Promotoras: A Neighborly Approach To Community Health

Nearly 40 years ago, our founders mobilized around a shared belief in the power of community. 

Too often when a community or neighborhood faces a problem, the community isn’t seen as the key to solving that problem. It happened at our founding, when non locals began carving up maps and making decisions about our community without our consent, and it still happens today. 

But we believe in community-led solutions to community problems. It’s the best way to make sure a community thrives, because they're the most invested—not to mention it’s their home! 

As our City Heights community faces COVID-19, we’re seeing again that the key to surviving this pandemic lies in the hands of pillar community members. In this case, they’re called promotoras. 

Promotoras are Hispanic/Latinx community members who help provide their neighbors with access to the healthcare resources they need. Promotoras are not professional healthcare workers, but they often receive specialized training to enable them to provide basic health services or to direct others in the community to the help they need. 

In other words, promotoras are trust bsuilders, networker, and a reliable medical ‘bridge’ for their community. 

In San Diego, the Latinx community is suffering and dying disproportionately to COVID-19, and the County of San Diego is working with our organization and promotoras in the community to address it head on. 

Over the next few days, we’re going to share about these promotoras, the kind of work they do, and the impact they are having, but first please check out the online training event below. 

This is lifesaving work!