Latino Organizations

There are thousands of Latino organizations, and many of them "have visibility and political power," said Pompa. "If you want political power, that's who you want to work with." She advised participants to use their city yellow pages and the World Wide Web to identify Latino organizations in their areas. "Learn how to collaborate," said Pompa. "It takes time. Each organization has its own interests and goals to achieve. Talk to them about mutual interests."

Step-by-step approach to collaboration

Pompa outlined a step-by-step approach to collaboration with Latino organizations. First, advocates should identify Latino organizations and ask themselves, "do I have a mutual goal with the organization?," said Pompa. Next, a mutual strategy should be identified. "Even with mutual goals, like 'serve the Latino community' or 'include Latino children in education,' their strategy might be to lobby Congress but maybe you go to high schools to work with kids in vocational rehabilitation," said Pompa.

Also important are mutual financial interests, said Pompa. "One reason why collaboration doesn't work is because they can't find the money. Is there a grant that could benefit you? Most Latino organizations are like you--nonprofit. It's important to decide which Latino organization to work with. Is it financially effective?"

Challenges to collaboration

Sometimes Latino organizations are resistant to working on disability issues, or reluctant to work with disability-oriented organizations. When that happens, said Pompa, organizers should ask if it is worth the time pursuing the relationship. "Don't waste your time and resources. Find an organization that does want to work with you. What you do should not get watered down. You have to become selective."

Esparza shared his experience reaching out to resistant Latino organizations. "They think we're stealing their agency," he said. "I try to explain that the purpose of our presentation is to improve services to their clients. Many Latino organizations want to work by themselves."
One participant shared experiences in struggling to educate the Latino community about the Americans with Disabilities Act. People have now started calling the organization to ask how to make their own organizations accessible.

Some participants indicated that Latino organizations are often overworked and may initially feel threatened by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because they fear being penalized. Another participant, however, indicated that this is not a universal problem. "We make the point that if we help train your staff about the ADA, you can serve all Latinos, including Latinos with disabilities," the participant said.

Overcoming challenges

Some participants indicated that their experience has been that some Latinos fear or stigmatize disabilities. One participant said, "I have to first recognize it and work through that, maybe help them realize that maybe someone in their family has a disability." Another participant suggested making the connection between accessibility for Spanish speakers and accessibility for people with disabilities.

It is also important to build on cultural values, and to make businesses realize that people with disabilities are potential customers, participants suggested. Another helpful strategy can be to point out that making services accessible for people with disabilities can help other people as well, for example someone with a broken leg.

Expanding outreach efforts

"One of my biggest concerns," said Esparza, "is that hospitals and the medical model never provides anything other than a nursing home. In the Chicago area, I contact hospitals and ask them to let patients know there are other options, not only nursing homes."

It was suggested that working with Latino organizations can help broaden their horizons, reach underserved populations who can't be reached through mainstreamed methods. Helping Latino organizations provide better services to Latinos with disabilities may also help them reach people who may have "something unique to offer," said one participant.

What can Proyecto Visión do?

Participants finished the round-table discussion by making a list of suggestions for what Proyecto Visión can do to help Latino disability organizations improve their outreach efforts to mainstream Latino organizations. Suggestions included: providing education; providing technical assistance; listing helpful resources; connecting people with resources and providing them with referrals; providing training on the ADA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other disability-related laws; develop a tool kit on how to develop a collaborative relationship and how to develop mutual goals; target the disabled community, not only Latinos; and motivate consumers by identifying young and experienced role models.

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