This March, El Futuro convened leaders from across the state for the 2026 Immigrant Mental Health Solidarity Network Convening, a statewide gathering focused on strengthening collaboration and advancing immigrant mental health as a public priority.
Over two days, more than 75 participants and 30 presenters came together — including policymakers, clinicians, nonprofit leaders, advocates, and community partners — bringing diverse expertise, lived experience, and community perspectives. Participants represented community-based organizations, healthcare systems, research institutions, advocacy coalitions, philanthropy, and state and local agencies, including the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Together, they engaged in meaningful dialogue, shared practical strategies, and identified pathways to strengthen immigrant mental health systems across North Carolina.
The Convening reflects a broader truth: meaningful change happens when sectors align. Many organizations across the state are deeply committed to supporting immigrant communities, but too often this work happens in isolation. The Immigrant Mental Health Solidarity Network helps bridge those gaps — creating space for coordination, shared learning, and collective action.
Feedback from attendees highlighted both the urgency of this work and the impact of coming together. Participants shared that the Convening
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- strengthened their ability to support their communities,
- provided practical tools they plan to implement locally, and
- fostered a powerful sense of connection among leaders who often work in isolation.
Many noted that the gathering helped them feel that immigrant communities are being more fully seen and prioritized. Across regions and roles, a common theme emerged: the need for stronger, more coordinated systems of care that are culturally responsive and grounded in community.
The Convening also marks an important milestone in the Network’s evolution. Leadership is transitioning to NC Counts, strengthening the collaborative infrastructure needed to sustain and grow this work statewide. This transition reflects a shared commitment to long-term coordination, distributed leadership, and continued momentum beyond any single organization.
El Futuro remains proud to contribute to this effort — bringing together partners, sharing insights from our direct service work, and helping center immigrant mental health in conversations shaping North Carolina’s future.
The work does not end with the Convening. Participants left with new partnerships, renewed energy, and actionable strategies to expand access to care and promote well-being for Latino and immigrant families across the state.
As this network continues to grow, we invite partners to stay connected and engaged in building a more coordinated, culturally responsive mental health system for all.
Learn more about the Convening and access session materials and presentations here:
https://elfuturo-nc.org/2026-immigrant-mental-health-solidarity-Convening/
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