2020/2021/2022 Inductee
Established in July 1999 by a group of mostly Hispanic women, the nonprofit Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas (HWOA) seeks to enhance the lives of Latinx and other residents of the community through events, scholarships and programs aimed to promote education and political participation in Northwest Arkansas.
The organization’s motto is "Celebrating Education, Culture, and Community” and it envisions an America “where economic, political and social advancement is a reality for all Latinos, where all Hispanics thrive, and where our community’s contributions are recognized.”
To accomplish its mission, HWOA engages in activities to “advance educational opportunities for Hispanic women and their families, to celebrate and teach others about our cultures, and to become active participants in the community.”
The organization’s GEM program supports members of the community with parenting, English and computer classes. HWOA’s RAD program encourages community members to register to vote and participate at the polls, paying special attention to infrequent voters and new citizens. The organization also provides college scholarships to high schoolers in the community.
HWOA’s annual conference brings community leaders and members together to discuss changes around demographics, infrastructure, education and other issues that affect the well being of residents, while promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
In 2001, HWOA was selected to participate in the Emerging Latino Communities Initiative (ELCI) of UNIDOS US. HWOA has also been an affiliate of UNIDOS US, whose mission, since 2004, has been to build a stronger America by creating opportunities for Latinos.