El Centro AMISTAD

Latino families face increased barriers to clean water, healthy food and wellness because of systemic and historic injustices.
Join us in our effort to bring Health Equity to Latino Families in Boulder County by supporting AMISTAD.

Testimonials

AMISTAD ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

-Since 2021, El Centro AMISTAD has implemented the Círculo de Bienestar Emocional Comunitario, a culturally grounded program that provides Spanish-language emotional wellbeing support to Latino and immigrant community members, supporting more than 2800 individuals with individual, goup and family support. Rooted in a decolonizing mental health approach, the program honors community knowledge, cultural identity, and collective healing while recognizing how migration, discrimination, and systemic inequities affect emotional wellbeing. Drawing on Indigenous-informed models of intervention, the circles incorporate storytelling, ancestral wisdom, mindfulness, mutual support, and connections to culture and community alongside practical skills for managing stress and regulating emotions. With support from trained facilitators and Promotoras de Salud, participants build trusting relationships, strengthen resilience, and access additional counseling or services when needed. This holistic approach recognizes individuals and families as active partners in their healing and affirms culture, belonging, and community connection as sources of strength. 

-Raices Vivas is El Centro AMISTAD's culturally grounded BIPOC youth program that strengthens emotional wellbeing, cultural identity, and leadership among young people in Boulder County. Since its creation in 2021, Raices Vivas has supported more than 680 elementary, middle and high school BIPOC students through group gathering, art, storytelling, outdoor activities

-Promotoras de Salud Program :
This nationally recognized promotora program provides the only Latina-led leadership program for underserved Latino Families in Boulder County. It provides educational sessions on health and wellness, focusing on preventing obesity and diabetes.

•In 2025, 95 participants completed the Wellness Challenge, a 90-day program that supports individuals in reducing their consumption of sugary drinks, increasing their consumption of water, healthy eating, diabetes prevention, and emotional support. The Wellness Challenge was initiated in September 2018, and 672 individuals have completed the program since then.

•83% of participants indicated that they make healthier food choices in preparing meals for family members.
•80% of participants indicated that they and their family members are more physically active.
•From January 2020 to September 2025, Promotoras reached 5436 Latinos in the City of Boulder through home visiting, outreach, community events, and education.
•Promotoras were trained and certified in Mental Health First Aid.
•Promotoras were trained and certified as Lifestyle Coaches on Diabetes Prevention.

-In 2016. Passage of the City of Boulder's Sugary Drink Tax:
AMISTAD helped lead a successful campaign to gain passage of a 2 cent tax on sugary drinks in the City of Boulder. This tax is generating  $3.5 million a year to support health equity including access to clean drinking water, healthy foods, and physical activity opportunities for Latino families.
•With a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation, produced Justicia Refrescante. Three bilingual videos featuring a Latino family described the need for access to clean water, healthy foods, and physical activity.
The water inequality video reached 17,807 people through social media and was viewed 7,372 times.
Over 23,000 community members were reached through the Justicia Refrescante campaign.

-Escuela de Madres y Padres:
Companeras founder Elena Aranda developed a first-of-its-kind curriculum for Spanish speaking parents to improve their parenting skills. Modelled on dialectical behavior therapy, parents learn how to use skills to better regulate their emotions, manage stress through mindfulness and be more present for their families.
•The pilot was launched in 2016 with two groups of 12 couples, with the program lasting eight weeks, with 90 minute weekly classes.
•Now, AMISTAD is implementing this program in partnership with the Boulder Valley School District at University Hill and Sanchez elementary schools. The psychology department at the University of Colorado at Boulder will be designing and implementing an evaluation.

•From September 2018 to September of 2025, 727 parents graduated and completing the entire curriculum.

-Access to Physical Activity:
AMISTAD has created access to affordable soccer activities for more than 1800 elementary school children since 2014.

-COMPAÑERAS Annual Summit and Youth Summit LATINX:
This is AMISTAD's annual conference organized by and for Spanish-speaking women and youth to support their leadership and build a movement for health.

Goal: To increase awareness of social justice and equity, develop leadership, build resiliency in the Latino community...