Bridging Uncharted Waters in Georgia: Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta Outreach to Latino/a Families

Abstract

Receiving the news that your newborn child has Down syndrome is difficult for most parents; difficulties which are compounded by language and cultural barriers for immigrant Latino/a families. The metro Atlanta area has shown a large increase in this population in the last 10 years, and increasing numbers of Latino/a parents with children with Down syndrome are coming in contact with the health care system. Experiences and observations regarding the formation of a Latino/a support group for parents of children with Down syndrome in Atlanta are described. In addition, efforts to integrate these Latino/a parents into a parent education conference sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta are also recounted. Finally, reflections upon the lessons learned and individual and organizational changes that occurred as a result of the process are discussed.

Community psychology interventions and U.S. Latinos and Latinas.

“…Surface structure encompasses aspects of interventions that involve matching program materials, messages, delivery vehicles, and settings to the target population's characteristics. Examples of such adaptations include making language modifications to intervention materials and/or delivering interventions in Spanish by using Latino/ Latina and bilingual researchers and interventionists (e.g., Ceballo et al, 2006;Guerra & Knox, 2008;Hernández & Organista, 2013;Hernández-Cordero et al, 2011;Kiefer et al, 2013;Marín et al, 1990;Martorell & Martorell, 2006;Muñoz, Marín, Posner, & Pérez-Stable, 1997). Some researchers took language adaptation a step further to ensure translations fit the language patterns and usage of a specific ethnic group (e.g., Guerra & Knox, 2008).…”

Listening to Diversity Stories: Principles for Practice in Community Research and Action

“…The difference in circumstances of immigration is an issue that divides the newer and older immigrants in Borg's (2006) paper. Legal status is an invisible but potentially powerful cloud that probably affected the involvement of Latino residents in Berryhill and Linney's (2006) work and hampered Martorell and Martorell's (2006) efforts to reach some Latino/a parents of children with Down Syndrome. Lee and Calvin (2006) share their understanding of how an intergroup relations initiative was impacted by the sociopolitical dynamics of a community where there were 30-40 countries represented among immigrant groups and where over 100 languages were spoken in the schools.…”

Diversity Challenges in Community Research and Action: The Story of a Special Issue of AJCP

“…One set of stories looks at issues that arise in the context of small group interventions to increase individual awareness and sensitivity to diversity (Ceballo, Ramirez, & Maltese, 2006;Chronister, 2006;Vasquez, 2006). A second set of stories tells of issues that emerged when working to address intergroup relations-some doing so within a particular setting, like a school, community-based organization, or religious institution (Borg, 2006;D'Augelli, 2006;Levine, 2006;Martorell & Martorell, 2006;Shpungin & Lyubansky, 2006;Suyemoto & Fox Tree, 2006); and others doing so within a broader community (Berryhill & Linney, 2006;Daniels, 2006;Langhout, 2006;Lee & Calvin, 2006;Messinger, 2006;Ross, 2006;Suarez-Balcazar & Kinney, 2006). A final set of stories deals with diversity issues that emerged in the context of forming research partnerships, whether it be to better understand an understudied community (Brodsky & Faryal, 2006;Gone, 2006;Miller, Forte, Wilson, & Greene, 2006;Paxton, Guentzel & Trombacco, 2006) or to develop and/or assess programs within ethnic/minority communities (Coppens, Page & Thou, 2006;Small, Tiwari, & Huser, 2006).…”