The Science Behind the Project
Where culture meets health: transforming research into action to build stronger, healthier communities.
The Latina Health Project started from a simple yet powerful question: What could be possible if health programs truly reflected the culture and voices of the communities they serve?
Our founder, nutrition scientist Anna Garcia, first explored this question through her research on how culture influences the success of lifestyle programs with nutrition, fitness, and/or wellness components among Latina women. Her study examined whether culturally tailored approaches could improve health outcomes, which revealed an important truth: when health initiatives embrace culture through language, traditions, and lived experience, they foster stronger engagement, deeper trust, and more lasting results.
Inspired by these findings, Anna founded the Latina Health Project on the principle that effective health programs must reflect the communities they aim to serve. What began as a scientific study has since grown into a community-driven movement dedicated to advancing health equity through culturally grounded education, outreach, and empowerment.
Today, the Latina Health Project leads bilingual and bicultural health initiatives in partnership with local organizations, making evidence-based health information accessible and inclusive. The project celebrates culture as a source of strength, championing the idea that meaningful health change begins not when culture is added as an afterthought, but when it serves as the foundation.
