Muntaha Alhindi

I have been working with nonprofits for 15 years as a licensed social worker and mental health therapist, specializing in serving refugees and immigrants. Throughout my career, I discovered that traditional one-on-one therapy sessions weren't enough to help my clients heal because they were dealing with isolation, financial issues, and cultural shock. I realized I needed to create community connections and address the environment causing their mental health issues, not just treat the symptoms. After losing my job in June last year due to federal funding cuts for refugees, I founded Muntaha's Empowerment Project. The name represents my core values: Mindfulness, Unity, Network, Trust, Awareness, Heal, and Action. My approach is unique because I use art therapy, cooking, gardening, and cultural events as therapeutic tools to spread mental health awareness in a fun, non-stigmatizing way. This is especially important when working with immigrant and refugee populations who face significant stigma around mental health. I've hosted over public events in different areas, growing from 20 participants to 700 at my last event. I now have contracts with nonprofit organizations and Islamic organizations to host these events. Beyond mental health support, I help women create economic opportunities by supporting them to start their own small businesses from home. So far, over 10 women have created businesses in areas like cooking, makeup sales, and other services. My goal is to expand connections between different communities and host events that bring diverse groups together to learn about each other.