Mujeres en Accion (Mujeres) was founded in 2015 as a pilot program of the Action Council, with initial funding from the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of Monterey County. Since that time, other regional foundations and community partners have provided financial support to enable Mujeres to continue its groundbreaking work.

The program was designed to offer peer-to-peer support, learning opportunities, and resources to women across Monterey County with an interest in improving their economic circumstances. The program began with cohorts in Castroville, Salinas, Soledad, and Greenfield, and has grown to engage women throughout Monterey and in Santa Cruz Counties, with the possibility and hope of working also in San Benito County in the future. Over 500 women have participated in the last ten years.

Through a participant-driven approach, Mujeres meetings are tailored to the unique needs of 15-20 women in each group. Session topics range from access to affordable childcare and education to leadership skills and self-esteem, or any other issue that might help advance the economic mobility, agency, and self-sufficiency of women. Over the past ten years, the organization has grown into a trusted resource for the communities it serves and an essential partner to other local organizations working for the well-being of our communities. It has also evolved to become a leadership incubator and an intermediary between women and private, public, and nonprofit organizations seeking to provide meaningful and equitable employment.