LeadershipPromotora Profile:
Mirian Perez, Promotora
“I open my heart and help people find solutions, just like they did with me.”
-Mirian Perez
Ten years ago, a Promotora came to the Brownsville, Texas home of Mirian Perez to talk about annual exams. At that time, her mother, grandmother and aunt suffered from cervical cancer, and she was worried that she would not be able to escape the same diagnosis. That educational visit opened Mirian’s eyes and set in motion her future as a Promotora. Armed with the knowledge that an annual exam can detect small changes over time and make early and life-saving treatment possible, Mirian shared the Promotora’s message with her family members and then with her neighbors and friends. She began volunteering with local health outreach programs dealing with cardiovascular health, prevention of birth defects, dengue, tuberculosis, shaken baby syndrome and other topics. Soon, she became a Promotora in one of Migrant Health Promotion’s first breast and cervical health programs in the Rio Grande Valley. In the context of a structured program, she reached more and more of her community with culturally and linguistically competent health messages.
Family after family, Mirian’s work as a Promotora has touched thousands of lives. Women she taught about breast and cervical cancer prevention constantly seek her out, informing her that they remain current on their recommended annual exams. Mirian continues to shape healthy communities as a Promotora with the REACH Promotora Community Coalition at Migrant Health Promotion. There, she offers her knowledge and experience to the Coalition’s efforts to reduce the impact of diabetes in the Valley by working in clinics, schools and communities. As a Promotora and active member of the Coalition, Mirian leads walking groups and nutrition classes in rural Valley communities and helps guide and inform the work of the entire Coalition. Mirian says she loves motivating people to get out and exercise.
Mirian explains “Promotoras have the gift of service. They are humble and share a strong bond with the people.” By this definition, she is a model Promotora with a true heart for her community. With a brilliant smile and a collection of jokes, she puts people at ease and relays important health information in a way that shows she genuinely cares.
