For more than two decades, Visión y Compromiso has centered community well-being around a simple but powerful idea: lasting change begins with relationships. Created by promotoras for promotoras, the nationally recognized nonprofit strengthens the impact of promotoras (trusted community leaders and helpers) through training, leadership and advocacy.

Rooted in the principle of servicio de corazón, or service from the heart, Visión y Compromiso’s  leadership development, education and community advocacy are  effective because they are  culturally relevant, linguistically accessible and shaped by the people in the communities they serve and live in.

That approach is palpable in two major initiatives: the recent launch of the MOVES Promotoras Van mobile health program in Los Angeles County; and the organization’s upcoming 24th Annual Conference, which will bring frontline leaders such as promotoras, CHWs and community workers together to build advocacy, strengthen skills and support one another.

MOVES: A Holistic Mobile Health Program

MOVES—Mobile Outreach for Vulnerable and Engaged Support—brings promotora-led health services directly to historically underserved communities across Los Angeles County. Supported by a $1.8 million grant from the Centene Foundation and Health Net, the three-year program is expected to reach more than 10,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries and other community members through partnerships with trusted local organizations.

“Health care should come to the people—in the places where they live, work, and build community,” said Maria Lemus, executive director of Visión y Compromiso. 

The MOVES mobile units will provide health screenings, chronic disease education, care navigation and referrals to social support providers. Services will include connections to doulas, food assistance, housing navigation and behavioral health resources. Each unit will be staffed by skilled promotoras, a registered nurse and a community outreach coordinator.

This team-based model combines clinical expertise with the trust and cultural understanding that promotoras bring to their work. As respected members of the communities they serve, promotoras often understand the practical challenges families face, including limited transportation, unfamiliar health systems, language differences and concerns about seeking assistance.

Rather than expecting residents to navigate those systems alone, MOVES brings information and support into familiar community settings. The program works with community-based and faith-based organizations, schools, local clinics and other partners that already have established relationships with community members.

For José García Lopez, a Visión y Compromiso employee and part of the MOVES program, the mobile unit offers an opportunity to make support more accessible and personal.

“Serving the community through the mobile unit means being able to bring support, guidance, and resources closer to people who often face barriers to accessing health and wellness services,” he said. “It creates a space of trust where people feel heard and supported.”

The program also uses data to identify areas with greater social vulnerability and to evaluate service use, patient satisfaction, health outcomes and referrals for social needs. In this way, MOVES combines community knowledge with measurable results while keeping residents’ experiences at the center of the work.

‘Our Unity is Power’: Leadership Development and Support for Promotoras

That combination—culturally grounded service supported by data and evaluation—also shapes Visión y Compromiso’s leadership development efforts. The organization recognizes promotoras as frontline leaders and trusted messengers, educators, advocates, and navigators who help communities respond to changing conditions.

Promotoras will take center stage at Visión y Compromiso’s 24th Annual Promotora Conference, scheduled for October 14–16, 2026, in Palm Springs, California. Held under the theme “Our Unity Is Power, Our Love Is Hope,” the gathering will focus on the challenges families face as health coverage and food assistance programs come under increasing pressure.

More than 30 workshops and plenary sessions will translate policy changes into practical tools that promotoras can use with families. Participants will explore how to explain new Medicaid and nutrition-assistance requirements, help residents respond to eligibility changes and connect people with available services.

The conference will be organized around four areas: civic participation and leadership, economic well-being, digital and technological tools, and self-care for providers.

Now more than ever, community advocacy and civic participation are at the core of Visión y Compromiso’s broader understanding of leadership. Promotoras support families’ access to services while advocating for community needs to local and state decision-makers. By building advocacy skills, promotoras actively engage in civic dialogue and influence policies affecting health, economic stability and family well-being.

Other sessions will address mental health, cancer prevention, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, preparation for the 2030 Census, social media tools and climate-related health concerns such as emergency preparation, extreme heat and poor air quality. The range of topics reflects the interconnected nature of community health.

Self-care will be an equally important part of the gathering. Promotoras frequently support families through stressful circumstances, and sustaining that work requires attention to their own mental, emotional and physical health.

“This space honors the whole person who carries the role of promotora—the guide, teacher, healer, and trusted presence who centers love in their service,” said Melinda Cordero Barzaga, associate director of programs.

The conference will be conducted primarily in Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation available, ensuring that promotoras can learn, lead and share knowledge in the language that best supports their work.

The gathering will also celebrate the creativity and entrepreneurship of the promotora community through El Mercadito, a marketplace featuring promotora artisans and small businesses. By creating space for these entrepreneurs, the conference recognizes the economic and cultural contributions of local Latino communities.

Whether through a mobile health unit in a Los Angeles neighborhood or a Spanish-language workshop in Palm Springs, Visión y Compromiso’s work is grounded in the same conviction—that communities are strongest when their own knowledge, leadership and lived experience guide the solutions.

About the author

Maria Lemus is the founding Executive Director of Visión y Compromiso, a California-based nonprofit that supports  the promotora workforce and promotora volunteers in the health, research, and education sectors and community-based organizations in rural and urban communities.