After being a Promotora de Salud for more than 25 years and one of the first to receive certification in Texas, Ana Villareal knows the field well. That she still feels committed and touched by the lives she encounters is a testament to her helping spirit.
Born in Mexico, Ana has called the Rio Grande Valley, Texas home for the past 36 years. It was there that she raised her five sons, got divorced and learned English by watching soap operas. To be able to provide for her family as a single mother, Ana got her GED and took classes to learn how to write a resume and cover letters.
Her first job as a Promotora was as a volunteer with Planned Parenthood. After that initial experience, she continued to work in the field, sometimes as a Promotora, sometimes as an assistant Program Coordinator, but always connected in some direct way to improving the health of her community.
Ana speaks passionately about her recent work with Migrant Health Promotion helping inform and enroll people in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
"I feel good when I help them fill out the application because the women go to [a] center and they tell her she’s not qualified. So I tell them they have the right to get help because of the children. And once they get the help, they tell me “If it weren’t for you….. I feel good because I see the faces so happy and I feel happy."
Previously, she worked with Un Nuevo Manana, providing education and support to women who have been sexually assaulted. She accompanies these women to the hospital and is with them when they are talking to the police. The work is hard and sad, but Ana knows that she has the skills and empathy to do a good job and, most importantly, to be a caring advocate at a time of distress and loneliness.
Although she doesn’t like working alone in the evenings, Ana’s Promotora instincts are on duty at all times. If another Promotora needs a partner, Ana is always willing to go, and she relishes opportunities to share ideas with other programs and Promotoras. Although she used to get “stage fright,” presentations in front of 3 or 300 people are now a breeze. Her passion for jewelry making and for her work as a Promotora overlap as Ana often donates her jewelry as raffle prizes or gifts during her presentations in the community.
"Ana is one of the most caring and thoughtful persons I know. Her kindness lets people in her community know that she is sincerely there to facilitate access to the resources that they desperately need."
-- Mirasol Bravo, former SNAP Program Coordinator
"Ana knows her community well and is dedicated to supporting community members to improve their health. She uses her creativity, interests, and talents -- jewelry-making, for example -- to connect with people in the community and get them interested in learning about various health topics. Ana brings her whole self to her work, and because of this, she is able to establish trusting relationships and be effective as a Promotora."
-- Rachel Udow, former Un Nuevo Mañana Program Coordinator