Our Commitment to the Hispanic and Latinx Community
10 Minutes
Team Curative
Sep 30, 2021
Curative celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by demonstrating our commitment to the communities we serve and spotlighting the voices of our team members. From September 15, 2021, to October 15, 2021, Hispanic Heritage Month pays tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively impacted society. Joining in with the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, it’s an opportune time to share resources about unique healthcare needs for the community and take action to drive equity.
At Curative, we are grateful for the contributions of our Hispanic American and Latinx staff, who have played an invaluable role in serving our communities and ensuring our delivery is informed and impactful.
Our COVID-19 testing sites, signage, materials, software, and staff are equipped to accommodate and support Spanish-speaking populations. Below, we feature three testing sites that have successfully supported their local population and hear from five employees about their experiences as Hispanic American leaders at Curative.
Branch Library in Laredo, Texas
Branch Library in Laredo, Texas is one of the longest sites in operation. Curative’s presence in Laredo is widespread — we operate at multiple churches, oversee a site close to the international bridge, and have a mobile van. Our Branch Library location opened on November 2, 2021, and since then, the site has operated every day from 8 am to 6 pm. Thus far, we’ve administered over 54,124 tests in the Laredo community, adding confidence and peace of mind by being regularly available at a well-known location.
Curative’s COVID-19 testing site in Laredo, Texas at the Branch Library
Laredo is a special place because it is one of the closest towns to the United States and Mexico border. In Laredo, there are approximately 259,512 residents. 95% of the residents identify as Latinx, and 90% of the patients speak Spanish. To ensure the site is convenient for all residents, all of our site specialists are bilingual and the majority are local residents in Laredo. This ensures that all patients have a comfortable and welcoming experience at our site. In addition to the in-person language support, our site is equipped with flyers, marketing materials, and signage in both English and Spanish so that patients are well-informed about the testing process.
Providing testing in Laredo is especially important because it allows people to receive critical health information without having to cross the border. Instead of worrying about paying cash or out-of-pocket costs, Laredo community members can test at our site at no cost to them regardless of their health insurance status. We have seen a continual increase in testing numbers as residents become aware of our services and see us as a trusted pillar in the community. Laredo is tight-knit, and we are honored that our patients will bring their families and friends to get tested at our sites and promote testing by word-of-mouth.
“I want to spotlight the efforts of our staff — they’re very caring and compassionate and do a great job taking care of the patients and explaining the process and answering any questions. Our site specialists pretty much do everything they can for our patients and never send them away. If someone does not have an appointment, even if they’re busy, they stop to help them. People keep coming back to us for that service.” – Luis Cruz, Field Operations Lead
Latino Leadership, Inc. Partnership in Orlando, Florida
Curative’s partnership with Latino Leadership, Inc. has provided testing for the Orlando community
Curative partners with Latino Leadership, Inc. to provide testing throughout the Orlando, Florida area. Our partnership began on January 5, 2021 at our old location on East Colonial then later moved to Latino Leadership’s new location at Clinica Mi Salud. At our initial site on East Colonial, we tested 12,764 patients, and since the move, we have tested 7,648 members of the community.
We work hard to make all patients of every background feel welcome. In the Orlando area, a large percentage of our patients are Hispanic and Latinx. Our site specialists are ready to assist them in Spanish, and many are hired directly from the surrounding community. Our staff represents the diverse backgrounds that make up the Hispanic community.
“When it comes to our site, most of the specialists are Hispanic, including myself, the site lead. My team is from different ethnicities — including Puerto Rican, Peruvian, Dominican, Honduran, Venezuelan, and Cuban. There’s a little bit of everything at the Latino Leadership testing site.” -Bryan Vidro-Iglesias, Site Lead, Testing
We work hard to integrate with the community in Orlando, and go above and beyond to help beat COVID-19. We sent some of our specialists into the neighborhood to hand out flyers to spread the word about our testing site. We tell patients that everyone is invited to get tested at no cost — and that they can bring their families, friends, co-workers — anyone they know.
“Partnering with Curative has provided Clínica Mi Salud the unique opportunity of helping our people during one of the most difficult times in our community. Throughout this pandemic, along with Curative, we have been able to administer over 20,000 tests, contributing in this way to stopping the spread. The achievement of this milestone is part of our 2 year anniversary of providing the community with a compassionate and culturally sensitive place for healthcare”, Marucci Guzmán, Executive Director of Latino Leadership.
Arbor Faire Kiosk in Fresno, California
Arbor Faire Kiosk in Fresno, California
Curative has demonstrated our commitment to the central California community with drive-thru, kiosk, and walk-up sites in the region. The Arbor Faire Kiosk in Fresno is a prime example of our work — in a diverse community with a large Latinx population, we provide resources tailored to all needs. In Fresno County, 53% of residents identify as Latinx. Our site ensures there is always someone who speaks Spanish available at every shift, and we also have a staff member who can speak Punjabi. Public transportation is frequently used in this area, so providing a walk-up kiosk in a convenient spot makes it easy for residents to find us.
Our kiosk is open seven days a week, Monday-Thursday from 8 am-3 pm and Friday-Sunday from 7:30 am-7:00 pm. Having a wide range of hours available allows people from all backgrounds with different schedules to come get tests. Our site does not require appointments and walk-ins are always welcome.
To better integrate into the community, we have sent staff members to hand out flyers multiple times a week, and we post on our own social media at least three times a week. Since many of our staff members are hired locally, we can have a wider reach through our own connections. We have also communicated to local schools that we provide testing options, which resulted in an increase in children coming to get tested. We’re honored to provide a comfortable and convenient option for families as schools return in person.
Since June, Curative has provided value to the Fresno and central California community by ensuring that COVID-19 testing is convenient and cost-free. Language, operational, and communication support are consistently offered to residents to make their experience as seamless as possible. We are thankful for our staff members who have worked hard to ensure this site meets the needs of the diverse Fresno community.
Curative is dedicated to providing healthcare resources to all. Hear about the experiences and work of our Hispanic American leaders below!
Santiago Leon Marketing Coordinator
“Curative has prioritized accessibility for Spanish-speaking communities by removing language barriers through bilingual signage and videos, as well as by providing translation services over the phone and on the Curative website. At Ruido Fest in Chicago, Spanish testing information was key to communicating our testing offerings to Spanish-speaking festival attendees. It has been a privilege to be able to give back to my community and contribute to making testing accessible to all.”
Andrea Avila Vaccine Site Lead for the Tulare Mobile Van
“As a site lead in central California, the majority of our patients are Spanish-speaking. As someone fluent in Spanish, I’ve enjoyed helping them understand the vaccines and side effects to be able to make it a stress-free experience for them and their families and combat any potential hesitancy. The appreciation I received in return means more than anything.”
Cynthia Gonzales Tier 2 Support, Team Lead
“Since the start of my journey with Curative, the company has embraced my culture and allowed me to grow. I started with our Customer Success team at a time when there was only one other Spanish speaking agent, to now being a Latina in leadership. This role has allowed me to bring diversity and Latinx talent to our team. Our Customer Success team provides quality care year-round. With empathy, our Spanish-speaking agents have been dedicated to breaking language barriers and providing clear understanding to our customers. Big shout out to the Spanish Speaking agents in Tier 1, Tier 2, and our Missing Information Team!”
Albert Navarro Regional Director of Field Operations
“Working with Curative, I’ve had the opportunity to bring healthcare services to underserved communities, many of which are heavily populated by Latinx people like myself. I will never forget the day that we vaccinated 3 bus-loads of field workers in the Central Valley. Some came from over an hour away but they all packed into these three buses and made the trek to our site in Tulare, which at the time was the most accessible, both in terms of location and cost. Being able to provide this crucial service efficiently and at no charge to this hugely important segment of the workforce was very special and close to my heart, personally. This is one of the many reasons I’m proud to say I work for Curative.”
Alejandra Garcia Orosco Research Associate (R&D)
“Curative has made testing accessible all over the US, this is especially crucial for the Latinx community. By providing assistance with testing in Spanish, Curative was able to inform and educate Latinx communities. We advocated for information to be made available in Spanish as misinformation and lack of information in our communities was preventing people from accessing testing and vaccination. Curative is supportive of diverse hiring and inclusivity. In Research and Development (R&D) we have a diverse team where we are able to have open conversations that allow for ideas and growth. As a startup company I am looking forward to Curative’s growth and how we can set the foundation to ensure that there is equity and inclusion moving forward.”