Laal

Laal NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting underserved Bengali immigrant womxn in Norwood, the Bronx. Founded in 2018 by two Bangladeshi American domestic violence survivors, Laal provides resources that Bengali womxn need to lead healthy, joyful and engaged lives. Over 75% of our members are domestic violence survivors, and the average household income of our members is $45,000 for a larger-than-average family size of five. Our goal is to amplify the voices of the Bengali community by collecting essential data and providing need-based support through programming, such as ESL, Wellness, Reproductive Justice, Mental Health Support, Financial Education, Civic Engagement, Legal Support and Workforce Development. Laal means "red" in Bangla. Laal symbolizes the mark of menstruation, the alta Bengali womxn use to adorn themselves; the red saree Bengali womxn wear on their wedding day; the red bindi for which Bengali womxn are famous; and the red sun which is in the center of the Bangladeshi flag. We chose this as our name because it serves as a reminder of the strength and resilience of Bengali womxn.