Success Stories
Get inspired by our Salud Hero stories and videos, which show real champions of change who drive policies and environments for health equity in families, schools and communities!
FEATURED HERO
Rosa Herrera: Get the Vaccine for Your Family!
Rosa Herrera knows how difficult the battle with COVID-19 can be. Two of her daughters were really sick with COVID-19 in October 2020 and were hospitalized during their infections. Herrera herself got sick, too, but had a mild case. “It was really scary. I couldn’t see them and since both of them were hospitalized at ...
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Gabriela Mistral: First Latina to Win the Nobel Prize in Literature
Gabriela Mistral, born as Lucila Godoy Alcayaga in Chile, was the first Latina author to receive the Nobel Prize in Lite…
Education, Overcoming Harmful Biases
Honoring ‘Godmother of Mariachi’ Music Isabel (Belle) Ortiz
Mariachi music is a hallmark of Latino culture. Generations of Latinos listen to mariachis – a small Mexican musical ens…
Embracing Immigrants
Rosa Escalante Lopez: Resilient Latina Overcomes Health Crisis to Help Latinos Heal Invisible Wounds
A young Rosa Escalante Lopez curiously looked around the therapist’s room as her mother and the therapist chatted in Spa…
Mental Health
Banker Turned Psychiatrist: How Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr. Found His Calling
“Now remember, you must return your books on time,” said the librarian at the local public library in Austin, Texas. She…
Mental Health
Serving the Medically Underserved: Guadalupe Clinic Brings Goodwill to Wichita Latinos
The drive to Guadalupe Clinic from rural Coffeyville, Kansas, was just over two hours, but it felt like a lifetime for t…
Healthcare Access
Thomas Brittain Dedicates Retirement Years to Caregiving; “It Could Be You That Needs Care One Day.”
Thomas Brittain and his immediate family gathered in the neurologist’s office, eager to hear the health status of their…
Dementia
Carlos Olivas: Every Day is Different as a Latino Caregiver
A cool breeze hits Carlos Olivas III’s face and suddenly the smells of fresh, warm coffee and donuts hits his nose. He e…
Dementia, Mental Health
Gabriella Godines: Finding Her ‘Time’ to Become a Physician
In early 2019, Gabriella “Gaby” Godines got the news that she wasn’t accepted to medical school. She was understandably…
Latino Cancer
Alberto Martin: Making the Most of Every Opportunity for Latino Health
As a child in Puerto Rico, Alberto Martin dreamed of playing professional soccer. He knew that becoming a soccer pro me…
Embracing Immigrants, Healthcare Access
Former Marine Tim Barrientez is Dedicating Retirement Years to Improving Latino Health
8/22/23 Update: Tim is Salud America!’s latest intern. Read his stories here! 18-year-old Timoteo “Tim” Barrientez wiped…
Healthy Lifestyles