12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 4-10, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com MC GIVES Where some people might see struggle, leaders of the nonprofit Mujeres en Acción see opportunity. “Our main focus is to help women become economically self-sufficient and develop their leadership, so they can change issues that affect their families, so they can advocate for themselves,” says Maria Elena Manzo, founder and executive director of the nonprofit, which launched in 2015. (The name is Spanish for Women in Action.) Their goals are big and small, from getting a driver’s license to starting a business, enrolling in school or becoming community leaders. “They talk about their goals and their dreams and then we help them overcome obstacles that stop them from achieving their goals,” Manzo says. Women sign up and receive peer support in areas including education, leadership skills and emotional well-being. They also get connected to other nonprofits or institutions that can help them advance. Manzo says she’s inspired when she sees women reaching their goals, like transitioning from being a farmworker picking strawberries to becoming a community health worker: “We have talents, and we have all that it takes. We just need somebody to invest in us.” There are many success stories that started at Mujeres, including Celsa Ortega, a mother of four and a former farmworker. She is now a business owner who started her own organic farm, Induchucuiti Organic Farms. Another woman is Claudia Reyes, a Mixteco woman from Salinas. She joined Mujeres as a participant during the pandemic. A year later, she became a community health worker with the VIDA Project. Now she leads Mujeres’ cohorts for Mixteco speakers. Reyes says when she joined the group she didn’t have any set goals. Little by little, while talking with other women and learning new skills, she saw herself doing something other than working in the fields. “Those opportunities made me feel like I could do it,” Reyes says in Spanish. “Working in the fields isn’t a bad job, but it’s hard.” Reyes adds that being part of Mujeres changed her and her family’s lives. Her eldest daughter, Maria Alexandra, 21, is one year away from graduating from university and is more involved in her community. DANIEL DREIFUSS Women Rising Mujeres en Acción helps women overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. By Celia Jiménez When she first immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and saw injustices, Maria Elena Manzo (left) says she felt powerless. Now she helps others leverage their power. How to Donate Go to www.mcgives.com and click the Donate button. Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Our Monterey County Gives Big Idea, Safe Teens Empowerment Project, prevents underage alcohol and drug use by engaging over 7,000 Monterey County youth in leadership, education, and community projects that build confidence, life skills, and resilience against high-risk behaviors. MontereyCountyGives.com/SunStreet Mental health, substance use, and homelessness often intersect. Community Human Services delivers care tailored to each person’s unique journey. Donate now to support those navigating life’s toughest crossroads. at the intersection of crisis and care.
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