Neococo Empowerment and Funding Program

Immigrant and refugee support

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Neococo Collective addresses the systemic barriers refugee, immigrant and displaced womxn face in achieving economic independence and community integration while resettling in the United States. They confront limited job options while navigating unfamiliar systems, trauma from displacement, limited social support networks, and language barriers. Traditional employment models do not consider their unique needs, leaving many skilled womxn, underemployed or dependent on public welfare. Our understanding is rooted in years of direct engagement with immigrant and refugee communities. We’ve witnessed how skill based, culturally grounded, trauma-informed programs can transform lives. With familiar work opportunities, offering wraparound services in financial literacy, micro-grants for entrepreneurship, social and language support, we address immediate income needs and long-term self-sufficiency. This helps women reclaim agency, build community, and become leaders within their communities.

The Neococo Empowerment and Funding Programs support refugee, immigrant, and displaced women in Los Angeles as they rebuild their lives through dignified work, skill development, and community integration. This grant will fund a year-long initiative providing flexible employment in textile arts ; such as embroidery, knitting, and weaving, paired with wraparound services including trauma-informed care, language support, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship training. We partner with some of the most proactive resettlement agencies like the International Rescue Committee, Program For Torture victims and The Downtown Womens Center who connect us to newly resettled women in Los Angeles. Hand embroidery is a beautiful commonality amongst many cultures around the world and is both familiar as well as therapeutic for the participants on our team. In just a few weeks, participants begin creating handcrafted products, generating revenue that sustains the program and provides participants with supplemental income. The program fosters long-term goals by supporting participants in joining the Neococo Funding Program, which offers micro-grants and mentorship to launch their own small businesses. Throughout the project, we work closely with caseworkers from resettlement agencies to reach women in need, ensuring that those most impacted by systemic barriers have access to economic opportunity, healing, and leadership pathways.

When our work is successful, Los Angeles County will be a more inclusive, equitable, and economically resilient community where refugee, immigrant, and displaced women are thriving. Immigrant womxn will no longer be sidelined by systemic barriers but will instead be active contributors to the local economy and cultural landscape. They will have access to dignified work, start their own businesses, and serve as leaders and role models within their neighborhoods. Communities will benefit from increased social cohesion, reduced reliance on public services, and the enrichment that comes from diverse cultural expression through art and entrepreneurship. By investing in women and their success, we foster a stronger, more connected Los Angeles where every woman and child has the opportunity to rebuild, lead, and flourish.