CIMI’s mission is to empower women of all ages to become stronger mentally and physically, equip them with necessary technology skills to enter a changing workforce, and inspire participants through engaging programs that promote self-esteem and education.
CIMI was founded in 2012 by Aracely Areas, a software professional with a passion for education and exercise. Aracely originally formed CIMI (“Carrera Internacional de la Mujer Iniciativa” or the “international women’s race initiative”) to organize races and give free entry to women from underserved communities in her home country of Nicaragua. As CIMI grew, Aracely sought to find more ways to positively impact the lives of women of all ages. Today, CIMI serves women and their families across the San Jose area by offering a variety of programs to support physical, mental, educational, and community well-being.
The organization now offers physical activities—like volleyball skills workshops, runs, and trail walks—which helps participants gain confidence, manage stress, and build healthy habits. CIMI also offers education programs like coding bootcamps, computer basics classes, robotics, and public speaking opportunities.
While COVID-19 paused large gatherings like races, CIMI continued their community-centered programs like gas card giveaways and school supply donations and focus on educational programs.
Coming from underserved communities, these girls were able to participate in the Girl Powered VEX Robotics Workshop at the Google Event Center. They learned about designing, building, and programming robots in a sold-out event with 550 participants.
In partnership with the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, CIMI created the Design_Code_Bootcamp at the Computer History Museum to provide girls in grades 6 through 8 with an opportunity to participate in engaging, hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) workshops.
The event drew nearly 900 runners and 70% of them were women. Races also expanded in San Jose, in addition to educational opportunities.
Donors are matched to a family they support during the holidays.
Over 250 people participated—many of them women who were running for the first time. After completing her first 5k, one woman commented “I never thought I would be able to do something like this.”
The CIMI board members are passionate advocates for the organization’s core values. They are driven by a shared mission to motivate and empower the community they serve toward greater achievement. Their dedication to CIMI’s vision makes the organization a beacon of hope and inspiration, fostering success among the underserved community in San Jose.
Aracely Areas is the founder and president of CIMI, responsible for strategic direction and leadership. She works as a quality assurance engineer in a Fortune 500 company. Aracely brings personal perspective to CIMI’s mission as a woman who found strength through education and running. Aracely has a black belt in Taekwondo, has run 38 marathons, and is a certified Chi-Running Master Instructor.
Ivonne Figueroa is a UX Researcher and holds a doctorate in Human Factors and Applied Psychology. As a first-generation college graduate the stories of CIMI’s youth resonate with Ivonne’s own experiences. She believes education is the most powerful equalizer and is also a long time runner. Ivonne values CIMI’s mission of helping participants to be stronger physically and mentally.
Kamille Shan is a Technical Project Manager in Silicon Valley. She believes in the importance of fitness to everyone’s lives. Kamille is also passionate about encouraging youth to be interested in STEM. Outside of work, Kamille loves to bake and share the calories.
Maya Bergstrom is a quality assurance engineer in Silicon Valley. She is passionate about children’s causes, including youth sports, and improving equity in education, as well as animal welfare causes. In her spare time, Maya enjoys walking, hiking, and helping community cats.