As the presidential administration changes, we recognize the unique mental health stressors that this event may bring, particularly for our Latino community here in North Carolina. Our state is economically strong, yet there remains a significant gap in healthcare services for our Latino population. While 11% of North Carolinians are Latino, only 4% of health services are accessed by this community, highlighting a critical disparity in care.
El Futuro has served the Latino population since 2004 and we have heard their stories, their goals, and their dreams to move past the uncertainty and upheaval of their home countries and to pursue well-being for their families in the United States.
We understand that the political climate in 2025 may lead to increased stress and anxiety within our community, especially among children and youth. Political realities are a significant social driver of mental health. When administrations change, there can result in shifting rhetoric and unclear policies that leave many people concerned for their well-being.
In response, at El Futuro, we are committed to:
- Expanding our support services.
- Actively hiring more staff to better serve you and address these mental health challenges.
- Helping families with safety planning and other practical ways to reduce stress during this time.
- Talking with our funding partners to be confident about our future.
- Strengthening partnerships with others in the field to ensure comprehensive safety net services and sound understanding of policies and rights as we move forward.
There is much that we don’t know yet and I’ve encouraged many partners and supporters to reach back out to me in a month when the dust has settled. Together, we can navigate these challenging times and ensure that everyone in our community receives the care and support they need.
If you or someone you know is experiencing stress or anxiety, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Our team at El Futuro is here to help. You can find more information and resources on our website at elfuturo-nc.org.
Sincerely,
Luke Smith, MD
Executive Director and Psychiatrist
Alvely Alcántara, LCSW
Rossy C. Garcia, MEd 
Katy Sims, MD 
Everardo Aviles, LCSW, LCAS (Eve)
As a medical anthropologist and social work researcher, Dr. Gulbas’ research embodies interdisciplinarity through the integration of applied theories of health and human development with qualitative and ethnographic methodologies. Her work seeks to understand how people—children, families, and providers—navigate complex sociocultural landscapes in the pursuit of mental health. Most of her work, to date, focuses attention on developing more robust interpretations of suicide risk. With funding from the National Institutes of Mental Health, this body of research has contributed to advancements in theoretical and empirical knowledge of the broader contexts within which youth suicide risk is situated. 
R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez is a developmental psychologist and an assistant professor of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the principal investigator of a study that examines the impact of immigration-related threat and stress on school communities. She earned a PhD in developmental psychology from Columbia University and hold a BA in human biology from Stanford University. Dr. Barajas-Gonzalez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a first gen college student.
Dr. Parra-Cardona is an Associate Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work (SHSSW) at the University of Texas at Austin. At the SHSSW, he serves as Coordinator for Mexico and Latin American initiatives. He also serves as Area Director for Research at the UT Austin Latino Research Institute. Dr. Parra-Cardona’s program of research is focused on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based parenting interventions for low-income Latinx populations in the US and Latin America.
Bianka Reese, PhD, MSPH is a research scientist and program evaluator specializing in adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her previous research in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her work as the Research and Evaluation Manager at SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led largescale evaluations of multilevel, community-based sexual health promotion initiatives and research projects aimed at elevating the voices of diverse youth in North Carolina. Dr. Reese is currently the Senior Research Strategist at Creative Research Solutions, LLC, an award-winning national evaluation, research, and assessment firm.
Tania Connaughton-Espino, MPH is an independent researcher focused on adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health. Her interest in the experiences of Latinx LGBTQ+ youth stems from her previous work with SHIFT NC (Sexual Initiatives For Teens), where she led the training and evaluation department, conducted capacity-building workshops for youth serving professionals including on the topic of how to be more affirming of LGBTQ youth, and from her extensive experience working with the Latinx population in NC.
Maru Gonzalez, EdD is an Assistant Professor and Youth Development Specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her areas of inquiry include youth development with a focus on activism, social justice, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people across familial, school, and community contexts. 
Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, PhD
Hector Y. Adames, PsyD