Voces Latinas

37-63C 83rd Street, Suite 1BJackson Heights, NY 11372

718-593-4528www.voceslatinas.org

Mission & Goals• Mission- “to reduce the rate of HIV

transmission among immigrant Latinas by empowering, educating, and providing leadership and advocacy training to enable them to make healthier decisions for themselves and their families.

• Goals are to: 1) Reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS by ensuring Latinas are informed about how their behaviors and life situations place them at risk;

• 2) Empower Latinas to lead and direct change that affect their lives by developing leaders, advocates, and agents of change, among our community; and

• 3) Ensure immigrant Latinas have access to services and resources to meet their needs by connecting our emerging leaders with policy- and decision-makers to voice their issues and to fight for resources for their community.

Programs• Workshop series• Saturday Cultural Arts• HIV Testing• Domestic Violence Support

Group• Connecting to Services• Emotional Support Counseling• Promotoras (Peer Advocacy)• Computer Classes• Advocacy

Points of Entry to Leaderhsip

Promotoras • 1 year commitment

•12 week training

•Practicum

•Specialty Areas -HIV/STI’s-Violence -Legal

•Role-Leader-Mentor-Friend

Promotora Outreach•Isolated Community

-Depression-Trauma-Loneliness

•High Risk Factors-Violence-Basic Needs-Immigration Status-Cultural Norms -No Reproductive Justice

- Lack economic security

•Survival Strategies-Waitress/Sex Work-Survival Sex-Solicitors-Private Residence

Successes of the Promotora Model• Immigrant Latinas Identify with

Other Immigrant Latinas…– Trust– Access– Retention

• Social Support System is the first step to prevention

• Advocacy = Empowerment = Voice

• Achieve Reproductive Justice• Gain Economic Security• Identify Emerging High Risk

Populations

Waitress/Sex Work

Outreach Strategies -Identify waitress/sex workers

-Identifying Bars/Restaurants (calling upon allies)

- Gaining the Trust of Managers

-Hosting Condom & Resource Baskets

-Consistent Outreach During “High Risk” Time

-Gaining Waitress/Sex Worker Trust

-Gaining and Maintaining Access

Outcomes of Promotoras Outreach

Next Steps to Alternatives

Offering Alternatives -Trainings-ESL-Business Skills-Leadership Skills-Coaching

Long term Alternatives-Cooperative (managed by Promotoras)

-Crafts-Flea Market-Domestic Work

Challenges• Time needed to Gain Trust and Access• Availability of staff and Promotoras for

outreach• Ratio between staff and clients• Mental Health Needs

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Nathaly Rubio-Torio, LMSW718-593-4528

nrubio-torio@voceslatinas.org

Waitress/Sex Work Waitress/Sex k WFOR

aitress/Sex Work Voces Latinas