The MANA de Kansas City Collection was gifted to the LaBudde Special Collections in November 2010 by Freda Mendez Smith with additional accruals from MANA de Kansas City in June 2015 and Mary Estrada in 2019. It holds historical organizational documents pertaining to the local Chapter of the Mexican American Women’s National Association. Inclusive dates of the material are 1977-2008, with the bulk of the material dating from 1990s-2008.

The MANA collection has been divided into thirteen series, each one focusing on a different organizational aspect. In most cases the materials are sorted in each category by date into descending order. When brought together it tells a fascinating story of a community of Latinas who have united to inspire young people to strive for achievement and take advantage of the opportunities that await them. They instill pride in their heritage and provide the tools and guidance essential for success.

This collection is invaluable to any researcher focusing on the progression of the Latina community and the positive impact to the youth in Kansas City. The content of the material demonstrates the immense outreach by MANA and their efforts to reach a broad spectrum of young women to participate in programs that can impact the positive outcome of their lives. In addition to inspiring the young, documentation supports the recognition of all local Latinas and their major contributions by way of the Community Service Awards given out annually.