Empowered Women International

Our Vision

EWI believes in a world in which immigrant and refugee women in the United States and around the world are treated with respect and dignity, as well as valued and rewarded fairly for their skills, talents and labor. We also believe in the extraordinary power of the arts as a unifying language of communication and multicultural understanding, and a vehicle of integration for newcomers.

Our Mission

Empowered Women International helps low-income immigrant and refugee women living in the Greater DC Metro area integrate, participate as new citizens and become self-sufficient by employing their creativity, skills, and entrepreneurial spirit to develop new career paths and start up businesses. We provide a network of support and create opportunities for immigrant and refugee women and their families by using the arts as tools of empowerment, communication, cultural understanding, and entrepreneurship.

Our Goal

• Empower immigrant and refugee artists and artisans to succeed in their personal and professional lives through education, coaching and business development
• Advance and promote their creative arts while preserving and celebrating their cultural traditions and values
• Foster public awareness and appreciation for the unique contributions immigrant and refugee people make to life in the greater metropolitan Washington area.

Program Description

Empowered Women International is a publicly supported non-profit organization that promotes the arts and entrepreneurial success for immigrant and refugee women and families.

EWI creates unique art and cultural events designed to better the lives of their creators, make a difference in the lives of the audience, and enhance the understanding of our local and global community.

We feature foreign-born and American women artists through a monthly series of art exhibitions and performances, and provide business skills for emerging artists and artisans. Our two- semester entrepreneurial training provides business knowledge and financial literacy, mentoring and art exposure, and income generating opportunities to 50 immigrant artists and artisans each year.

Through outreach and direct service, we work with more than 300 immigrant women and families, and present our art events to over 1,000 people each year.