Acknowledgments:

This public art project would have not been possible without the trust and support of Latino Health Access.  My heartfelt thanks go out to all the Promotoras for their time, for their contributions, for believing in me and trusting me with their voice and their stories. Mil gracias to Karen Sarabia, Maricela Reyes, Veronica Ruiz, Nancy Mejia and Dr. America Bracho for inspiring me and to Mayra Lyzzethe Monroy for her significant administrative support throughout the production of this project.

I would like to give special thanks to Cecilia Ortíz Fernández for her assistance and support with the photoshoot of all the Poderosas and for lending me her talent and passion in capturing their beauty and fearlessness, Charmian Hwang for her assistance in creating the large paper flower garden to honor all the Poderosas, and Mirna Michel for her mastery and knowledge in natural flower arrangements that adorned all the Poderosas in their portraits. 

My heartfelt thanks also go to the following individuals: Gustavo Arellano and Erika Hirugami for their contributions, GCAC Director/Chief Curator John D. Spiak, GCAC Associate Director Tracey Gayer for being a community partner for this public art project and for their support and generosity, Matt Vargas for his partnership and design vision, and to Dr. Natalie M. Fousekis Director at CSUF’s Lawrence de Graaf Center for Oral and Public History for her invitation to host the oral histories of Las Promotoras de Latino Health Access in their digital archives.

As part of this project, an installation was created to be hosted permanently onsite at Latino Health Access headquarters in downtown Santa Ana, California. I would like to thank the following who assisted me along the way for this vision to come to fruition: The team at PIP (Pretty in Plastic), CEO Julie B. Ramirez, engineer Mike Bredderman artist Tori Rodriguez and Rosa Fabon for their partnership and care to help the vision come to life, architect Eddie Gomez for his wisdom and support throughout the installation and design process, comadre Yvonne Flores with Westcliff Properties and Swinerton Construction Company for their support in the permanent installation. 

Most of all I would like to acknowledge my dear mami Livia Maria Correa Rojas, as her memory continues to inspire my creative process, and my son Gabriel Lopez Rojas for he is the heart of my heart.