Health For All: Testimonies

These photo essays were created by Las Fotos Project Digital Promotoras, a group of youth leaders who use photojournalism, social media, and multimedia to promote awareness of health disparities in their community and work together to inform residents about the various resources available. Below are a collection of photographs and interviews they created which document the stories of Boyle Heights residents as they navigate the healthcare system.

Cecilia Romero Aguilar
Fighter, Survivor, Unbiological Mother
By Regina Zamarripa

This semester I met Cecilia, a retired nurse and Lupus patient. Because of her condition she has needed health care nearly all her life.

Cecilia is a strong believer that health access should have nothing to do with having or not having legal documents. "Everybody should have health insurance, we are all human, we deserve health insurance."

When she was a nurse she felt that not many people tried to get healthcare coverage because they fear the doctors won't speak their language or because they don't feel that the attention they receive is genuine. "I know how patients are. They're not just a number; they're people. There has to be a bond with your patients, I had that with mine."

As a resident of Boyle Heights, I think our community has to work together in order to ensure that we all have health access where we feel each and everyone of us matters."I know how patients are, they're not just a number; they're people."

Maria Trejo
Fearless strong mother
By Gaby Cortes

This is Maria Trejo, 44 years old and born in Jalpa Zacatecas, she came to the US at only 19 years of age. Maria was diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure at the age of 15. She visits a local clinic which provides her with low-cost medication and checkups.

Maria is very religious and believes god gave her these obstacles to conquer her fear and learn to take care of herself. Maria started to get closer to god once she was diagnosed with diabetes because she became very weak during that time and was struggling with depression. She always thought about death when it came to diabetes. Later she finally learned to live with her illness and started giving service at her local church where she helps to coordinate quinceañeras and weddings.

Maria is very energetic and walks 30 minutes every day to keep herself in shape because exercise is now the most important part of her health.

“I always ask God to give me strength and help stay healthy.”

Martha Perez
Opportunity Deserve
By Carolina Leal

In my community of Boyle Heights lives a mother of two daughters named Martha Perez. Martha has been living in Los Angeles for over 10 years.

Martha's health is important to her. She tries to do as much as she can to take care of herself. A motivation for Martha to take care of her health is to see her daughters grow up and become successful, and also to be able to see her family grow. She is looking forward to be able to meet her grandchildren.

Not only does Martha just take care of herself, but she tries to spread awareness to others to get themselves checked out. There has been several occasions in which some of Martha's friends don't want to go to the doctor, but Martha is there encouraging them to go to the doctor.

Liliana Martinez

Health + Humanity
By Carolina Duarte

In the projects of Los Angeles, California we got to sit down and talk to Liliana Martinez about her experience with accessing health care.

Liliana immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico on January 6, 1980, a detail that she remembers to this day. Ever since her arrival Liliana noticed the difficulty of finding a clinic while being undocumented. When she did find a clinic, it was usually overcrowded and just covered the bare minimum.

Liliana was finally granted residency during the Reagan Era, however this did not mean her struggle was over. Liliana was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes. Regardless of her residency she stated that the high cost of health care is an inevitable reality.

Now cancer-free, Liliana expressed her concern over diabetes, an issue she is passionate about. She said the best way to prevent diabetes is by providing classes on prevention on how to lead a healthier life. These classes are powerful because they bring the community together.

"Prevention classes are the best because it brings the community togehter."

Rocio Díaz
Staying healthy is the way to be 
By Christina Montoya

Originally from Puebla México, Rocio Diaz currently resides in beautiful and cozy home with her family in East Los Angeles, California. She is attending Cal State LA and is majoring in theater. Rocio plans to produce and write her own plays based on her people, which includes the undocumented community.  

Growing up, Rocio was fortunate enough to have a form of health care which enabled her to have normal checks ups with a doctor and a dentist. However, as the years went on, her family's coverage changed and now only applies to cases of emergency. Despite this hurdle Rocio and her family have found new ways to ensure they remain healthy and safe. "We currently have a family doctor who comes to our house and treats us when we are sick," Rocio states, "but even then he isn't always available and we have to seek other ways to heal."

Now Rocio has taken it upon herself to ensure that she and her family are on top of their health by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into her diet. She does this by juicing and making licuados (shakes) to ensure she gets her daily dose of natural vitamins.

"I have awareness of my body to never get sick because I am undocumented."

Isidro Cortés
unbreakable
By Gaby Cortes

Isidro Cortes is a 35-year-old man diagnosed with diabetes in 2006. He migrated here to the U.S at age 15, from Puebla Mexico. Isidro goes to Clinica Santa Rosa for his check-ups. However, he recently heard about My Health LA at another clinic and is in the process of applying.

The treatment at Clinica Santa Rosa is really helpful, but only when he has enough money to pay for it. He is a truck vender and sometimes gets as much as $1,200 each month, but that's when business is great. Target provides his medication, but he only gets the basic medication because he also has four kids and his wife to take care of. His wife and kids help out by getting him to do healthy things like exercising and eating healthy.

Isidro had tried to look for other clinics that may be cheaper and My Health LA is the only one he has found. In his free time he likes to lay down and turn up his music, which calms him down and lets him relax. He also takes my siblings and me to the park to have a little exercise.

"It's difficult to be able to buy all my medication when you have four children to take care of."

Minerva Valentin
The concerned mother and wife
By Sonia Sanchez

Minerva Valentin lives with her husband and three young daughters in an apartment complex in Boyle Heights. Minverva, her husband, and eldest daughter, Karina, were born in Puebla, Mexico. Her two youngest daughters were born in the United States. As U.S. citizens her youngest daughters qualify for full medical insurance.

Minerva's family is fortunate enough not to get sick very often and rarely requires extensive medical care. The family is covered by emergency medical insurance which allows them to live with some reassurance that they will maintain their health.

Minerva mentioned that having access to medical insurance that covers regular preventive women check-ups would give her more ease, as she would know she and her daughters would be healthy in the years to come.  

Minerva believes that any opportunity to pay for medical insurance that covers all health is something worth investing in for her children. Overall her experience in clinics and hospitals in the U.S. has been overwhelmingly positive, as they have treated her with respect and dignity. She says that one's experience with other people depends on the manner in which one asks for service. Listening to her story and her perspective was a true privilege.

"My family's health is my priority."

Candido Aguilar
Finally covered once again.
By Jacqueline Lima

Candido Aguilar is a 57-yearold father of three whose experience with health care began twenty-five years ago when he immigrated from Morelos, Mexico. Candido worked at Rite Aid, where he was offered full medical coverage and had the opportunity to go to Kaiser Permanente.

In 2004, after more than a decade working at Rite Aid, Candido was laid off work for failing to prove his citizenship. His first visit to the doctor resulted in a long list of illnesses including asthma and diabetes. He became depressed after realizing he would have to pay for his medications with most of his hard earned money he made doing small jobs.

Fortunately, his three children had full medical coverage, and Candido and his wife were able to qualify for emergency MediCal. His children were fine until 2010 when one of his daughters began suffering from severe migraines. She was able to see a neurologist and was given treatment for some time before she was forced to stop after a malfunction with the system hindered her eligibility.

Candido has been in a constant battle to get the best medical coverage for his children, and has just recently achieved it. Candido has been medically covered since January of this year, after his pastor introduced him to the Los Angeles Christian Health Center, a My Health LA partner, when he severely burned his stomach with a pot of boiling water. He is very happy with the service he receives and feels better knowing that he now has a clinic that will serve his needs.

Candido wants to stop taking all the medications by living a healthier lifestyle. He has decided that he is in control of what he should take even if it will make his doctor mad.