I wrote an article for YES! magazine’s website on promotoras in Placer County, Calif. These women (and sometimes men) are trusted leaders who help form a new and crucial link between the Latino community and the broader society.

In the photo below, several women and one man attend a weekly meeting in the city of Roseville, led by Maria Cordova (far right), where they share stories and provide emotional support. Cordova is a promotora.