Mission
“To champion the dual empowerment of Georgian women as they navigate life in America - preserving our rich cultural heritage while breaking barriers to gender equality .”
We create bridges between generations through innovative programs that combine traditional Georgian values with modern professional development, legal advocacy, and mental health support. By honoring the strength of our mothers and preparing our daughters, we build a future where every Georgian woman can thrive without sacrificing her identity.
History
Founded in 2021, the Georgian American Women's Association (GAWA) was born from the collective determination of immigrant women navigating dual identities. Our story begins with 12 pioneering Georgian mothers who transformed Brooklyn living rooms into cultural sanctuaries - hosting language circles and legal aid sessions after their day jobs.
By 2022, these grassroots efforts crystallized into formal programs: The Tamar Leadership Initiative (professional development through a Georgian lens) Alilo Mentorship (pairing new arrivals with established professionals) Didi Deda's Kitchen (culinary entrepreneurship preserving regional recipes) The 2023 opening of our Queens Cultural Hub marked a watershed moment - the first permanent space offering: ✓ Bilingual career counseling ✓ Trauma-informed counseling for Soviet-era survivors ✓ A "Digital Sulkhan" archive of women's oral histories Today, we honor our founders' three sacred promises: Never forget where we come from (cultural preservation) Always lift as we climb (intergenerational support) Build bridges, not walls (cross-cultural dialogue) From helping one woman file her first U.S. business license in 2021 to serving 300+ annually, GAWA's history lives in every grandmother who teaches granddaughter a folk song, every professional who mentors a newcomer, and every story preserved for generations yet unborn. "We aren't just remembering Georgia - we're reimagining what Georgian women can become." — First GAWA Charter, 2021.
