Promotoras - Agents of Change

At the heart of Revision’s work to create sustainable and self-sufficient communities is the understanding that residents are the greatest resource to lead this transformation. Revision’s promotora model is this belief in action. Residents who demonstrate passion for changing their community are given the tools, training, and support to become promotoras, who promote public health initiatives in their community.

Promotoras are the backbone of Revision’s backyard garden program. They educate the community about the relationship between food and health.  They promote the backyard garden model as a way for low-income families to learn how to grow healthy food and change their diet, providing a hand up rather than a hand out. 

But beyond that, promotoras develop deep relationships within the community.  They work to connect with each family, and then connect those families together. In doing so, they build a network that has the ability to mobilize the community to take action.

Recently, Revision’s promotora model has gained the attention of universities, hospitals, public health agencies, and city government, whom all recognize that changing a community has to come from within. Building trust from the outside and engaging residents is difficult work and it takes time, something that most organizations don’t know how to do well.  So the promotoras are working with these agencies and stakeholders to engage the community.

Starting this spring, promtoras will be working with Denver Public Health to implement several of the Denver Moves strategies to increase walkability/bike-ability of Southwest Denver.  Promotoras will be helping create community ownership of the first new park to be built in Westwood in over 40 years, as well as helping to create Denver’s first bike boulevard! 

For the past couple of months, promotoras have been partnering with Fresh Takes Kitchen, a new social enterprise offering healthy, affordable, fresh prepared meals to the southwest Denver community.  Read more about Fresh Takes here.

From health and nutrition, to public work improvements, Revision’s promotoras are leading the way!

Click here for more information on how you can support Revision’s promotoras program.