older).
The objective of the cooking and baking classes is to share our culture and traditions by facilitating cooking and baking classes to create a more welcoming environment among a diverse community. We believe that sharing culture and traditions through cooking, baking, and afterward breaking bread fosters a sense of connection and understanding within our community. We come together to share our culinary heritage and not only celebrate our diverse backgrounds but also create an environment of acceptance and care. These shared experiences allow us to learn from one another, appreciate our differences, and build lasting relationships, ultimately enriching our community and promoting a spirit of unity and compassion.
We recently completed a fruit EMPANADAS baking class. During this event community members came together to learn to bake two types of fruit empanadas: pumpkin and also raspberry. Afterward, the participants sat together for dessert with their favorite drinks and just enjoyed a good time. They were able to take home "the fruit of their labor" along with a take-home kit that included the recipe for both types of empanadas and all the dry ingredients needed to make one dozen of each fruit empanadas.
A second offering is scheduled for making TAMALES on December 7, 2024. The class will include making authentic homemade tamales southern New Mexico style "Chile Colorado de Hatch, NM con carne de cerdo" (Hatch, NM red Chile with shredded pork).
We are a non-profit dedicated to supporting individuals, working class, and low-income families through children’s programs and Hispanic cultural education, creating a positive impact in the lives of our community members. Join us in our mission and make a difference today! We have ongoing programs that aim to make a positive impact in the lives of our community members.
Mujeres de Colores obtained its 501(c)(3) determination letter in March of 2017. Mujeres de Colores was borne out of Betty Aragon-Mitotes’ (founder and president) desire to help underserved and working-class communities. Betty is also a co-founder of El Museo de Las Tres Colonias, where prior to establishment of Mujeres de Colores, they began an annual tradition of commemorating Las Posadas, which celebrates the true meaning of Christmas while providing gifts for families in need. This event is inspired by the Hispanic Christmas tradition of re-enacting Mary and Joseph's journey to find shelter. The annual event which began under El Museo de Las Tres Colonias, transferred and continued under Mujeres de Colores and continues to this day.
Another program which transferred and continues to this day under Mujeres de Colores is the Backpack Program, which is also an annual event held on the first Tuesday of August at Sugar Beet Park in the vicinity of Las Tres Colonias. The event is in harmony with Neighborhood Night Out. It aims to provide new backpacks and school supplies to children from varying backgrounds, including working-class and low-income families, to help them start the new school year. Hosting the event alongside Neighborhood Night Out encourages neighborhood connections and fosters community unity. Donations are accepted throughout the year to avoid starting from scratch each year.
Our Las Posadas and Backpack Programs have assisted hundreds of children and families every year since their establishment. As a community, we aim to help as many families as possible, recognizing that many families struggle especially during both these times of year (Christmas and back to school). We rely on the kindness and generosity of businesses and the community to accomplish our mission. We are extremely grateful for their continued support, their belief in our mission, and their continued trust in us.
Also part of Mujeres de Colores mission is cultural education. To that end, the following projects have also been completed with collaboration and the generosity of businesses and the community in and around Fort Collins.
In October 2019, Mujeres de Colores commissioned and donated The Hand That Feeds sculpture/monument which tells the story of hard work, perseverance, and determination. It is the story of the thousands of men, women and children who came to the Fort Collins region to do back-breaking work in the sugar beet fields in the early 1900s. It is the story of the many Hispanic, Mexican and Chicano families who eventually came to see Fort Collins as their home, settling in the Las Tres Colonias neighborhoods adjacent to the sugar beet factory, creating community and adding to the culture and fabric of the Fort Collins community. The Hand That Feeds is not a story of the sugar beet industry, once an important part of Fort Collins’ history, The Hand That Feeds is a story about the people who helped to make that industry successful. This monument is meant to commemorate, preserve, and honor the history of the Hispanic and Mexican people who came to work in the sugar beet fields in Fort Collins, Larimer County and Colorado.
In September of 2023, the “Para Mi Familia” mural was commissioned by Mujeres de Colores working with the Fort Collins Hispanic Mural Project with the vision of Creating a Community Where Everyone Belongs. We firmly believe that by a community working together we can move toward equity. Together, we hope to create a space where everyone belongs. Our dream was to create a vibrant, larger-than-life mural on the wall of one of Fort Collins’ iconic restaurant, Los Tarascos. We hope the scenes in the Fort Collins Hispanic Mural Project will encourage conversation and spark curiosity about Hispanic/Mexican cultural heritage and the part it plays in the larger community. That it might provide an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of Hispanic culture, at the same time instilling pride, belonging, interaction, and human connection within the community. We firmly believe that by a community working together we can move toward equity.
Organization name
Mujeres De Colores
2017
Tax id (EIN)
81-4481872
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities, Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, Education, Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
3375 Woodlands WayLarimer County, CO, US