Local and National Outreach Although they identified as a national organization, the NLHO and its founders always made sure to maintain their primary focus within the community from which they lived in, especially when it came to educating and empowering young women and girls. As was described in Undivided Rights, the NLHO began co-sponsoring college classes and workshops in 1988 in an effort to educate Latinas on a variety of health and reproductive issues, such as mental health, patient’s rights, birth control, sexuality, cancer prevention, homophobia, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, and alcohol abuse (2004). Keeping true to their commitment with the Self-Help model, the NLHO successfully and effectively incorporated this model
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In an effort to advance their educational and consciousness-raising work, the NLHO decided that a national conference would be necessary in order to provide a safe and open space for Latina activists and healthcare professionals to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to Latina health and reproduction (Silliman et al. 2004). By airing ads in both English and Spanish media, the NLHO was able to draw in over 350 women “…from all over the country to learn, discuss, and strategize about issues affecting Latina health” (Silliman et al. 2004:249). As was done when the organization was co-sponsoring college classes and workshops, the NLHO also successfully incorporated and taught the Self-Help model and provided the necessary assistance, such as free childcare and food, in order to ensure that Latinas would attend the conference without having to face obstacles (Silliman et al. 2004). Although the conference was extremely successful at bringing together a wide range of Latina activists and healthcare professionals and creating a strong sense of solidarity amongst the attendees, many Lesbian participants were left disappointed due to the lack of a heterosexual presence within their panels and due to the separation of their panels from the rest (Silliman et. Al …show more content…
Because the NLHO consisted of a local board of directors with a national agenda, the lack of resources, time, and funding certainly became an issue for the local board of directors, especially when deciding the organization’s next political and social move. Similarly, finding members with effective fundraising skills also became a major challenge that they regularly struggled with. Another common challenge that is faced by many organizations, including the NLHO, is the low retention rate of staff and volunteers. Although this was, in part, due to the shifting and competing agendas that came with being both a local and national organization, their low retention rate was also due to the fact that the majority of volunteers and staff were either still in school and/or seeking employment with increased pay and benefits (Silliman et al.
In an effort to advance their educational and consciousness-raising work, the NLHO decided that a national conference would be necessary in order to provide a safe and open space for Latina activists and healthcare professionals to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to Latina health and reproduction (Silliman et al. 2004). By airing ads in both English and Spanish media, the NLHO was able to draw in over 350 women “…from all over the country to learn, discuss, and strategize about issues affecting Latina health” (Silliman et al. 2004:249). As was done when the organization was co-sponsoring college classes and workshops, the NLHO also successfully incorporated and taught the Self-Help model and provided the necessary assistance, such as free childcare and food, in order to ensure that Latinas would attend the conference without having to face obstacles (Silliman et al. 2004). Although the conference was extremely successful at bringing together a wide range of Latina activists and healthcare professionals and creating a strong sense of solidarity amongst the attendees, many Lesbian participants were left disappointed due to the lack of a heterosexual presence within their panels and due to the separation of their panels from the rest (Silliman et. Al …show more content…
Because the NLHO consisted of a local board of directors with a national agenda, the lack of resources, time, and funding certainly became an issue for the local board of directors, especially when deciding the organization’s next political and social move. Similarly, finding members with effective fundraising skills also became a major challenge that they regularly struggled with. Another common challenge that is faced by many organizations, including the NLHO, is the low retention rate of staff and volunteers. Although this was, in part, due to the shifting and competing agendas that came with being both a local and national organization, their low retention rate was also due to the fact that the majority of volunteers and staff were either still in school and/or seeking employment with increased pay and benefits (Silliman et al.