Press Releases
Here you will find the latest Press Releases related to the most important news, events, and announcements for El Futuro and our community. We invite you to download this information to learn more about what is happening in and around the organization. We are grateful that you support our work.
El Futuro Receives $10,000 Grant from the TELUS North Carolina Community Board, Supporting Latine Adolescent and Young Adult Program (LAYA)
June, 2025 – El Futuro has received grant funding from the TELUS North Carolina Community Board for its LAYA (Latino Adolescent and Young Adult) program. With this grant, LAYA will expand support to Latino youth and families by expanding access to culturally responsive mental health care, uplifting youth voices, and empowering parents to support their children’s emotional well-being.
El Futuro Hosts Community Fiesta Kermes Event to Foster Community Engagement and Kick off May Mental Health Month
May, 2025 – El Futuro, North Carolina’s leading provider of bilingual and culturally responsive mental health services, announces its annual Kermes event, community fiesta, while kicking off May Mental Health Month. The celebration will take place on Sunday, May 18th from 4pm to 7pm EST at El Futuro’s Therapeutic Green Space in Durham, NC, and will have special guests as Council Member Javiera Caballero and Viceconsul of Guatemala Dayana Vicente and team.
El Futuro Releases Key 2024 Landscape Analysis Report With Findings on Latine and Immigrant Mental Health and Well-Being in North Carolina
December 4th, 2024 – El Futuro, a leading community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming mental health care for Latine communities in North Carolina and beyond, proudly announces the latest findings from its Immigrant Solidarity Network Project. These extensive insights provide a critical glimpse into the mental health and well-being of North Carolina’s diverse immigrant populations.
El Futuro Hosts Hispanic Heritage Kermes Event and 20th Anniversary Fiesta to Foster Community Engagement and Support Mental Health Awareness
September 29th, 2024. El Futuro announces its annual Kermes event. The celebration will take place on Sunday, September 29, 2024 from 4pm to 7pmEST at El Futuro’s Therapeutic Green Space in Durham, NC. This year’s Kermes will feature a variety of activities aimed at fostering a sense of belonging and promoting mental health awareness within the Latino community.
El Futuro Celebrates 20th Anniversary with “Expresiones” Art Auction and Gala Fundraiser A Vibrant Evening of Art, Dinner, and Dancing to Support Mental Health Services in North Carolina.
September 21st, 2024. El Futuro proudly announces its fourth Annual Art Auction & Fundraiser, “Expresiones,” in celebration of its 20th anniversary. This special event will be held on Saturday, September 21st, 2024, at The Rickhouse in downtown Durham, and promises an evening filled with art, music, and festivities.
El Futuro Announces 2024 Virtual Conference: Nunca Caminamos Solos – Supporting Latine Families Across the Lifespan
July 10th, 2024. El Futuro is excited to announce the 2024 Virtual Conference, “Nunca Caminamos Solos: Supporting Latine Families Across the Lifespan,” taking place on September 26 & 27, 2024. This year’s conference is dedicated to empowering Latine families through various stages of life, providing crucial support and insights from leading experts in the field.
El Futuro Announces Major Funding Boost for Mentes Fuertes Program from Alliance Health
June 25th, 2024. El Futuro is thrilled to announce a significant investment commitment from Alliance Health to support and expand the Mentes Fuertes (Strong Minds) program in Orange County, North Carolina. This vital support, totaling more than $464,000 annually for the next two years, will enhance and solidify the presence of community mental health workers (CHWs) in the region.
El Futuro Welcomed RTI International for Special Visit and Donation Presentation. RTI’s CEO Presented $21,500 Donation to Support Community Mental Health Services.
June 18th, 2014. El Futuro is excited to share a special visit from the nonprofit research institute RTI International. The visit was highlighted by the presentation of a $21,500 donation check from RTI President and CEO Tim Gabel. The funds will go toward volunteer support and community partnerships, along with El Futuro’s annual luncheon and art auction.
El Futuro Celebrates 20 Years of Impact at Annual Benefit Luncheon
April 26, 2024. El Futuro announces its 20th Anniversary Benefit Luncheon. As El Futuro commemorates two decades of dedicated service, the organization invites supporters, donors, and community members to join in celebrating this achievement. The luncheon programming will highlight El Futuro’s impact and capacity to meet the growing needs of the North Carolina Latine community.
El Futuro and Governor’s Office Co-Hosted Influential Roundtable with Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights Director Melanie Fontes Rainer on Health and Language Access in North Carolina.
April 13th, 2024. El Futuro, a renowned mental health outpatient facility in Durham, co-hosted a groundbreaking discussion on health and language access in North Carolina with the Office of Governor Roy Cooper and HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Director, Melanie Fontes Rainer. This pivotal event, held at El Futuro’s Chapel Hill Rd location, brought together North Carolina’s healthcare and immigrant advocacy leaders to tackle pressing issues regarding language access that affect both state and local communities.
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