Oftentimes the natural wisdom and native intelligence of people, especially women, are discounted. Persons, especially women, can easily get the message that they cannot do anything of importance if they do not have sophisticated academic credentials and a superior command of the English Language. ARISE does not believe this. Rather ARISE believes in the assets and gifts of the people in each community where it serves persons who immigrate to USA. Based on this belief ARISE identifies persons from low-income, marginated and discounted immigrant populations and builds their capacity to become leaders, organizers and capacity builders for their own people in their own neighborhood. ARISE teaches the immigrant how to navigate the systems designed to serve her/him and how to integrate into everyday life in USA.

 
One might say that ARISE is truly a program of the people, for the people, and by the people. Neighbor helping neighbor in the neighborhood is a popular way to describe ARISE.