Who takes care of the women who take care of everyone else
For the first time in eight years, women from Prospera’s advanced Vuela and Acompaña programs came together for a weekend of rest, reflection, and connection, made possible by Kaiser Permanente support.
One woman shared that this was the first time in 18 years she had left home to do something just for herself.
Let that sink in.
These women are entrepreneurs, mothers, caregivers, and immigrants navigating uncertainty while building businesses and caring for their families. For many, taking time to rest can feel impossible.
At Prospera, we believe that creating more just and equitable economies requires more than financial resources and business development. It requires seeing the whole person. Rest, well-being, and community are not luxuries; they are part of what makes sustainable growth possible.
This weekend, I also witnessed the extraordinary power of our Programs team. Four of our five team members were once participants themselves. They know the realities of entrepreneurship, the challenges of cooperatives, and both the burdens and the gifts of building something of their own.
Our Programs Director, Anahi Rojas, led the retreat with contagious enthusiasm. She reflected on how the last time she experienced a retreat like this, she was a participant, and now she was helping create that experience for other women. What moved me most was watching her: the pride in her eyes, the way she looked at each woman, and the care she brought to every moment, supported by the incredible Program’s team.
In Anahi Rojas’s own experience:
“As an immigrant woman and entrepreneur, I feel so proud when I think about where I come from and what I can now contribute as Prospera’s Director of Programs. Envisioning this retreat filled my heart, and watching women recognize how often they had put themselves last, then choose to put themselves at the center of their own lives, moved me deeply.” More reflections here
I came not as Executive Director, but simply as Claudia, to listen, connect, and receive. Stepping back allowed my heart to step forward.
Thank you, Kaiser Permanente, for walking alongside Prospera and helping us make room for this kind of accompaniment: one that recognizes women not only as entrepreneurs, but as whole human beings.
Building just economies also means creating space for women to rest, feel supported, and remember that they do not have to carry everything alone.
