LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — For more than two decades, a group of women in Las Vegas has been creating a space where women who immigrated to the U.S. can share their struggles and support one another.
Grupo Mujeres meets every Monday at the Dolores Huerta Resource Center in North Las Vegas for therapy and community.
Organizers say immigrating to the U.S. often means leaving behind support systems and can be an isolating experience.
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Sandra Valdez founded the group in 2003 after seeing many women face those challenges alone.
“When we arrived in this country, it was a huge, very difficult adjustment—adapting to society, adapting to the customs, adapting to the language,” Valdez said.
Building a new life from scratch
Grupo Mujeres comprises women who have left behind family, friends, and everything familiar to start over in a new country.
“You see me in this position today. But people come here to do all kinds of jobs—there are a thousand different jobs we’ve had to take on,” Valdez said. “People come to work—to clean offices, clean houses, work in stores—whatever comes our way, we do it, and it shapes who we are; it makes us think with humility.”
For Teresita Perez Morales, the support was life-changing.
“I arrived here suffering from anxiety and depression, and I was in really bad shape—way too bad. Then a friend asked me, ‘Why don’t you go to Dolores Huerta?’” Perez Morales said.
She said the group helped her recover.
“With the therapists, my colleagues, and everything we share on a daily basis—I’ve been feeling a lot better,” Perez Morales said.
Valdez said that a sense of belonging is especially important for women trying to build a life far from where they started.
“It’s hard, but it’s possible, and our group here did what we always do for all women: we try to motivate them to succeed above all else,” Valdez said.
The group is open to women of any age seeking support or community.
All meetings and workshops are offered free of charge. Organizers say they hope that removes one more barrier for women seeking support.
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