Santa Barbara, Ca, August 2020 – Due to the current coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis, many people in the Spanish-speaking Latino community are not getting the important information they may need for themselves and their families. For years, the Spanish-speaking community has struggled to receive timely, culturally-appropriate information related to emerging needs. In April, Mi Vida, Mi Voz (MVMV), a collaboration of local Latino-serving organizations, pivoted to address this critical need. With the pandemic’s disproportionate health and economic impact in the Latino community, this critical information is more relevant than ever.
Mi Vida, Mi Voz (My Life, My Voice) has been collecting information about community resources in five basic categories: Health; Basic Needs (food, financial support, housing, legal); Mental Health; Children & Families; and Seniors. The initial emphasis has been on health and basic needs information during COVID-19.
“Getting information to the Spanish-speaking Latino community is a challenge for many organizations and for our community as a whole,” said Adriana Marroquin, Community Initiatives Manager at Hospice of Santa Barbara. “The primary strategy by which MVMV will help with the spread of information is by harnessing the collective power of our existing relationship network—people and organizations who we have built trusted relationships with over the years.”