Our Work
MISSION & VISION
Our mission is to achieve healthier and more just communities by ending isolation and building community and collective power.
Womxn for Change (WFC) is a volunteer-led nonprofit in Oregon creating affirming spaces for womxn from underrepresented communities. Founded in 2020, WFC empowers womxn through leadership development, community building, and programs shaped by the voices of those we serve. Our work nurtures personal growth, builds collective power, and sparks lasting community change.
OUR STORY
Friends united to champion social justice in their hometown.
In 2020, friends Denise Millhollen and Mónica Santoyo volunteered with a local non-profit to support BILPOC families affected by acts of racism during the pandemic.
Informed by their personal experiences, learning from amazing women of color, and the desire to create affirming spaces for womxn, they founded LO Change to empower
womxn and build community. The organization is now known as Womxn for Change (WFC).
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Timeline:
In 2023, the team of volunteers grew to eight active volunteers holding regular meetings.
In 2024, a new board of directors was elected, and committees were established, becoming today’s dynamic and diverse team. The organization is led and operated by volunteers representing the communities they serve.
Key actions: Community surveys were circulated to inform our programming.
In 2025, the team is focusing on internal leadership development, community engagement, and designing and delivering a high-caliber pilot program.
Womxn
Womxn
The term “womxn” is an intersectional concept that includes transgender women, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people, women of color, women of developing countries, and the broad personal identities of womxn. While its use varies across communities, WFC uses the term to create space for all identities and backgrounds; it aims to foster inclusivity for all.
WOMXN OF CHANGE
NORMA
My business is located in Hillsboro, Oregon, and it specializes in popsicles, ice cream, various drinks, and snacks. The name of my business is La Michoacana NW. My husband started it in July 2017; he managed and ran it.
Unfortunately, due to his passing, I have had to take full responsibility for it.
I have faced many challenges of all kinds, but especially in administration. That was until I found help at Centro de Prosperidad, where they also connected me with Monica Santoyo, who guided and supported me. She did a financial analysis for me to understand the profit margin on sales for each store—because I now have a second location in the same city. She also guided me in distinguishing between direct and indirect costs, something I did not know.
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She helped me see a bigger picture, including identifying some unnecessary services I was paying for. As a result, I have been able to correct several accounts in the businesses and manage them more effectively.