La Hermandad is a Non-profit Organization Dedicated to Public Works

La Hermandad is a nonprofit organization, funded with the primary goal of supporting families in the advocacy of education, mental health awareness and support, and social justice for families in the Latino community. This support group is located in the house of Maria Canas, a very trustworthy and former activist for human rights. Maria has transformed her dinner table into a sanctuary place. It began 17 years ago when a group of mothers experienced social injustice inflicted by gangs, politics, and discrimination.

It started with three mothers in pain, trying to overcome the confusion of mental illness and discrimination oppressed them from the city. La Hermandad organizes fundraisers, painting parties, and community service.

In the Latino/Hispanic community, it is less likely to seek mental health treatment, mainly because of a lack of information and misunderstanding about mental health. That is why La Hermandad is working with the community to help community members step up and learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions or know where to find help. By becoming knowledgeable with the information, the stigma associated with mental health issues will reduce. I have been volunteering for this nonprofit for four years. I was in charge of assisting to teach the youth in our groups in expressing their emotions through visual arts. First, we talked about anything that was making them feel comfortable or safe. I helped the youth understand that one should not let the fear of what others may think prevent them or a loved one from getting better. The purpose of the art class is to teach youth and their parents to express their individual creativity through visual arts, creating a nonverbal language. We tried to immerse the students in the experience of a subject. I asked them to express what they already know, using multisensory subject matter that can be observed.

The surprising part was when the children did not know what to paint, so for a change of pace, they put music on and started to dance with each other. When I first met the children, they were too shy to even say “Hi” to one another, and at the end of the class, they were expressing themselves in the most joyful ways. Once they started to laugh and dance, they started to understand and feel. After that, they did not hesitate to paint. My love for arts has helped me understand how it can aid people in developing the use of children’s imaginations, the way they respond to their own life experiences, and the way they express and communicate their ideas. Free art courses have been hard to find, especially when I was a child. Having this chance to teach and make art with others helps physical development in children, which includes performing confidently, using imagination, and ensuring good use of space for themselves and others while performing. Although I have just found out the meaning of a Community Health Worker, I realize I have been doing most of what CHWs are known for. I think that the only thing that is missing in me becoming a CHW is the knowledge of medical information, resources and the certificate stating that I have been recognized as a CHW.

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