Latina Community Women’s Health Leadership

Through the leadership and personal development model of the Latina Community Women's Health Leadership program (LCWHL), more than 140 community women have been trained as Peer Leaders since 1999. LCWHL has had the diverse participation of native born and newcomer, monolingual and bilingual women participants who originate from Mexico, Central and South America and who have varied educational, economic and occupational backgrounds. Latina Community Women's Health Leadership has shown that it is able to both educate and mobilize Latinas to advocate on behalf of a healthy Latino community. Perhaps the greatest strength of LCWHL is its ability to incorporate the priorities and concerns of the Latinas it was established to serve.

View Slideshow of Graduation Ceremony for Class of 2002-03

During the course of their participation in the yearlong program, Peer Leaders attend five skills-based training conferences and women's health symposia (Jornadas de Capacitación) and an annual Latina Legislative Day in Sacramento. In addition, Peer Leaders meet individually and as a group with assigned community mentors. Each LCWHL Peer Leader chooses an "individual learning project" that they implement in their community with the support of their mentor and peer group. In this way, the Peer Leaders facilitate outreach and education into the Latino community in culturally appropriate and accessible ways. Peer Leaders also reach their own families and interact with other leaders in their communities in order to share experiences, information and support.