Kaya Gonzalez & Áureas Mx
Kaya González is a communications expert and cultural manager dedicated to advancing equity and justice. She serves as the Sociocultural Manager of Àureas MX, a grassroots organization supporting migrant women along the U.S.-Mexico border through services in menstrual and sexual health, economic empowerment, and integration.
With our Giving Joy microgrant, Àureas MX distributed 70 menstrual health kits - 50 at a migration station and 20 through street outreach - each including reusable pads, soap, toilet paper, and an informational brochure on menstrual health and sexual and reproductive rights. They also led six “Tejiendo Autonomía” technical training workshops in artisanal cosmetics for groups of refugee women, teaching them how to make body mist, antibacterial soap, disinfectant gel, and glycerin soap as a pathway to economic autonomy.
In addition, Àureas MX maintained an active virtual support line offering guidance on sexual health, STI prevention, and referrals to psychosocial support, while creating safe spaces and dialogue circles that fostered trust, intercultural exchange, and emotional resilience.
These activities directly benefited an estimated 80 women - 10 through cosmetics workshops and 70 through menstrual kit distribution - and indirectly reached more than 150 additional women through virtual support and extended family and community networks.
Participants gained both technical and emotional skills; one woman shared, “Now I know I can generate income and that I am not alone.” For Àureas MX, the grant helped consolidate its intervention model and lay the groundwork for the “Golondrina” brand, through which participants will soon produce and sell holiday kits.
In early 2026, Àureas MX plans to enter the production phase for “Golondrina” products, develop pricing and marketing strategies, strengthen partnerships with local health and legal services, and monitor the economic impact on participants. A key lesson from this work is that combining technical training, psychosocial support, and community-building is essential for sustainable autonomy. Moving forward, the organization aims to incorporate more peer mentoring and establish a post-workshop follow-up system to ensure women can continue growing their productive projects with ongoing support and solidarity.
