Where are They Now?

This series is dedicated to highlighting the inspiring stories of how our grantee partners are making a difference after their grants have been awarded. Join us in celebrating the achievements of these grantee partners and discover how, together, we are creating a ripple effect of positive change across Seattle. Stay tuned for more content!

Mujer al Volante helps low-income women who are refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers “take the steering wheel of their lives.” That means guiding women through the process of getting their driver's licenses, but also growing their confidence, independence, and opportunities. The organization was founded in 2013 by Founder and Executive Director Jaqueline Garcia Castillo. Mujer al Volante received a $27,500 grant from Impact 100 Seattle in 2024 and a $30,000 grant in 2023.

Providing a Once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity for Women

In 2013, Jaqueline Garcia Castillo felt stuck. She was young, pregnant, and had recently immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. Struggling with a new language and unfamiliar culture, Jaqueline didn’t know where to turn. Her isolation was deepened by the fact that she was afraid to drive. “I couldn’t go anywhere. I was afraid of navigating new roads in a different language,” explained Jaqueline. “At home, I was suffering from domestic violence which gave me low self-confidence. I had to learn to trust myself, and that was a long journey.”

Mujer al Volante started as a Latina moms' group. Through her doula and nurse, Jaqueline got to know other young mothers who shared common interests and challenges. As the group swelled to nearly 20 mothers, Jaqueline realized that most were dependent upon their male partners to take them to and from the group’s gatherings. Seeing this need sparked an idea, and Jaqueline decided to hold a meeting for Latina moms who wanted to learn how to drive. She put up fliers and, to her happy astonishment, nearly 100 women showed up at the first event.

Mujer al Volante was born. In 2014, the first cohort of moms and women obtained their driver's licenses with the organization’s assistance. One of them was Jaqueline. “Our program ‘Taking the Steering Wheel of My Life’ provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for women. It can change their lives forever, creating a path to employment, breaking cycles of dependency, and connecting women with their inner power,” says Jaqueline.

Expanding to Serve Women of Many Cultures

The organization has come a long way in just a dozen years. Early on, Jaqueline started to get asked about the “Taking the Steering Wheel of My Life” program from Afghan women. She realized that this work was critical for many women of diverse cultures in our region. Now Mujer al Volante serves women from communities that speak eight different languages—including Dari, Somali, and Ukrainian—and their curriculum continues to be translated to serve more women.

Jaqueline has also been able to professionalize her team. In the early years of Mujer al Volante, she worked as a volunteer and learned about the complexities of running a nonprofit. In 2019, she finally landed a significant grant and the board hired her as a part-time paid leader; she is now a full-time executive director with a five-person team and a network of interpreters. The group’s headquarters is in Federal Way.

Last year, Mujer al Volante served 352 women; 124 of them got their driver’s license. Jaqueline calculates that those women, if they are all able to secure at least minimum wage jobs, could contribute $4.2 million—fueling the local economy and offering the new drivers self-sufficiency. The women come from King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties; some commute more than five hours a day on multiple buses to be part of the program. All women need to learn basic English to navigate the roads safely. Since its humble beginnings, Mujer al Volante has served more than 1600 women.

Jaqueline recounted one story for us: “We worked with a woman who was living in Bellevue and traveled to Federal Way for our program. It took three hours each way on multiple buses, and sometimes she didn’t have money for the bus. Her husband did not support her in getting a driver’s license, but she kept coming—usually with her two children, one of them has disabilities. The effort she made was incredible. At the age of 51, she has her driver’s license and is ready to start the next phase of her life.”

Mujer al Volante also encourages women to become engaged citizens. Their remarkable “Driving Democracy” program hosts nonpartisan, multilingual candidate forums during election seasons. This helps immigrant women learn to advocate and talk to candidates about the importance of driver’s licenses to gain independence and employment. The group’s last forum, held in October 2024, hosted all candidates for state representative in South King County. The event was attended by dozens of women and took place in six languages with simultaneous interpretation.

Mujer al Volante members at their 11th anniversary celebration.

Starting the First Non-Profit Driving School

Jaqueline has big plans for Mujer al Volante’s next moves. They’re in the process of becoming a certified driving school, which would make them the first nonprofit driving school in the country. The process is complex, but Jaqueline is excited about the possibility of being a model for other programs across the U.S. She’s also hoping to raise funds to grow additional programs like teaching women business and computer skills.

Impact 100’s unrestricted grants have allowed Mujer al Volante to invest in staff and build organizational capacity. The funding also allows them to overcome unforeseen challenges like when a woman needs a small stipend for childcare. Jaqueline appreciates the flexibility of Impact 100’s reporting requirements and the connection with members who have become volunteers and supporters.

“What we do is changing the lives of moms and women because it connects them with their inner power. Teaching women to drive reminds them that they can pursue their dreams—they deserve that opportunity,” declares Jaqueline. “Thank you Impact 100 for your continued effort to uplift our work and its importance.”

Mujer al Volante is currently looking for new volunteers and board members. If you are interested, contact Jaqueline at mujeralvolantesp@gmail.com.