Kelly from Ecuador to Queens
In 2022, Equity for Children, The StoryCenter, and Voces Latinas partnered to produce a video project that delves into the challenges faced by immigrant Latinx women and their children in New York City. This Latinx community experiences disadvantages that are usually depersonalized and invisible, from unequal access to education and mental health services to gender-based violence and discrimination.
Building a multidisciplinary team and using video storytelling techniques, the three organizations worked with a group of Latinx women to create videos of two- or three-minute length that feature personal stories that also identify barriers to their education, growth, and empowerment. The videos provided a platform for these courageous women to air their voices, foster creativity, and generate intimate connections between participants and the facilitators.
The first video features Kelly is a beacon of strength at Voces Latinas, where she works in the Domestic Violence department. She empowers individuals facing situations of violence, guiding them through challenging circumstances, and her dedication serves as an example of personal empowerment in action. See video here.
The stories behind the statistics are rarely, if ever, told. There are only a few places to hear about these experiences from the people living in such conditions, and even fewer chances that their stories will reach decision-makers and public leaders to improve social cohesion. This research has provided a nuanced view of the women and their stories behind these numbers.
