Spring into action with these valuable events & resources! ✿
April showers bring May flowers, and for ABRIR we are celebrating Women's History Month and sharing crucial resources for you all ˚˖°
Hello ABRIR Community!
Welcome back to our newsletter, this newsletter issue will be going over what we have been doing the past 2 months and catching up—as well as covering important celebrations that are happening in April and March. At the end we have compiled a lot of resources available for you all.
March is Women’s History Month: on girlhood and mommy issues ⋆˚✿˖°
During March I have taken time to reflect on womanhood, identity, and love. If there is anything I have learned is that the women in my life, for many generations (maybe in your case too), have settled and stayed by the side of partners whom they no longer love nor have they been treated the best. I’ve met countless of friends in their 20’s who have also come to this realization and have made it their goal to invest in their own healing and internal work.
To me, the women I look up to the most are my great-grandmothers, my maternal abuelita who passed away but had the best stories and got down with a good cumbia, my paternal abuelita who has experienced a long life at 85 years of age, my tias who have buried their spouses & rediscovered their interests in their 50s, and my mother, who continues to have that same spark in her eyes since she was 18 pregnant with her first child. But it’s also my longtime and new friends whom continue to aspire in their careers, who have crafted egalitarian partnerships with their loved ones, who sustain systems of community support, who always explore new hobbies, and show me love in small acts of care.
Last year I read a book called Concerning My Daughter by Hye-Jin Kim, with the main protagonist being a mother of a queer daughter in college whom she very rarely saw eye to eye with. In one quote she states: “that child who sprang from my own flesh and blood is perhaps the creature I’m most distant from.” I hope this month and the many months ahead we are able to shorten the distance from our mothers or other women in our lives. There is no other love that I have found to be more sacred and pure than that found in girlhood and womanhood. Sending much love to each of you and Happy Women’s History Month. 💕
Segment written by Arely
April is National Minority Health Month: A month to promote health and wellness for minorities ♥︎
It is time to raise awareness of the importance of improving the health of people in racial and ethnic minority communities. And, more than ever, it is time to take action within your communities to be the Source for Better Health within your communities that are in need.
As we are under Trump’s presidency, they have made it their effort to erase anything that includes the word “minority” in any type of practice, job, or organizations. In reality anything that says “DEI” or includes “diversity” without knowing what they truly do behind the scenes. Therefore, the Office of Minority Health was a target to getting shut down. Once you search “OMH” or “HHS” their website does not exist anymore, thus eliminating light to how important this month is dedicated for the National Minority Health. For more information, read about it here.
Without further a do, we wanted to emphasize that it is crucial to know this month is for Minority Health. We will continue to strive to take a stance on this as different things are being erased for our community due to the actions of the President and his team.
Here are some resources that I have managed to compiled:
National Institute of Minority Health and Health disparities
The National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
Segment written and compiled by Fabi
Events
Fundamentals of Organizing (Virtual)
Hosted by People’s Action, Fundamentals of Organizing is a 2-part series focused on power, self-interest, one-to-one relational meetings; and the foundation of power organizations!
🗓 April 1 & April 8, 2025
🕒 5:30-9:00 pm EST
Immigrants Rising LIVE via Instagram!
Immigrants Rising will be hosting an IG LIVE series featuring the incredible journeys of their Mental Health Career Program Cohort. This will include Maya Barragan-O’Brien and Nayeli. They are both focused in mental health careers and one holding a senior manager position.
🗓 April 4th, 2025
🕒 11:00 AM PT
🔗 Immigrants Rising IG LIVE account should be on their story at that time.
Know Your Rights (KYR) Training with Carlos Yañez 🫱🏼🫲🏽
We held our first community event of this year on February 26th where we learned about:
Defensive Rights: meaning the rights we need when encountering ICE agents
Affirmative Rights: meaning things people can do proactively to prepare for an ICE encounter, family preparedness, etc.
Having an Offensive Strategy: Family planning, what documents to carry, and more.
Thank you Carlos for your valuable insights and to all the participants that joined us! If you would like to connect with Carlos, you may do so by clicking here.
Got a suggestion for what our next community event should be? Drop a comment below or fill out our feedback survey! All ideas are welcome as we want to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community 🫶🏽
Enhance your creativity Workshop! 🎨
Abrir’s Arely hosted a workshop on March 27th at 8:00 PM CT, streamed via zoom!
We wanted to thank everyone for attending this amazing workshop! We hope that the tools, insights, and strategies shared by Arely will inspire you to unlock new levels of creativity in both your personal and professional life.
Thank you once again, and we look forward to seeing the amazing things you will create in the future!
Segment written and edited by Riana, Arely, Fabi.
March Book Chat Recap 📚
Last week we read and discussed Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine by Thao Votang 🌟
Told with deadpan humor and brutal honesty, this debut novel follows Vietnamese-American Linh Ly’s unraveling as she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present, perfect for fans of Joan is Okay and Luster.
On average, our Book Chat members rated the book a 3.5/5 stars! ★
Interested in joining our next Book Chat? Leave a comment or shoot us a DM on Instagram to be added to our WhatsApp chat! In this chat, you’ll get to vote on the next book we’ll read, get updates on future Book Chats, and build community with other book lovers! 📚
Segment written by Riana
✶ Resources ✶
Immigrants Rising’s Wellness Support Groups are designed to help undocumented people stay grounded and connected to their community.
These sessions are held virtually in a safe online space led by mental health experts. They offer various support groups, such as UndocuLGBTQ+ Support Group and Black & Undocumented Support Group.
It’s officially tax season! 💵🫣 Did you know? Most local libraries offer resources and tax experts to help you file your taxes! Check out your local library and see if they offer free tax preparedness services 📑
Latinx Therapy List helps you find another Latinx therapists online and in person, based off your own preferences as they have filters you can select.
Asian Mental Health directory where you can find a mental health providers, you can find virtual and in-person opportunities. You can find other opportunities and resources available on the page as well.
Trans Legislation is a State-by-State Trans Legislation Tracker to keep you in the know so you can keep yourself and your community safe!
✶ Opportunities ✶
Scholarships
California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship Program
🗓 Deadline to submit applications is June 1, 2025 by 5 pm PST
How to apply?
🗓 Deadline to submit applications is April 1, 2025 by 9:59 pm
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation—Young Scholars Program
How to apply?
🗓 Deadline to submit applications is April 30, 2025
Internships and Job Opportunities
APAICS Summer 2025 Office Internship
Interested in pursuing a career in public policy or working for a non-profit? This internship opportunity offers PAID remote and hybrid positions! They are currently looking for a Communications Intern, a Programs Intern, and an Administrative Intern 🌟
How to apply?
🗓 Deadline to submit applications is April 18, 2025
Questions? No worries! Check out their website here for more information!
APHA LGBTQ+ Health Caucus: Mentorship Program
This program is open to all—students interested in LGBTQ+ public health and early-career professionals! This opportunity is VIRTUAL and aims to foster professional development by connecting LGBTQ+ students and those interested in LGBTQ+ public health with experienced professionals and researchers 🌟
How to apply?
🗓 Program Duration: April – November 2025 (concluding at the APHA Annual Meeting) with a commitment of a few hours per month
Questions? No problem! You can contact Xandro Xu (he/they), Student Chair of the LGBTQ Health Caucus, at studentchair@aphalgbtq.org.
Woori Juntos’ Young Advocates Program
Woori Juntos are looking to provide a space for young people ages 18-30 to create, learn, and build a community.
Their spring 2025 session will consist of:
Organizing/Advocacy opportunities
Art projects, and community care
How to apply?
🗓 Program duration: April 18- June 6th IN PERSON in Houston. Every Friday noon to 3PM.
Learn about the goals, responsibilities, and qualifications for the program here.
Segment compiled by Riana and Fabi
As always, we would love to hear from you! You can fill out our anonymous feedback survey here with any suggestion for newsletter segments or community events you would like to see us host. We would greatly appreciate your feedback 💗
Until next time folks 👋🏼
In community,
ABRIR Community
Compiled and Edited by Arely, Fabi, and Riana