Empowering Immigrant Voices

Flexible Grantmaking for Wyoming Communities

LEK Endowment Fund

This story is from our Spring 2024 newsletter. See the full newsletter here!

Voices Jackson Hole began to “Activate and actualize immigrant community members to become leaders,” says Board Chair Isabel Zumel. With a network of eighteen community leaders and over 400 immigrant families, Voices has evolved from a small group of dedicated folks to a full-fledged nonprofit making a difference.  

There is a large immigrant population in Jackson Hole who are eager to make a difference in their community. They want to share their unique perspectives and experiences but are rarely offered the leadership roles to be a changemaker.  

Thanks to your support, Voices is empowering immigrant voices and has helped place leaders into public roles in eight organizations across the Teton region.  

Voices runs several programs to encourage future leaders. They started the Latina Empowerment Circle, a three-month program where Latina women in the community met regularly to share space and support one another, which has since found a new home at the Community Safety Network. In Fall 2023, Voices launched the Crecimiento (Growth in English) Workshop series to support the success and resilience of Latine young professionals in their nonprofit, government, and business roles. 

“We will bring someone in for one of our leadership programs who is super shy and quiet at first,” says Director of Voices, Jordan Rich. “Within a year or less, they’re the most outspoken, assertive, strong voices in our team. Seeing that confidence blossom as they step into their voice and power is what’s so meaningful to me.” 

The community Voices has grown will continue to be an asset in their area. Thanks to donors like you, we can all help Voices reach their goals and influence others. 

Voices encourages everyone to get involved and learn more about the immigrant communities in your own towns. Building those connections will create opportunities statewide.

The desire for an inclusive community is not one-sided. “The community institutions have been so hungry and welcoming of our work,” Jordan says. “The immigrant community has a  deep desire to step into new spaces, and the power sources have been just as eager to embrace those partnerships to create a more inclusive and equitable Jackson Hole.” 

Voices Jackson Hole has been so thankful for the support of early investors like the Wyoming Community Foundation.  

Because of donors like you, Voices has been able to grow and expand over the last few years. The ability to use their grant for general operating has turned them into a powerful nonprofit in the Jackson area. 

Moving forward, the staff and board at Voices want to expand beyond Teton County. They hope to help other communities have the resources they need in good times and in bad. 

“I want to see how Voices can be a model for doing things differently,” says Isabel. 

To learn more about Voices Jackson Hole and to get involved, visit: voicesjh.org