MassLive recently asked readers to identify people they consider Hispanic and Latino leaders in Massachusetts, working to make a difference across the state.
Profiles of these leaders will be published over the course of Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. These are people readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change.
Ysabel Garcia. Photo by Darrius Mylze Johnson, Visionary ActsPhoto by Darrius Mylze Johnson, Visionary Acts
Ysabel Garcia
Age: 31
Community: Springfield
Her story: Ysabel Garcia’s history of winning her own mental health battles has propelled her into a career dedicated to Black and Latinx people receiving equitable and culturally sensitive care.
Garcia leads Estoy Aquí LLC, which translates to “I am here.” Since 2020, her training consultant business has delivered over 100 educational programs made for mental health providers to learn about the socio-cultural aspects of mental health in communities of people of color.
“What sets my work apart is how I focus on the unique sociocultural contexts and systemic issues that are often ignored by traditional mental health care,” Garcia said. Her advocacy is delivered through community care circles, workshops and training sessions with healthcare provers, social service workers and community members.
Garcia’s personal experiences trying to find mental health care when she was a teenage Dominican immigrant contemplating suicide were difficult. She felt the providers in therapy, residential programs and psychiatric hospitals were not equipped to handle suicide, especially from a social justice perspective.
“I expected respect, compassion, and understanding. Instead, I faced coercion and retaliation through solitary confinement and law enforcement involvement for expressing my pain,” Garcia said.
By focusing on the needs and perspectives of Latinx and Black people when giving mental health care, Garcia said her approach is pushing for “real, systemic changes that gets to the root of mental health challenges and suicide.” While her education isn’t mainstream, Garcia said it’s “crucial.”
“People who attend my programs often tell me they’ve never heard about the topics we discuss, even after years in their field,” she said.
“I’m committed to turning each shared story into a building block that strengthens the collective wisdom of our communities, making it possible for us to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to sustain us,” Garcia said.
In her words: “Radically embrace authenticity, humility, and compassion. Recognize that lived experience is a form of expertise and center these voices in your work. Diverging from the industry standard is not easy; it requires challenging entrenched norms and advocating for systemic change, often in the face of resistance. So, stay focused.”
We’re always open to hearing about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.
