About Una Comunidad Conectada

The purpose of Una Comunidad Conectada is to create a systems change in how Healthy Little Havana engages residents through a Community Liaison (CL) Framework. This project builds on the successes of the Healthy Little Havana initiative thus far and expands on the relationships already established with residents and stakeholders to develop more sustained and meaningful engagement. Community Liaisons receive ongoing training around health, leadership, and advocacy so that they are not only strong ambassadors for the initiative, but also gain the skills and experience to be long-term advocates for health and change beyond this project.

Healthy Little Havana is a collective impact initiative focused on promoting a healthier Little Havana supported by the Health Foundation of South Florida (HFSF). The goal is to strengthen community capacity to collaboratively plan and collectively carry out strategies to improve health. UHP co-chairs the Physical Activity Health Impact Team and also sits on the Board of Directors for the Initiative.

To learn more about the Community Liaison Framework check out our Quick Guide in English or Spanish. 

Learn more about Healthy Little Havana at healthylittlehavana.org.

Key outcomes of this project include the following:

• Little Havana community members will receive training and professional development to become leaders for change in the Little Havana neighborhood.

• Implementation of a systems change that would improve the way that HLH engages the community and implements projects.

• Completion of a community liaison group project that is aligned with HLH goals and supports implementation of the community action plans.

Meet the Healthy Little Havana Community Liaisons!

Meet Juan Gutiérrez!
Juan has a background in business administration and marketing from Venezuela. As a resident of Little Havana, he is passionate about participating in programs to help make Little Havana a better place to live, as well as providing opportunities to low income communities.

¡Conozca a Juan Gutiérrez!
Juan tiene experiencia en administración de empresas y mercadeo desde Venezuela. Como residente de La Pequeña Habana, a el le apasiona participar en programas para ayudar a que La Pequeña Habana sea un mejor lugar para vivir. Juan tambien está interesado en brindar oportunidades a comunidades de bajos ingresos.

Meet Daniela Flores!

Daniela’s main objective is to make her environment a better place and that is why she is actively involved with the needs of Little Havana residents. She is an artist and faithfully believes in the transformation of the community through art and culture, which is why her commitment and work starts from the ground up- to achieve the desires of well-being.

¡Conozca a Daniela Flores! 

Daniela tiene como objetivo principal hacer de su entorno un lugar mejor y por eso se involucra activamente con las necesidades de los habitantes de la Pequeña Habana. Ella es artista y cree fielmente en la transformación de la comunidad mediante el arte y la cultura, es por ello que su compromiso y trabajo empieza desde las bases para lograr que ese deseado bienestar sea perdurable.

Meet Alejandro Diaz!
Alejandro is passionate in contributing towards the health and wellness of the community. His mission involves highlighting Little Havana’s historical diversity, all the while building interpersonal connections that help maintain the physical and mental wellbeing of both residents and visitors of Little Havana.

¡Conozca a Alejandro Diaz!
A Alejandro le apasiona contribuir a la salud y el bienestar de la comunidad. La misión de Alejandro consiste en resaltar la diversidad histórica de La Pequeña Habana y, al mismo tiempo, formar conexiones interpersonales que ayuden a mantener el bienestar físico y mental de los residentes y visitantes de La Pequeña Habana.

Meet  Rosi Colmenares!

Rosi is currently a Pre-Law student at Miami-Dade College. She believes that the practice of morality and the rule of law are the basic principles that one has to follow in order to build towards a better society.  She is looking forward to integrating her studies into her Community Liaison role in order to service the Little Havana environment and enrich its community values.

¡Conozca a Rosi Colmenares!

Rosi es actualmente una estudiante de Leyes en la Universidad de Miami-Dade. Ella cree que la práctica de la moralidad y el estado de derecho son principios básicos que se deben seguir para construir una sociedad mejor. Ella espera integrar sus estudios en su rol de Enlace Comunitario para servir al entorno de La Pequeña Habana y enriquecer sus valores comunitarios.

Meet Norlan Flores!

Norlan Flores has a background in geography and law, bringing his knowledge gained from Venezuela to the Little Havana community. His background has provided him a great understanding of community engagement, which goes hand-in-hand with being a Live Healthy Little Havana Community Liaison. As Norlan says, the most gratifying thing for him is being able to experience, observe and help others seeking personal development and better quality of life.

¡Conozca a Norlan Flores!

Como profesional de geografía y como abogado en Venezuela, pude adquirir una hermosa formación desde el contacto con las comunidades. Donde lo más gratificante es poder observar cómo los individuos avanzan en su desarrollo personal en armonía con el planeta. Me gusta ayudar a las personas en la constante búsqueda para una mejor calidad de vida.

About the Funder

The mission of Health Foundation of South Florida is to invest in and be a catalyst for collaborations, policy and systems change that improves the health of South Florida communities, with a focus on vulnerable, low to moderate income populations. Established in 1993, the nonprofit foundation has awarded over $125 million to nonprofits providing programs and services in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. For more information, visit hfsf.org and follow @HealthSFL.

Live Healthy Little Havana is an initiative aimed at making this historic neighborhood a healthier place to live. The initiative, which launched in 2014, focuses on bringing the community together, following a strategic plan of action, increasing coordination, and making change that improves the health of Little Havana residents. Health Foundation of South Florida, a nonprofit grantmaking organization, is providing the project up to $3.75 million in support over the first six years of the initiative.