From small beginnings spring mighty accomplishments. This year, 2025, Mujeres en Cambio celebrated the 30th anniversary of its founding with an event that invited everyone to get their sparkle on and help us light the candles!
Founders Georgeann Johnson and Pakina Langenscheidt Fernandez
On March 12, a crowd of 180 supporters and volunteers gathered at the beautiful Instituto Allende to enjoy drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a plated dinner, and birthday cake catered by Dos Suecos. Saxophonist Alberto Robledo serenaded the crowd, followed by an exhibition by Ballet Folklorico Alborada, and after dinner dancing to the music of Felicia Ford and Soul Flame. We were honored to have present and to recognize both of the founders of Mujeres en Cambio, Pakina Langenscheidt Fernandez and Georgeann Johnson.
Our Board
Board President, Barbara Salazar, gave a brief history of the organization’s incredible accomplishment: The education of 1000 girls since the first becas were distributed in 1995. What a life changing gift to the girls, their families, their communities, and to the future!
Thanks to generous donations to the Silent Auction and sold-out tickets sales, the event was both a celebration and a successful fund raiser to help continue the work. Mil gracias.
We owe a special debt of gratitude to a number of people and groups. First, the sponsors who helped underwrite the event: Lou Uttaro and Mata de Monte, Sandra Vazques and Panio, and Barbara Poole. A special shout-out to Insider News and reporter Danita Brisson, who were instrumental in helping publicize our event. And it wouldn’t have been a party without two full tables of our friends and supporters from the Universalist Unitarians fellowship!
The members of the Event Committee spent many weeks planning this spectacular celebration. They and all the wonderful volunteers who served at the door, sold drink tickets, and helped run the silent auction all deserve a special recognition for making it happen:
Christine Yannitelli (Event Director)
Jo Cartwright (Co-Chair)
Donna Steward
Lulu Lum
Barbara Wilson-Clay
Patricia Sabolsky
Katherine Lebold
Nancy Stenson
Marsharee Chastain
Marie Toler Raney
Volunteers Needed
Mujeres en Cambio always welcomes new men and women who want to become active in our organization. We are particularly seeking new volunteers with skills in development, communications, and those folks who enjoy event planning. Some tasks, such as writing thank you notes to donors can be done in the comfort of home, while others are more active. Interested individuals can go to the Contact Us page of the website.
Amistad Canada
Mujeres en Cambio treasures our relationship with Amistad Canada. We want to welcome Erika Sadler, who replaces Stephen Bresolin as the liaison between Amistad and Mujeres en Cambio. Erika has recently moved from Montréal to San Miguel de Allende with her teenage daughter. She is excited to be working with Dale Eby, our other Amistad liaison. Erika attended the November Appreciation event and is excited to be meeting amazing personalities and new friends, and to be part of the devoted team of volunteers working side-by-side to contribute to the well-being of her new community.
World Poetry Day in San Miguel de Allende
World Poetry Day was celebrated on March 21 with an Event hosted by Nataly Taylor along with Danita Brisson. Part of the proceeds were donated to Mujeres en Cambio. We are so grateful for our supporters and the unique ways they find to help support our mission.
In honor of the event, Mujeres en Cambio President, Barbara Salazar (a published poet herself) composed the following tribute to our scholarship girls and young women:
The Cry of Silence
It’s so much that I can say about the screaming need of their silence The dusty road they walk through every day The broken silence they have to bear The hunger, the thirst for clean water It’s so much that I could say, Their big brown eyes, their innocent smile The humble gestures, their small bodies It’s so much cry in silence, without complaint, without opposition without an argument. I lift my arms to the sky, I pray, and I carry their dream for a better future. Like drops of rain in the middle of the desert, I am committed to help them reach their dreams of a better life.
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