Update: December 20, 2020

At Pesas y Poder, we are at the beginning of our journey as an organization serving the goals of gender equity, empowerment and healing from trauma. Here are our accomplishments as 2020 draws to a close:

  • Establish our 501c3 tax designation
  • Formed aa binational Board of Directors, including powerlifting community liaison and medical liaisonv
  • Initiated sustainable partnerships with NGO’s in El Salvador: Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) and Programa Velasco
  • Collaborated on fundraising with the Marquette University Powerlifting Team, also a key institutional partner
  • Applied for and accepted two seed grants from the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison, Wisconsin
  • Conducted powerlifting and fitness classes in two communities in El Salvador, and provided a short basic certification course in safe lifting technique in one community
  • Sponsored a Salvadoran women’s team to compete in a local meet
  • Opened a modest facility with powerlifting equipment in Community Romero, El Salvador
  • Documented community interest and participation in the project
  • Established a fund to train personal trainers and gym managers and awarded our first two scholarships for online certification courses
  • Recruited a student intern
  • Partnered with the Marquette University BOOST program and the Law School to receive business planning and legal support
  • Established contacts at Marquette University Office for Advancement
  • Established contacts and support among diverse faculty at Marquette University
  • Established contacts at the Milwaukee Turners at Turner Hall
  • Developed a business plan
  • Launched website and developed social media plan
  • Scheduled our website launch party