Statewide Legislative Week of Action, May 1 to May 5, 2023, to advance the state-wide promotora movement

Sacramento, CA – Visión y Compromiso the largest state-based nonprofit organization of promotoras and community health workers, will hold its annual Promotoras’ Statewide Legislative Week of Action from May 1st to May 5th in Sacramento. On Tuesday, May 2nd, over 100 promotoras and community health workers from across the state together with community-based organizations who have a longstanding history of hiring, training, and supporting this workforce will lead a march and rally at the Capitol Mall to advocate for critical issues including health care, housing, immigration, education and the promotora workforce. Legislative meetings with elected officials will follow the rally.

Promotoras are trusted messengers and leaders in their often-marginalized communities, providing information, resources, and guidance. They share similar characteristics as the residents they serve, reducing barriers to health education and services that are common for native-born and immigrant communities.

A predominantly women-led workforce, promotoras are puentes de la comunidad, community bridges, and essential workers who know how to connect low-income and traditionally underserved communities to information, resources and public health, social services, education, housing, and legal systems. Known by various titles including outreach workers, systems navigators, peer educators, resource specialists, and many more titles, they are local experts of particular importance to communities of color, immigrant communities, and underserved and under-resourced communities.

“We are excited to come together to ensure that the voices of those who are most impacted by health disparities are heard,” said Maria Lemus, Executive Director, Visión y Compromiso. “We are proud to lead the way elevating the work of promotoras and advancing the well-being of our communities. Our goal is for a healthy and dignified life for all.”

After the march and rally, the promotoras will meet with elected officials to advocate for systemic change, including increased equity in health outcomes, expanded unemployment benefits for excluded undocumented workers and individuals, improved access to education for non-English speaking families, expanded Covered California health coverage to undocumented residents and support for outreach and education to encourage immigrants to become in-home supportive services (IHSS) providers.

Schedule of Visión y Compromiso’s Legislative Week of Action:

 

● Monday, May 1: Legislative Week virtual kick-off on Facebook Live with the Advocacy Committee from the Network of Promotoras discussing promotoras’ advocacy history, policy priorities, and statewide promotora movement.

● Tuesday, May 2: Promotoras’ Legislative Day of Action with a march and rally at Capitol Mall and scheduled legislative meetings.

● Wednesday, May 3: Zoom session on proposed certification for community health workers/promotoras/community health representatives (CHW/P/Rs) in California.

● Thursday, May 4: Virtual policy roundtable to discuss the new Medi-Cal CHW/P/R benefit.

● Friday, May 5: Legislative Week virtual closing on Facebook Live with the Advocacy Committee from the Network of Promotoras providing a summary of the week.

 

Created by, for, and with promotoras, Visión y Compromiso has consistently centered grassroots community leadership while becoming a sought-after partner to diverse organizations, agencies, and institutions seeking to adopt the Promotor Model to advance community well-being. For more than 20 years, VyC has been a leader in elevating the work of promotoras, firmly rooted in supporting linguistically and culturally competent and responsive servicio de corazón (service from the heart). This approach is at the core of our Promotor Model for Community Transformation and the success behind building a robust movement of promotora leaders. For more information visit https://visionycompromiso.org.

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