Women and Migration

The horrors faced by migrants fleeing poverty, war, crime and other atrocities are forcing hundreds of thousands to escape their countries, mostly Central American, to try to find a better life somewhere else; in many cases, in the United States.  Death, starvation, thirst, accidents or dismemberment while riding the infamous La Bestia train, and the threat of deportation from the country of their dreams does not seem to deter those who feel it is their only hope.  The situation for women is worse, for not only do they face these same dangers, but they do it with their children, hoping beyond hope to get to the other side where their children will grow up and be educated and thrive.  Along the way these women face murder, rape, kidnapping, sex trafficking, extortion - but they continue to pursue their dreams.

Gretchen Kuhner is Director of the Institute for Women in Migration (IMUMI), a non-profit organization based in Mexico City that advocates for the rights of women migrants in the region through legal representation, policy advocacy and strategic communication.  IMUMI works to defend the women who have come seeking asylum for themselves and their children, especially those who have been detained and deported and separated from their children they were trying to protect, or forcibly returned to unbearable situations in their home countries. 

IMUMI works closely with networks in the US that focus on migrant rights and deportation defense.  Gretchen, with her small group of world changers at IMUMI, work to keep families together by giving help in navigating the US family and immigration systems; helping women who have been trafficked to the US to reunite with children they were forced to leave in Mexico; ensuring access to documentation like birth certificates and public benefits like education and health services for families;  preventing violence and providing protection and alternatives to detention, as well as representation to make criminal complaints and apply for immigration documents.

Gretchen Kuhner's dedication to doing whatever she can and moving forward relentlessly to help others is inspiring and relentless.  Gretchen will kick off the 2020 edition of Ser Mujer’s March program for International Women’s Month.  Gretchen will be speaking in the Sala Queztal in the Biblioteca on March 4 at 4 PM.  Donation 100 pesos. Tickets available at the Santa Ana box office the week of the event.

When
Mar 4th, 2020 4:00 pm
Location
Sala Quetzal
La Biblioteca Publica, Rejoj 50A, Centro
San Miguel de Allende, GUA 37700
Mexico
Events
Blurb Ser Mujer
Co-sponsor
Speakers Gretchen Kuhner
Fee 100 pesos

Upcoming Events

Monday, October 20, 2025 - 1:30pm
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La Biblioteca, Teatro Santa Ana, Insurgentes 25, Centro, San Miguel de Allende

Co-founders of the Mexico Solidarity Project, Bruce Hobson and Meizhu Lui will speak on why North American progressives should understand why Mexico is critical to advancing a vision of socialism and multiracial democracy in the United States.

 

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 - 12:00pm
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Organized by The Reentry Resource Program

You are invited to join a discussion with filmmaker Santiago Esteinou and Cesar Fierro about the new documentaryThe Freedom of Fierro.

César Fierro has just become a free man, and he needs to rebuild his life after being wrongly sentenced to death in Texas. César spent 40 years in prison before being released... Read more

Monday, November 3, 2025 - 1:30pm
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Joe Belden
Location:
La Biblioteca, Sala Quezal, Insurgentes 25, Centro, San Miguel de Allende
This mostly forgotten war led to Mexico losing over half its territory and the United States expanding to the Pacific. The lecture examines the political and economic background of the conflict, what led to it, and the roles of such factors as Texas annexation in 1845, slavery, racism, the Democratic and Whig parties, and Manifest... Read more