Programs intended to provide health and learning services to lower income and poverty level residents in NM and other US locations, need to involve local leadership. Local leadership can provide connections to those services in a manner best suited to the local environments.
For example, a trusted member of the community can help overcome fears of involvement with “the government”, and help with ESL hurdles as well.
Plus a promotora knows who can be key additions to the local efforts amongst the local population. Collaboration with the community is more than just one person leading, as demonstrated by “community schools” which try to involve as many from the local community as possible, while training up new leadership.
That’s a bottom up approach, built on the realities of the local community, and using the capabilities of local residents to help meet their own needs. (Nonetheless, programs still need adequate funding to succeed.)
The power of promotoras in the wake of COVID-19