Ser Mujer

Ser Mujer was created in collaboration with female Zapotec weaving collective Vida Nueva in the community of Teotitlán Del Valle. The program aims to address gender inequality and remove barriers that prevent women from realizing their rights and full potential.

Ser Mujer is a combination of advocacy, services and counseling to respond to the needs of the women in Colectivo Vida Nueva. Our intention is to raise awareness about gender equality and violence against women while generating tools, resources, and support for those who have encountered violence.

What is unique about our approach is the utilization of la cocina (the kitchen) as the medium through which we address gender inequality and violence and provide resources for escaping it.

A Dynamic Art-Therapy Approach

Each Ser Mujer session begins with an interactive lesson directed by a local licensed psychologist. These lessons cover a variety of themes, such as gender-based violence, family planning, and sexual health. After the lesson, women participate in a movement therapy session with a local dance teacher. This creative arts-therapy approach allows the women to process new information, relieve stress, and connect with their bodies.

We conclude each session by gathering in la cocina (the kitchen). In the kitchen we are joined by professional chefs who teach recipes and techniques to commercialize and sell food products, providing a potential avenue of independent financial recourse for participants, should they need to extricate themselves from a dangerous home.

We believe that when women are ensured their full rights and opportunities and can live with freedom from violence, entire communities benefit.