Latinos Taking Charge of Health
An increasing amount of Hispanic communities are working together to positively impact Latino health and wellness.
By Richie and Lucia Matthews for PODER Hispanic Magazine.
The U.S. Latino population suffers disproportionately from a range of health complications including diabetes and heart disease when compared with the overall general market. These dire health circumstances are the result of a complex web of social, cultural and economic conditions.
As the propensity for bad health grows, the issue has become an increasingly salient topic for Hispanic communities. More and more grassroots movements, businesses, and individuals are providing health and wellness information geared towards Hispanics. The philosophy behind these efforts is better, more culturally relevant information will lead to better health and wellness for Hispanics.
Health disparities among minorities are prevalent in the U.S. and across the globe. Diabetes is one of the leading causes the asymmetrical scenario for Hispanics. It has been reported that 21percent of older Hispanics have diabetes compared to 14.3 percent of Caucasians. Cardiovascular disease is another forerunner problem for Latinos. It has been estimated that one out of every four Hispanic male and one of every three Hispanic female will suffer from heart disease or stroke.
Lifestyle changes, prevention and early intervention services such as immunizations, cancer screenings and diabetes testing are solutions that could assist in ensuring a healthier Hispanic population. Diet and inactivity tendencies of Hispanics play a strong role in shaping the problem. Arguably, education and access are the principle barriers in assisting Latinos to revolutionize health patterns.
U.S. Hispanic citizens are increasingly gaining more access to health and wellness resources as individuals, the business community,and grassroots organizations come together to help educate and provide access to health resources.
It’s All About the Kids Foundation organizes monthly activities for children from a coalition of charities. They have recently joined forces with the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce, a national business association, and with business executive leaders such as Ramon Toledo, CEO Busca Corp, a leading Hispanic digital entertainment network. Providing access to resources, these private and public alliances are an emerging trend within the Hispanic health and wellness community.
Focusing on education, The Association of Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen initiative has partnered with Texas chef Michael Flores to help reverse the growth of childhood obesity and its associated health issues. Chef Flores has taken his own childhood passion for cooking and turned it into an evolving lifelong profession in the culinary arts. Despite his formal training at the Culinary Institute of America, Michael Flores focuses on providing simple solutions for encouraging families to get back to the table. Through the Kids in the Kitchen and other education initiatives he heads, Michael teaches children how to prepare practical healthy meals, through his bilingual recipes.
Communicating with Latinos is more than a translation issue. Not to negate the importance or the use of the Spanish language, but studies suggest U.S. Hispanics, as a majority, speak English. Findings from the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization dedicated to improving understandings of the U.S. Hispanic population, suggest 88percent of second generation U.S. Hispanic adults and 94 percent third generation are fluent English speakers.
The key to communicating relevantly with Latinos is to understand the significance of messages founded in cultural nuance. When speaking with Latinos, health programs, education, and other resources should move away from translating mainstream content into Spanish and towards resonating culturally. This will improve minority groups’ affinity towards and navigation within the U.S. health system.
Various online communities have developed over the years that seek to empower and enable Latinos to improve health conditions. Sana Health Group, Inc. is one such company with this goal in mind. They specialize in offering Hispanics manageable, trusted sources and resources that make staying healthy easier.
Sana Health Group recently launched HispanoSano.com to provide applications that offer access to bilingual information on everything from diabetes and cancer to fitness and diet. Latinos can seek out applicable information based on their particular needs or join community groups to interact with others in similar situations.
The Internet is an excellent platform to provide health information to Hispanics. Hispanics are technology mavens and savvy in accessing information and utilizing social networks online. Internet-based,tailored health information is an effective way to engage Hispanics both relevantly and culturally.
The current health status of U.S. Hispanics may appear glum, but the tides may turn as more organizations and individuals come together to provide access to relevant health education to the community.
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Latina Entrepreneurs’ Impact on the U.S. Business Scene
The National Women’s History Project (NWHP) brings the contributions of Latinas to the forefront of public discourse.
By Alice Gomez and Lucia Matthews, for PODER Hispanic Magazine.
Over the years Latina entrepreneurs have made a strong impact on the U.S. business scene. The Hispanic population is the largest and fastest growing minority group. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Hispanic population was 46.9 million in 2008; a 3.2 percent increase from 2007, meaning almost one in six American is of Hispanic descent. The large Hispanic influence has resulted in an economy robust with innovative Latina entrepreneurs. This month is Women’s History Month and various individuals, organizations and institutions are putting forth efforts towards recognizing the importance of female societal contributions.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the National Women’s History Project (NWHP), which serves as a catalyst for promoting women as leaders and influential societal forces. The focus for this year’s theme is ‘Writing Women Back into History’. Mainstream historical accounts have largely undermined female contributions in society. The accomplishments of minorities tend to also receive a diminished role in typical historical reports. Therefore, Latinas face a double discrimination.
To honor the theme the NWHP has developed a nation-wide program highlighting outstanding women and their achievements. The organization places an emphasis on featuring positive role models and the importance of women from all backgrounds.
According to the NWHP, when the effort began in the eighties less than 3% of the content of teacher training textbooks mentioned the contributions of women and when included, women were usually written in as mere footnotes. Women were deprived of female role models. Today the web contains millions of citations professing the accomplishments of women and Latinas specifically.
Accrediting women for the work they have done opens doors for other women to follow their lead. Lisa Garcia-Ruiz, founder of The Grant Hunter, a consulting service that helps its clients seek funding sources, was motivated by the accomplishments of others.
“I have been inspired by other strong women entrepreneurs who have been able to create a business that allows them to make a difference, make money and have time for their families as well” Ruiz said.
For Latinas culture is an important influence in business endeavors and thus should be celebrated as playing a part in their success. Lilian de la Torre-Jiménez, Publisher of Bodas USA La Revista, the first Spanish-language bridal magazine in the U.S., notes the significance her Hispanic heritage has on her business.
“Being Hispanic is the foundation and the heart of my business” Torre-Jiménez said. “Our motto says it all: Tu Boda, Tu Cultura, Tu Idioma (Your Wedding, Your Culture, Your Language).” With that same approach of catering to Latinas with a culturally appropriate multimedia platform, the publisher is launching her third magazine, Mujer Empresaria, the first Spanish-language digital magazine for the U.S. Latina Entrepreneur in mid-2010.
Latina entrepreneurs have found alternative solutions to breaking down the barriers to success for minority business owners. Networking online through organizations such as the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce provides access to knowledge and resources that help promote Latina business.
“The Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce has given online Hispanic-focused businesses a forum to come together and promote their product or services in a professional manner,” Martha Alburquerque, developer of Lela Luxe, an online magazine dedicated to the latest fashion, art, design, entertainment and samples sales worlds in New York City. “Stumbling upon the organization has inspired me to continue my efforts regardless of being a minority in the world of blogging.”
Another important aspect attributing to the success of Latina business is their competencies in communicating in multicultural environments. The U.S. is an increasingly diverse playground for business transactions. Creator of networking focused company Opening Latino Doors LLC, Lourdes Sampera Tsukada, articulates the importance of multicultural understandings.
“When one is doing business or interacting with small business owners from another culture, communication styles vary,” Sampera Tsukada said. “We are no longer doing business with the same culture and the same generations – we are doing business with many different cultures, generations, and forms of communications. The awareness of these key components is the key to future continued success!”
Women will have an increasingly prominent role in U.S. business. As the U.S. Hispanic population continues to grow much of this transformation will be made by Latinas. The contributions of Latina entrepreneurs should be recognized to encourage the entrepreneurial pursuits of younger generations. The result of such efforts will have a positive impact on the future of the U.S. business world.
Richie
Lucia