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By Isela Cereso Mendiola We’ve all heard the repeated phrase, “You need to advocate for yourself” or “Advocate for what you believe in.” What do those phrases really mean? How does advocacy impact our everyday life? Merriam-Webster defines advocacy as, “the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal”. Although […]
For the last 15 years, ELEMENT volunteers have been helping maintain Casa de Esperanza, Esperanza United’s local shelter for Latin@ survivors of domestic violence. In this video we salute our volunteers and talk more about our strength-based approach to ending gender-based violence. Email Beth Baynes at bbaynes@esperanzaunited.org for information on volunteer […]
In this short video by Our Lives News, our Director of Research and Evaluation and University of New Haven professor, Dr. Lillie Macias, speaks about where the term gaslighting came from and how it is a form of domestic violence. Read the full article or visit loveisrespect.org for more resources on […]
Meet Irene Ochoa, Senior Family Advocate Where are you from? I’m from Chihuahua, Mexico. Where do you feel most at home? I feel at home in Minnesota where my family is. Three of my children and grandchildren are here. I also feel at home in Chihuahua because my oldest, my father […]
In this podcast, as part of a series celebrating our new name, “Esperanza United”, our Co-director of Family Advocacy and Community Engagement, Rosario de la Torre, speaks with our Senior Family Advocate, Irene Ochoa. Doña Irene has helped Latina survivors in Minnesota for nearly 35 years, and is admired among Esperanza […]
It’s long been who we are but now it’s also what we’re called. As of today, Casa de Esperanza and our National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities (NLN) has a new name that better embodies our vision, mission, and approach – Esperanza United. Nearly forty years ago, a group […]
What would you do if someone told you they had experienced sexual assault? Would you know how to respond in a positive, informed, and sensitive way? In particular, Latinas disclose sexual assault, intimate partner, or dating violence through social networks. When someone tells you they’ve experienced sexual assault, they are trusting […]
By Analeidi Barrera In my second year at Macalester college, I had the incredible opportunity as a Bonner Scholar to work with a nonprofit of my choosing. The Bonner Community Scholar Program partners with service organizations in Minnesota that center social justice, civic engagement, and community building. Esperanza United’s volunteer opportunities […]
New Tool Release By: Martha Hernández Martínez, MPA and María Cristina Pacheco Alcalá, M.Psy. Why did we do it? One of the great lessons we have learned from our advocates is that “a question is never asked for the sake of asking or to fill out a form, if we ask […]
Hola Amig@s, I’ve always known how important the work of Esperanza United (formerly Casa de Esperanza) is. In Minnesota and nationally, we partner with Latin@ communities to end gender-based violence, investing in our families and celebrating our strengths. The coronavirus hit the communities we relate to particularly hard – Latin@s are experiencing some of the highest rates of […]