Indigenous Outreach Project

Asociacion MayabThe Central American Resource Center

January, 2008 to June, 2008

Indigenous Outreach ProjectThe Purpose of the Indigenous Outreach Project

is to increase access to health and other social services, as well as to increase their

knowledge about available resources for health and other services of the Indigenous

Immigrant communities in San Francisco

Indigenous Outreach Project• Context• Over the past decade San Francisco and other Bay

Area Cities have become the point of attraction for thousands of Indigenous immigrants from Mexico and Latin America

• Indigenous people are different from other immigrants in that we speak our native languages and practice many of our original cultural traditions in our daily lives

• Indigenous communities in Latin America suffer discrimination and there is a legacy of oppression and racism over our communities.

Indigenous Outreach Project• We estimate the Yucatec-Maya population in

San Francisco at about 15,000 members and in Marin county some 10,000. Most of these immigrants speak their native Language.

• We are in contact with other groups of immigrants such as Tzeltal, Chol, Tzotzil, Quiche and Mam

Indigenous Outreach Project

• CARECEN and Asociacion Mayab started a collaboration on January of 2008 to implement a health education intervention aimed to reach out to the indigenous communities of San Francisco.

Indigenous Outreach Project

• CARECEN housed this project under their Wellness Program.

• Program Coordinator• Outreach Program Coordinator• 6 Outreach Workers (Maya-Yucateco, Chol,

Tzeltal)

Indigenous Outreach Project

Workshops on Different Health Related Topics• Health in the workplace• AIDS/STD’s• Alcoholism and Drug Addictions • Health Insurance and access to services

Cultural and Traditional Events• Carnaval San Francisco 2008• Mayan Traditional “Vaqueria”• 5 de Mayo Celebration

Indigenous Outreach Project

Training Workshops for Outreach Workers• 3 Trainings were provided– Orientation– Outreach Techniques– Health and Health Education Concepts

Indigenous Outreach Project

Indigenous Outreach Project

Indigenous Outreach Project