IMPACT Silver Spring

Today is World Social Justice Day, recognized each year on February 20 by the United Nations to lift up the global call for fairness, equity, and dignity for all people. It reminds us that poverty, discrimination, and inequality are not just distant issues — they affect our neighbors, our communities, and our shared future. Social justice starts right here at home — in how we build belonging, expand opportunity, and stand with one another. Join us this evening for IMPACT’s World Social Justice Day gathering as we reflect, connect, and commit to tending justice locally. Use this link or our QR code to register for this FREE event: https://forms.gle/VuLUys9CfyXLQDMf6

Javier works with our Gaithersburg network, bringing neighbors together for mutual support and linking them to resources that help them meet their goals. We asked Javier about a special moment in 2025 and his exciting plans for 2026. Take a look!

A new year is here! We asked a few of our Network Builders to share a highlight from the past year and something exciting on the horizon. First up is our East County Network Builder, Akufuna Ngonda, who offers a glimpse into his work. Check it out!

🌟 From Classroom to Community Power! 🌟 The women of the Collective Business Alliance (CBA) started as students in IMPACT’s Community Trade Academy. Today, they’ve formed their own LLC and are working directly with county leaders to create markets that strengthen Wheaton’s local economy. 💪🏽✨ This Saturday’s Wheaton Winter Pop-Up is one of those wins—made possible through partnership with: 👉 Mid-County Regional Services Center (shout-out Nestor Alvarenga Palacios) 👉 @mygreenmc (shout-out Ana Arriaza) 👉 @wheaton_md 👉 Councilmember @natalifanigonzalez 🎄 Wheaton Winter Pop-Up 📅 Sat., Dec. 6 ⏰ 1–5 pm 📍 Marian Fryer Plaza Come shop local and support immigrant women entrepreneurs who are building community power—one market at a time. 💛 🌟 ¡Del salón de clases al poder comunitario! 🌟 Las mujeres de la Alianza de Negocios Colectivos (CBA) comenzaron como estudiantes de la CTA de IMPACT. Hoy tienen su propia LLC y están trabajando directamente con líderes del condado para crear mercados que fortalecen la economía local de Wheaton. 💪🏽✨ El Wheaton Winter Pop-Up de este sábado es una muestra de ese poder, logrado en colaboración con: 👉 Mid-County Regional Services Center (gracias, Néstor Alvarenga Palacios) 👉 @mygreenmc (gracias, Ana Arriaza) 👉 @wheaton_md 👉 Concejala @natalifanigonzalez 🎄 Wheaton Winter Pop-Up 📅 Sábado, 6 de diciembre ⏰ 1–5 pm 📍 Marian Fryer Plaza Ven a comprar local y a apoyar a estas mujeres emprendedoras que están construyendo poder comunitario—mercado por mercado. 💛

We’re still glowing from last Friday’s Diversity Dinner! ✨ Over 120 neighbors—kids, parents, budding entrepreneurs, and community members—came together at Hughes UMC for an evening of food, culture, and connection. 🙏🏽💛 We brought together families from our youth soccer program and participants in our economic empowerment initiatives to share space and celebrate what we’re building as one community. 🌱 Congrats to the graduates of our business & finance course, and shoutout to our 16 soccer award winners! ⚽🏆 Huge thanks to Carmen Hernández, Eric Moreno, and Valerie Salazar for stewarding this work. 🙌🏽 Winter soccer starts December 1—more updates soon! 💛 ¡Todavía sentimos la energía de la Cena de Diversidad del viernes pasado! ✨ Más de 120 vecinas y vecinos—niños, padres, emprendedores emergentes y miembros de la comunidad—se reunieron en Hughes UMC para una noche de comida, cultura y conexión. 🙏🏽💛 Reunimos a familias de nuestro programa de fútbol juvenil y a participantes de nuestras iniciativas de empoderamiento económico para compartir espacio y celebrar lo que estamos construyendo como una sola comunidad. 🌱 ¡Felicidades a la clase graduada de negocios y finanzas y a nuestros 16 ganadores de premios de fútbol! ⚽🏆 Un gran agradecimiento a Carmen Hernández, Eric Moreno y Valerie Salazar por guiar este trabajo. 🙌🏽 La temporada de fútbol de invierno comienza el 1 de diciembre — ¡más novedades pronto! 💛

Last night, IMPACT hosted a powerful discussion on "One Battle After Another," Paul Thomas Anderson’s film about communities pushing back against authoritarianism through bold resistance and everyday organizing. Facilitated by Lanita Whitehurst and Eric Moreno, the space brought together participants from our earlier racial equity and justice programs, including graduates of the Weaver Learning Lab, to reflect on how the film’s themes mirror what we’re facing in the world today. We explored the activist archetypes portrayed in the movie and how recognizing these patterns can deepen our understanding of our own roles in movements for change. We closed the evening by sharing resources, events, and opportunities for continued learning and collective action. Stay tuned for our next iteration of the Weaver Learning Lab coming in Spring 2026.

This past Saturday, the Community Business Alliance (CBA)—a collective of talented Latina women entrepreneurs—hosted a lively yard sale outside Weller Road Elementary School to raise funds for their new seed fund 🌱. With the support of IMPACT’s Senior Network Builder Carmen Hernandez, 9 of the 11 CBA members came together to sell clothes, accessories for all ages, and beautiful decorative items—all in a fun Halloween-themed atmosphere filled with color, creativity, and community spirit. 👻🎃 The CBA is building more than small businesses—they’re building economic empowerment, collaboration, and community. 💪🏽✨ Stay tuned! CBA members are already planning a holiday marketplace this December, where they’ll showcase their handcrafted gifts in a festive and joyful atmosphere. 🎁🎄 You won’t want to miss it! #CommunityPower #LatinaEntrepreneurs #IMPACTSilverSpring #SupportSmallBusiness #EconomicEmpowerment El pasado sábado, la Alianza de Negocios Comunitarios (CBA) —un colectivo de talentosas mujeres latinas emprendedoras— organizó una animada venta de garaje al aire libre en la escuela Weller Road Elementary para recaudar fondos para su nuevo fondo inicial 🌱. Con el apoyo de Carmen Hernández, Constructora de Redes Senior de IMPACT, 9 de las 11 integrantes de la CBA se unieron para vender ropa, accesorios para todas las edades y hermosos objetos decorativos—todo en un ambiente festivo con temática de Halloween, lleno de color, creatividad y espíritu comunitario. 👻🎃 La CBA está construyendo más que pequeños negocios: están construyendo empoderamiento económico, cooperación y comunidad. 💪🏽✨ ¡Atención! Las miembros de la CBA ya están planeando un mercado navideño en diciembre, donde ofrecerán sus artesanías y regalos hechos a mano en un ambiente festivo y alegre. 🎁🎄 ¡No se lo pierdan! #PoderComunitario #MujeresEmprendedoras #IMPACTSilverSpring #ApoyaNegociosLocales #EmpoderamientoEconómico

🌱 Big gratitude to our friends at @ckcfarming ! At their final market of the 2025 season, they opened space for micro-entrepreneurs from IMPACT’s Wheaton Network — with no vendor fee. 🙌 Shoutout to Sonia Climaco, Ana Monteagudo, Susana Vega, and Ingrid Perez for sharing their craft and creativity — handmade jewelry (including eco-friendly pieces from recycled materials), crocheted items, and festive piñatas — lifting up their businesses and our local economy. ✨ These women are part of the Collective Business Alliance, a peer support group for women entrepreneurs. Special thanks to IMPACT Network Builder Carmen Hernandez for the outreach that helped this final market day shine. This is what community looks like: healthy food, dignified work, and shared prosperity. 💚 Thank you, CKC Farming, for investing in wellness and local livelihoods. #Wheaton #ShopLocal #WomenEntrepreneurs #CommunityWealth #IMPACTSilverSpring #CKCFarming #EcoFriendly #CollectiveBusinessAlliance #SupportSmallBusiness #LocalLove 🌱 ¡Gran agradecimiento a nuestras amistades de @ckcfarming ! En su último mercado de la temporada 2025, abrieron espacio para microempresarias de la Red de Wheaton de IMPACT — sin cobrar tarifa de vendedor. 🙌 Un reconocimiento especial para Sonia Climaco, Ana Monteagudo, Susana Vega e Ingrid Pérez por compartir su oficio y creatividad: joyería hecha a mano (incluidas piezas ecológicas elaboradas con materiales reciclados), artículos tejidos a crochet y piñatas festivas, aumentando la visibilidad de sus negocios y de nuestra economía local. ✨ Estas mujeres forman parte de la Alianza de Negocios Colectivos, un grupo de apoyo entre pares para mujeres emprendedoras. Un agradecimiento especial a la Tejedora de Red de IMPACT, Carmen Hernández, por la labor de alcance que ayudó a que este último día de mercado brillara. Así se ve la comunidad: alimentación saludable, trabajo digno y prosperidad compartida. 💚 Gracias, CKC Farming, por invertir tanto en el bienestar como en los medios de vida locales. #Wheaton #CompraLocal #MujeresEmprendedoras #RiquezaComunitaria #IMPACTSilverSpring #CKCFarming #EcoAmigable #AlianzaDeNegociosColectivos

🌟 Wednesday night we brought Network Night back to Gaithersburg for the first time since before the pandemic! Network Nights are all about neighbors connecting, having the conversations they want to have, and practicing mutual aid together. 💬🤝 A huge shoutout to 💛 Sharon Meakes and the Community Hope Center at @senecacreekcc for hosting us and leading such a meaningful community conversation. 👏 Big thanks also to Luis Villa, @montgomerycollege and María Antonia Cuicar, @ccadw for sharing resources, answering questions, and listening deeply to residents. We can’t wait to keep this going—the next Gaithersburg Network Night is in November. Mark your calendars for more connection, conversation, and community care. 🗓️✨ #NetworkNight #Community #Gaithersburg #MutualAid #Connection

🌱 Thinking about retirement—or what happens to your business when you step back? Let’s talk succession with equity at the center: employee ownership. 🗓 Tuesday, Sept 16, 2025 🕕 6:00 PM ET (virtual) You’ll learn how to: • Navigate the succession process with confidence • Use the 3 main paths to transition to employees • Preserve your legacy + benefit workers and community • Take clear, actionable next steps 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽 Hosted by Project Equity x IMPACT Silver Spring 🔗 Register (copy/paste): /5btpvyaz #EmployeeOwnership #SuccessionPlanning #CommunityWealth #ImpactSilverSpring #ProjectEquity 🌱 ¿Pensando en jubilarte—o en qué pasará con tu negocio cuando des un paso al costado? Hablemos de la sucesión con equidad al centro: propiedad de los empleados. 🗓 Martes, 16 de septiembre de 2025 🕕 6:00 p. m. ET (virtual) Aprenderás a: • Navegar el proceso de sucesión con confianza • Usar las 3 vías principales para transferir tu negocio a tus empleados • Preservar tu legado y beneficiar a tus trabajadores y a la comunidad • Dar pasos claros y prácticos 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽 Organizado por Project Equity x IMPACT Silver Spring 🔗 Regístrate (copiar/pegar): /5btpvyaz #PropiedadDeLosEmpleados #PlanDeSucesión #RiquezaComunitaria #ImpactSilverSpring #ProjectEquity

🥕🌶️🍑 Fresh food + local art + community vibes! Join us at Koiner Farm’s Wheaton 3rd Wednesday Market 🧺 📍12701 Goodhill Rd (by the tennis courts) 🗓️ Wed, Aug 20 | 4–6 pm ✨ Shop fresh veggies & handmade crafts (including IMPACT’s artisans!) ✨ Grab tacos, churros, honey, coffee ✨ Don’t miss the FREE hot sauce workshop 5–6 pm 🌶️🔥 Bring a friend + support local growers & makers 💚 #ShopLocal #WheatonMD #CommunityWealth #ImpactSilverSpring #KoinerFarm 🥕🌶️🍑 ¡Comida fresca + arte local + ambiente comunitario! Únete al Mercado del 3.er Miércoles de Koiner Farm en Wheaton 🧺 📍12701 Goodhill Rd (junto a las canchas de tenis) 🗓️ Miércoles, 20 de agosto | 16:00-18:00 ✨ Compra verduras frescas y artesanías (¡incluyendo a los artesanos de IMPACT!) ✨ Disfruta de tacos, churros, miel y café ✨ ¡No te pierdas el taller GRATUITO de salsa picante de 17:00 a 18:00! 🌶️🔥 Trae a un amigo y apoya a los productores y artesanos locales 💚 #CompraLocal #WheatonMD #RiquezaComunitaria #ImpactSilverSpring #koinerfarm

On June 10, our network came together for an evening of collaboration and connection at our annual IMPACT Now! event in Silver Spring. Over a hundred folks throughout Montgomery County enjoyed food, music, and games in the name of inspiring change and transformation. Nearly every attendee shared a skill or support they can offer their community, and we look forward to fostering new spaces centered around those offerings. Thank you to everyone who joined us. We can’t wait for next year! El 10 de junio, nuestra red se reunió para una noche de colaboración y conexión en nuestro evento anual IMPACT Now! en Silver Spring. Más de cien personas de todo el Condado de Montgomery disfrutaron de comida, música y juegos. Casi todos los asistentes compartieron qué habilidad o apoyo pueden ofrecer a su comunidad, y esperamos fomentar nuevos espacios centrados en esas ofertas. Gracias a todos los que se unieron a nosotros: ¡no podemos esperar al próximo año!