Boulder County, United Way launch diversity program

BOULDER — Foothills United Way and Boulder County have launched a diversity and resiliency movement for the county.

The movement, Resilience for All, is a community-led initiative that builds on the 2017 “Resilience for All” report for the city of Longmont developed by Carmen Ramirez and Marta Loachamin. The project was developed in response to the 2013 floods, which revealed barriers to service delivery and communication for the Latinx population, as well as in relationships between community members and institutions.

Currently funded by Boulder County and supported by Foothills United Way, Resilience for All is working to build partnerships and develop a platform for cultural brokers — people whose background and skills enable them to bridge two cultures, allowing them to serve as advocates or connectors. The movement aims to create a bridge between cultures that the county and Foothills United Way hope will spark a shift toward a more-inclusive, equitable community, according to information used to describe the program.

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“Boulder County understands the critical role cultural brokers serve by providing connections between residents and service providers. The county is excited to learn from the network how to better recruit, retain, reward and recognize cultural brokers,” Garry Sanfacon, Boulder County Office of Resilience and Recovery, said in a written statement.

On Nov. 5, more than 40 Latinx cultural brokers and allies met at the Lafayette YMCA to discuss how they could plug into Resilience for All. At the event, members of nonprofits, government agencies and the community came together to support building awareness of cultural brokers and the importance of incentivizing this shift.

“I look forward to continued collaboration to realize the recommendations born out of the Resiliencia para Todos report and beyond. The event was a full house and a success in many ways. My mind was filled with ideas, my heart was filled with hope for the future and with new relationships” said Courtney Prusmack, Boulder County manager of diversity and inclusion.

“Resilience for All is a program I am incredibly passionate about,” said Guillermo Estrada-Rivera, cross cultural network designer for Foothills United Way. “We put this work forward as if we are growing a family. Our vision is to grow our values as an extended community and remember what it means to call on family and neighbors for solidarity and compassion. These are values that stretch beyond the Latinx community.”

Once the Cultural Broker Network is established, Foothills United Way will continue to support it as a backbone agency. This support will include the creation of a community asset map to identify areas of growth and development for the network, as well as trainings and professional development opportunities for cultural brokers.