The Aspen Institute

Maria Lemus is the Executive Director of Visión y Compromiso. Lemus is helping to transform the role of “promotores” — traditionally, laypeople in Latin American countries concerned with the health and well-being of others — into a widely accepted profession in the United States sensitive to cultural differences.The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Lemus understood the importance of “promotores de salud” – “promoters of health.” They would check in on others, take food to shut-ins or sick neighbors, give rides, or help with local information. They would do it gladly without compensation.” Lemus met professional “promotores” in 1998 at a California HIV/AIDS Latino conference. The “promotore” continuum includes diverse titles and roles within health and human service agencies: community health worker, peer educator, health advocate, outreach worker, and others. In essence, they were professionalizing the mission of “promotores” to educate Hispanics about various health-related topics, including immunization and disease prevention. Using her professional background in program development for health-focused organizations, in 2000 Lemus founded Visión y Compromiso (“vision and commitment”) as a resource and advocacy organization for “promotores” in California. The organization has built a network of 400 community experts in 10 regions across the state. Lemus hopes to create an institute recognizing “promotores” nationally. Selected to participate in Ideas Festival Spotlight Health.