When members of Minnesota’s Latino community need information about opioid abuse or help for a loved one, many cannot go to authorities for help.
“Many Latino families face barriers like language, stigma, lack of culturally relevant information, or fear, related to immigration status,” said Karina Kelton Marin, founder and director of Raices Latinas MN.
The presence of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota has created fear, causing many in the local Latino community to turn to trusted friends, family, or leaders instead of institutional systems.
That’s where a program called Train the Trainer comes in. “It’s designed to build knowledge and leadership within the Latino community so that trusted members can share accurate information about opioid prevention and overdose response,” Kelton Marin explained.
Train the Trainer is being offered by Raices Latinas MN, which serves as a trusted messenger for Washington, Hennepin, and Ramsey counties, connecting Spanish-speaking families with public and community resources through geographically centered WhatsApp groups. These groups grow organically through word of mouth. “Today, Raices Latinas MN connects with over 2,000 families, primarily caregivers who are making decisions about their family’s health and wellbeing,” added Kelton Marin.
The virtual sessions are happening on May 4 and May 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and are paid for by Washington County Opioid Settlement Funds. Participants who engage in the online sessions will be offered a stipend.
“Some of our families live paycheck to paycheck, so we always want to try and compensate them for their time, especially if they have little kids,” Kelton Marin explained.
Topics include what opioids are and how they affect the body and brain, how misuse can begin, risk factors like chronic pain, trauma, mental health challenges, economic stress and social isolation, prevention strategies, and protective factors to strengthen families and communities. Then, participants are encouraged to spread their knowledge.
“They share with other families, they share with their kids, they share with their sister-in-law, for example, and this information spreads much further than just those who are in the sessions,” added Kelton Marin.
To learn more and sign up for the Train the Trainer virtual sessions in Spanish only, connect to Raices Latinas MN on Facebook here.
Sign-up is available after April 13.
