Sisters of Color United for Education

A nonprofit organization

SOCUE - Sisters of Color United for Education's Mission: Cultivating Promotoras (health promoters) to defend the health of the community by balancing mind, body, and spirit.

SOCUE is housed in the SunValley neighborhood on 8th and Federal in a warehouse called Plaza Aztlan. This is a cultural, arts, education and wellness facility providing all the wrap around services to help build the foundation of healthy individuals, families and communities.

Vision: We believe that indigenous communities have the inherent ability to achieve health equity through education, community mobilization, and systems change.

Values: The values Sisters upholds are empowerment, social justice, human rights, and respect for differences.

Our goals are to improve health, wellness, and quality of life by educating families about healthy lifestyles and increasing their access to health services by removing linguistic and cultural barriers.

Testimonials

Norma Fernandez: I'm 27 years old and I started with Sisters of Color when I was 11 years old. When I was 11 my mom didn't know how to talk to me about some issues (sex, pregnancy, violence, and others) and a friend of hers told her about Sisters of Color. We took the training together, after the training we stay because we like how Sisters helps our community. I was the babysitter for almost 5 years, and then I became a promotora. I love being a promotora because not only do the participants learn from me, I learn from them too, every training that we have. It's a joy to see how Sisters of Color's curriculum changes the participants' lives. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of Sisters for so many years. I have learned a lot and it helps me to make good decisions about my life. The job experience and training helped my mom and me get jobs.

Rita Gonzales:
I am writing this letter in regards to Sisters of Color. In May 2008, I myself, as well as several other women, would have never gone out and enrolled in into such a program. We all learned, and shared a very awesome experience. This is something new to the women in our culture - we are used to being caretakers, never thinking of looking or taking care of ourselves. Had it not been for this wonderful program as well as the ladies from Sisters of Color who were great, sensitive and very caring. We have had several mothers asking for this program.
And even some of the same women who were waiting for the continued program would like to see this program move forward and give the same opportunity to other women who would otherwise would never have this wonderful experience.

Gerardo Pacheco: My story with Sisters started in 2010. My best friend invited me to a focus group for MSM Latinos, with nothing to lose I agreed to go, I loved the group from the first day. I started volunteering right away.
I attended the Promotor training last year, it changed me in so many ways, I learned to love and respect myself and I also learned different ways to help and educate my community. Being a Promotor makes me feel like a hero, I feel like there is so much to do and teach mi Gente that sometimes time isn't enough. I love what I do because I care about my community.

Mission

Sisters of Color United for Education's Mission: Cultivating Promotoras (health promoters) to defend the health of the community by balancing mind, body, and spirit.

Vision: We believe that indigenous communities have the inherent ability to achieve health equity through education, community mobilization, and systems change.

Values: The values Sisters upholds are empowerment, social justice, human rights, and respect for differences.

The organization's goals are to improve health, wellness, and quality of life by educating families about healthy lifestyles and increasing their access to health services by removing linguistic and cultural barriers.

Background Statement

SISTERS began in 1990 when two Chicana activists became alarmed about the lack of health education and prevention services for women in their community. They recognized the staggering economic, cultural, political and social barriers that increase health risks for people of color, such as poverty, lack of formal education, unequal family power dynamics, and community stigmas associated with illness. The founders began their work by providing educational materials out of their cars and hosting discussions in their homes. They focused on providing a safe and supportive environment in which to address sensitive health issues.

Our goals are to improve health, wellness, and quality of life by educating families about healthy lifestyles and increasing their access to health services by removing language and cultural barriers. The holistic health education program, Promotora de Salud, utilizes culturally relevant curricula and empowers participants to access healthcare and support services through community activism, advocacy, information exchange, and referral.

SISTERS hosts the oldest and most effective Promotora Program in Colorado. Education priorities are chronic disease prevention, harm reduction, sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, and nutrition. Our urban health programs utilize hip hop culture, music, art, and athletics to promote health, cultural literacy, and leadership among inner city youth and their adult allies.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Sisters of Color United for Education

other names

SOCUE, SISTERS of Color

Year Established

1997

Tax id (EIN)

31-1554794

Category

Human Services

Address

2895 W. 8th Avenue
Denver, CO 80204

Service areas

Denver County, CO, US

Phone

3034468800

Other

303-446-8800 10

Other

303-446-8800 20

Other

303-446-8800 15

Other

303-446-8800 24

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