1991-1992

MUA became a division of NCCIR beginning a long relationship of support and collaboration.  As a program of NCCIR, MUA had the opportunity to collaborate on projects and immigrant rights campaigns on the national level.   

MUA opened its first office in the San Francisco Women’s Building and began holding weekly meetings.  Clara Luz and Maria Olea were hired as MUA’s first paid staff. 

MUA organized its first leadership training.  The 14 training graduates conducted a community education campaign about immigrant rights. 

MUA launched “Teatro Bienvenido,” a popular theater project of NCCIR with the goal of educating the community about themes such as AIDS, domestic violence, workplace discrimination, and immigrant workers’ rights.   Through collaborations with a gay and lesbian Latino immigrant organization on this project, MUA’s staff and members learned about sexual orientation and homophobia.  The collaboration helped to create an environment of respect, consciousness, and tolerance of different sexual orientations within MUA. This first popular theater project also laid the groundwork for future projects.  

MUA organized the first training on improving family relations.  With help from therapists from Instituto Familiar de la Raza, MUA Developer a workshop series about discipline, communication, and child abuse prevention. 

At this time, MUA began to receive media attention for its Spanish TV program “Teatro Comunitario.”  The program which featured two women talking about key community issues was televised twice a week.

At a MUA retreat, participants defined for the first time what it meant to be a member of MUA – including probation periods, membership dues, member responsibilities and benefits. 

MUA’s membership grew to 60 women!