Members of the Dream Coalition posing for a photo after their launch.
When advocates in King County’s Latino community realized they had few services focusing on substance use disorder and prevention, The Latinx Dream Coalition (La Coalición de los Sueños del Condado del Rey) was born in March 2021.
Neighborhood House helped start the Latinx Dream Coalition and is now one of 60 members. The coalition includes parents, youth and staff from partner organizations, along with members of the Latinx community in King County.
The coalition’s mission is to provide culturally appropriate education, tools and services that reduce harm, and empower and strengthen Latinx youth and families in King County. They promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, encourage drug-free youth, and bring equity and justice to Latinx communities.
Latinx community members experience inequitable access to healthcare, behavioral health services, along with substance use prevention information and resources. Language access, immigration status, transportation, cultural stigma, and insurance eligibility requirements are often insurmountable barriers.
Latinx Dream Coalition meetings are conducted in Spanish with interpretation in English. The group brings free services and events to Latinx neighborhoods.
To reduce stigma around families talking about mental health and drug use, the coalition runs media campaigns in Spanish language outlets and has organized Mental Health First Aid workshops in Spanish.
The coalition trains community members to be leaders. These individuals use culturally and linguistically responsive methods to build power with community members and address issues of substance use disorder and prevention. So far, 26 Prevention Ambassadors have been training reaching 1,513 with critical information.
The Latinx Dream Coalition’s achievements in 2023 include:
- Hosting a Latinx Health Fair in South Park as a collaboration with Villa Comunitaria. The fair reached more than 350 community members and featured 50 vendors offering free local cuisine, and educational and health resources.
- Airing a “Starts with One” opiate prevention public service announcement on Univision reaching an impressive 164,250 viewers. The coalition also produced videos on opioid prevention in Spanish, Triqui, Sahim Sau and Mixteco Bajo. Watch all four videos at https://vimeo.com/showcase/8546808.
- Offering “Guiding Good Choices” workshops in Spanish that have reached 132 parents and youth this year. Thirteen parents have been trained a to deliver “Positive Discipline” workshops for parents in Spanish.
The Latinx Dream Coalition’s work is a testament to the resilience and strength of the Latinx community in King County. To learn more, read our previous article about the coalition or contact Jonny Fernandes-Trujillo, jonnyf@nhwa.org.
Janice Deguchi, Executive Director