Newsletter Vol. 5 No. 9 – September 2025

Posted on September 1, 2025September 10, 2025

NAVIGATION

How creating an affinity group as an immigrant is helping me find my way in the community

by Luisana Rodriguez

Co-founder of Hermanas Vermont – Bilingual Review Response Specialist at Widewail

I’ve had loyal friendships since I was a kid. 

I made my first best friends in kindergarten. When I was nine, I filmed a couple of episodes for a “YouTube show” with my childhood best friend. In high school, my friends and I planned sleepovers after class and supported each other as we transitioned into college life. In college, I met some amazing people who embraced me in ways I never thought possible after moving to a new city. They helped me grow into a young adult, and I felt prouder of our friendship than I ever did about receiving an A+ on a paper. 

Those moments, those relationships, are a core part of me. They are my community, too.

When I moved to Vermont, I carried so many pieces of that community with me: my grandmother’s perfume sample in my wallet, love letters from my best friends back home, and a digital copy of my bachelor’s degree. My memories weren’t something I left behind, instead, they’re part of how I understand closeness, care, and connection now.

As an immigrant, I started to reflect on what it means to feel at home in a place. Not just physically, but emotionally in your relationships, in your routines, in the spaces where you gather with others and feel like yourself. That feeling can take a long time to find again.

Here, in a new place, I had to start over. And if you’re an introvert who doesn’t always open up easily, it can feel overwhelming at times (most times, in fact). How do you build something that feels real when everything is unfamiliar? Why do I need new friends when my heart is so full of love from those who live thousands of miles away from this town?

Hermanas Vermont became the answer to some questions I didn’t even realize I was asking. 

When Isa and I started this affinity group, we didn’t know exactly what would come of it. We just knew we wanted a space for Latinas in Vermont to gather, celebrate each other, and feel seen. A space where we could feel a little less like “the only one” in the room.

Since then, it’s been incredible to watch how much the group has grown. Most of our members have already formed strong ties. They meet up outside our events, support each other’s work, and have created little pockets of community all on their own. It’s the kind of thing I dreamed about right before we created our Instagram and posted that very first photo, but seeing it happen so naturally has still been a surprise. One that makes me smile when I remember.

Inevitably, it’s got me reflecting on my relationship with community, beyond being an organizer. As an introvert who loves planning and finding ways to bring people together (typical Virgo behavior, if you ask me), I also need plenty of quiet time to recharge. I’ve always preferred deep one-on-one conversations over the energy of big groups. Plus, becoming an immigrant while still figuring out where I belong means that friendship and connection haven’t always come easily for me.

I’ve noticed how, especially in the U.S., the word “immigrant” often gets flattened into a single, limiting identity. Dehumanizing, if you will. As if our lives only began the moment our phone numbers started with a +1 code instead of +58, in my case, and everything that came before was just the preface.

But that’s not my truth. And I would bet that’s also not the truth behind many foreigners like myself.

What I’m learning now is how to carry all of that with me while also building something new. Building Hermanas VT has been part of learning a new language of connection, one that blends who I’ve always been with who I’m becoming here. One that honors my need for quietness and reflection, while still allowing me to show up and lead.

For a long time, I thought being part of a community meant being constantly social or sharing everything about yourself. But I’m learning that it doesn’t have to look like that. You don’t need to pour your heart out or share your whole story for your presence to matter. You just need to show up as your best and honest self, even if that self is the quiet one in the room. Trust me, someone will notice you, and even better, someone will match your vibe as well.

Community can be loud, joyful, and full of laughter. That’s how you create the best pictures and memories! But it can also be soft, slow, and rooted in small acts of service and care. Sitting next to someone new. Saying hi even if you’re nervous. Cooking a dish from home and bringing it to a potluck. Sharing a book title. These are the moments that have shaped Hermanas VT, and they’ve helped me expand what I thought belonging was supposed to feel like. 

I’m still figuring it out, but I know this: there’s room for all kinds of people in this work. You don’t have to be the most outgoing or the most outspoken. You just have to be yourself. And that’s enough.

About the Author

Luisana Rodriguez (she/her) is a Venezuelan writer and community organizer with a BS in Psychology based in South Burlington. She co-founded Hermanas Vermont, an affinity group for Latinas, and works as a bilingual Review Response Specialist at Widewail. Her writing on lifestyle, career, and mental health comes from an immigrant and Gen-Z perspective, and she is pursuing a Marketing certificate from Champlain College Online. She is passionate about combining creativity and cultural insight into every project. Outside of work, you can find her café-hopping or on the hunt for concert tickets.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

news FROM THE NETWORK

Other Resources
East Montpelier, Winooski, Rutland, NEK: VTRC Public Truth-Telling Sessions	The Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission (VTRC) is holding in-person public sessions. These are spaces where Vermonters from communities named in Act 128 can share how state laws or systems have caused them harm. These sessions are about listening to others. They are about honoring truth, and supporting healing, understanding, and accountability.
Applications Open Now: Green Mountain Job and Retention Program	$5000 loan repayment program to incentivize new graduates from Vermont colleges and universities to live and work full time in Vermont. Any student who graduates from a Vermont college or university between July 2024 and June 2025 with a bachelor’s or master’s degree can apply.
Applications Open Now: Leadership NEK	Readership development program designed to empower a diverse group of emerging and established leaders across Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties. Rooted in the belief that strong communities need strong, connected leadership, the program helps participants deepen their understanding of the region, expand their networks, and grow their capacity to lead positive change.
Visiting Teacher-Naturalist Program	Educators or experts in fields related to nature connection are welcomed to week of teaching and learning through our program. We will begin reviewing proposals for the November 2025 session on 7/19, and will continue to accept proposals for this and future sessions on a rolling basis.
All Brains Belong Reopening to New Patients	Our area of focus is medical care of neurodivergent people with complex chronic health conditions, either known or suspected. We are only able to accept new patients within this scope of practice.

EVENTS

Date	Event	Time	Location
Until Sept. 14	BCA Exhibit: Jacob Hashimoto: a lowercase sky		Burlington
Sept 4, 5, 6, 7	Orleans County Fair ($$)	8:45 AM	Barton
Sept 5, 6, 7	South End Art Hop	5 PM, 10 AM, 11 AM	Burlington
Sept 6	Splash Dance: DJ Kwame	2:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Burlington
Sept 7, 14, 21, 28	Hotel Champlain Presents: Free Weekly Yoga	9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	Burlington
Sept 11	Our Blood Matters: Blood Drive for Diversity	12:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Burlington
Sept 11, 12, 13, 14	Tunbridge World’s Fair ($$)	7:00 AM	Tunbridge
Sept 13	The Magic of Quick Pickling & Lacto-Fermentation!	10:30 AM – 2:30 PM	Burlington
Sept 13	4th Annual Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival	12:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Rutland
Sept 18, 19, 20	Hari Kondabolu at Vermont Comedy Club ($$)	7:30 PM, 9:30 PM	Burlington
Sept 18, 19, 20, 21	Burlington Baroque Festival ($$)	7:30 PM	Burlington
Sept 19, 20, 21	Wine & Harvest Festival ($$)	10:45 AM	Dover
Sept 20	Von Trapp Oktoberfest ($$)	11:00 AM – 9:00 PM	Stowe
Sept 20, 21	Chester Festival	9:00 AM	Chester
Sept 20	Twilight Block Party: Latin American Connection	12:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Burlington
Sept 20	The Root’s 12th Anniversary Celebration & FUNdraiser	1:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Brattleboro
Sept 20	Conscious Homestead Silent Disco ($$)	7:00 PM – 10:00 PM	TBA to Attendees
Sept 21	Fall Festival @ New Suns Community Center	3:30 PM – 9:00 PM	North Thetford
Sept 25	BIPOC Legal Aid Clinic	2:30 PM – 6:00 PM	Brattleboro
Sept 27	The Peru Fair ($$)	9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Peru
Sept 27, 28	Old Fashioned Harvest Market	9:30 AM, 10:00 AM	Underhill
Sept 27	Bristol Harvest Festival	10:00 AM – 3:00 PM	Ferrisburgh
Sept 27	Splash Dance: DJ Craig Mitchell	2:30 PM – 4:30 PM	Burlington
Sept 30	Vermont Women’s Fund Annual Celebration 2025 ($$) *Email thefam@vtpoc.net for a free ticket! **Limited**	5:00 PM	Burlington
Oct 6	Very Asian Book Trip: Grace Lin & Debbi Michiko Florence	6:00 PM – 7:00 PM	Waitsfield

trainings & professional development

Date	Workshop	Time	Location
All Month	Vermont Joblink: Interview Skills, Career Guidance, Resume Prep, Etc.	Multiple
Sept 3	Outdoor Equity Partnerships: Fundraiser for Inclusive Access	4:00 PM – 6:30 PM	Middlebury
Sept 5	How Do We Find Common Ground and Celebrate Differences?	10:00 AM – 12:00 PM	St. Johnsbury
Sept 10	Attorney General Clark’s Town Hall for Vermont’s Nonprofit Community	1:00 PM – 2:30 PM	Online
Sept 25	Outdoor Career Pathways Meet-Up	8:30 AM – 10:30 AM	Montpelier
Oct 21	ClimateReadyVT Workshop for Small Businesses	9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Richmond
Nov 4	Vermont Nonprofit Summit ($$)	8:30 AM – 4:00 PM	South Burlington
Nov 13	7th Annual VOBA Outdoor Economy Summit and Membership Meeting ($$)	8:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Burke

FUNDING & GRANTS

Due Date	Grant	Purpose
September 26	UVM Medical Center Community Health Investment Fund (after registering, enter “UVMMC2026” for the Access Code)	Applicants for funding must be non-profit, municipal or other government organizations. Projects must primarily support community members in UVM Medical Center’s Health Service Area (Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties).   Top Health Priority Areas Funded – Building Community Connectedness: Events, Activities and Spaces for Interpersonal connections Engaging on Mental Health: Youth and Adult Mental Health including Substance Use Disorder – Increasing Healthcare Access: Wait Times, Specialists, Hours of Operation, Health Services Locations For questions contact Justin.Graham@uvmhealth.org
Rolling	Vermont Equity & Justice Grant Program 2025	Addresses needs that have arisen as a direct result of federal actions and policies.
Rolling	Nonprofit Enhanced Rebate	For eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits to purchase qualifying equipment or complete a custom project.
Rolling	Nonprofit Capacity Building	Supports consultant fees for nonprofit organizational capacity building work.
Rolling	Grassroots Fund: Grow Grants	For groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community.
Rolling	Vermont Humanities Rapid Response Grants	Quick turn-around small grants for humanities-focused community projects. Awards up to $1,000.
Rolling	Grassroots Fund: Seed Grants	Support for community groups who represent a broad range of voices in their community and who are not being reached by other funders.
Rolling	New England Presenter Travel Fund	Supports travel costs associated with researching artistic work that may eventually be presented in New England.
Rolling	Community Action Team	Offers general or project support within the broad guidelines and funding provided by the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.
Rolling	USDA Small Business Cost Share Program	Businesses with fewer than 50 employees and gross profit under $1,000,000 are eligible.
Rolling	Social Equity: Vermont Cannabis Control Board	Individuals determined to meet social equity status by the Vermont Cannabis Control Board may be eligible.

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