Floreciendo: Building Bridges Between Latina Teens and their Caregivers
Collaborative Endeavors Podcast: Season 4, Episode 9
Episode Summary
In this episode of Collaborative Endeavors, we explore Floreciendo, a community-based workshop designed to strengthen sexual and reproductive health communication between Latina adolescents and their female caregivers. Developed through a community-based participatory research approach and supported by a Center for Clinical and Translational Science pilot grant award, Floreciendo adapts an evidence-based intervention originally designed for Black families to meet the cultural and structural needs of Latina communities in Chicago.
Lead researcher Kate Merrill, PhD, an associate professor in the University of Illinois Chicago’s department of medicine, and community partners from organizations such as Centro Romero and the LoSAH Center of Hope discuss how the program was shaped by local data, cultural insights, and a shared commitment to addressing health disparities.
Facilitators, teens, and caregivers reflect on how Floreciendo creates space for open dialogue on topics often considered taboo, including contraception, relationships, and mental health. The episode also explores the role of the Community Advisory Council in guiding the program’s evolution, early indications of its impact, and plans for expanding the curriculum to address mental health more directly.