Martin Luther King Jr., who was at the forefront of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, paved a way for equality for African-Americans everywhere and left a permanent mark on the history of the United States. 

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day was recently celebrated in the United States on January 16, 2023. 

The needed reminder of his importance and impact has inspired Loretto Angels and contributed positively to our community.

One of the most active Loretto clubs, Women Empowering Women, also serves as a way to positively impact women all-around El Paso. 

Women Empowering Women has undertaken many charity projects over the years, including its long-time partnership with the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation. 

The club organizes Pink Day, an activity in which students can purchase a pink bracelet in exchange for a free dress day, and all proceeds go to the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation. 

In 2022, the club raised $1000 dollars from all of the bracelets sold, and it was all donated to the Rio Grande. 

Additionally, Women Empowering Women partners with the National Art Honor Society members to paint mannequin heads for women suffering from cancer. 

Other projects consist of sanitary supply drives, where menstrual products are donated by club members in order to be provided to any girl who is in need of them. 

Additionally, the club also had a pre-pandemic tradition of cooking for the Ronald McDonald Charity House, which has just been recently revived on January 27th, where 10 members of Women Empowering Women cooked a dish of green enchiladas, tea, and jelly.

Club President Mia White said, “I think it is important to give back to the community in a variety of ways, one being the way Women Empowering Women cooked for the Ronald McDonald house. 

It was not only a super engaging activity for the club but very efficient with the community that participated.

 I think personally it is important to find creative ways to give back to make volunteering fun and effective”

Other Loretto clubs that focus on the betterment of the community include the Hope Club and the International Club, which have both similarly undertaken charity projects and helped organizations around El Paso. 

With reflections on the past and hope toward the future, Loretto Academy will continue to commemorate the great acts of Martin Luther King Jr. and will continue to make the El Paso community a better place to carry out his legacy.