Our Vision

We advise inclusive design.

We foster narratives with an equity lens.

We center la comunidad.

Colectivo Health is a Latine-founded health equity, civic engagement, and inclusive design firm that believes in redefining innovation through a culturally informed and values-driven approach. We’re building with intention and invite others to work with us. Here we offer our stories, our shared purpose, and our values.

Our stories and shared purpose

While our individual stories are unique, we share the common threads of cultura, familia, and a sociopolitical awareness of how nuestra gente have long endured injustices. Over the years, we have laughed over cafecito chats and bonded over our desire to see growth en la comunidad. It has been in these conversations where we came to realize that we could use the privileges of our experience to create a Latine organization that understands representation is only the beginning. And sees the potential for all of us to build differently from current models that perpetuate oppressive systems and zero-sum thinking.

Félix

“I’m really excited about what we’re starting at Colectivo Health. I’m working with partners that I truly respect in this space and I know that we’re building in a way that is equitable, strategic and sustainable. We want to do this work in a way that centers the most marginalized in our community and thrives in nuance.

So much of our culture, identity and health in the Latine community is nuanced and complex. We’re not here to oversimplify that complexity. We’re here to highlight it and support solutions that center our diverse comunidad.”

Ivelyse

“This work taps into the centuries of community work where we all work together to uplift and support one another. Growing up with such strong ties to culture, community, and connections, I never imagined a time where I show up to work and not see those same values integrated and connected. Colectivo Health is the place where people aren't ‘the only’ but the connection where we all can be.”

Carlos

“Growing up, I didn’t sufficiently see myself or my family’s culture reflected in a way that brought joy and warmth to my heart, and through Colectivo Health I want to play a role in ensuring that future generations are energized by their cultura and view their lived experience as beautiful, and a mechanism for social change.

I’m so humbled, and excited, to team up with Félix and Ivelyse, to form Colectivo Health. We bring such unique experiences and a shared commitment of deep listening and building with community.

By centering on the voices and experiences of the Latine community, we can more easily unearth the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that already exists, shape the narratives surrounding latine health, and frame the massive economic opportunities that result when building inclusive solutions. “

Our values

Culture influences

We understand that Latine culture is not a monolith, nor is our influence isolated to the homes of family and friends. Our food, music and languages have long influenced the broader culture of the United States. From lowrider culture to Bad Bunny, we continuously add to the richness of American life. This should include how we think about health.

Latine communities have always been innovators

Communities don’t need another app or patient portal. For generations, our families have found ways to thrive by developing an innovative mindset with often limited resources. This is a skillset and perspective that can be used in redesigning health across systems, technologies and practices.

Designing for those on the margins benefits everyone

Designing for others does not take away from supporting ourselves. This mindset is at the core of our Indigenous and African cultural roots which has also shown itself in modern life through examples like the curb cut effect. By centering on our community, we believe that unearthed solutions will be applicable and beneficial to the broader U.S. population. We also believe that by centering on those most marginalized within our communities (e.g. transgender, disabled and Afro Latines), we can invest in what Heather McGhee refers to as the solidarity dividend.

Health justice is rooted in challenging oppressive systems

We often speak about how our community is impacted by racism and colonization, but do not discuss enough how we may be perpetuating these systems or how we may counteract them. We not only believe in challenging external factors that contribute to Latine health inequities but also in the power of looking inward. By being intentional with how we design innovations and foster narratives, we can build an anti-racist, decolonial and equitable approach that truly serves everyone. We cannot do this alone and hope to build in community with other values-aligned individuals and organizations as a new model for health equity.

Pa’ la comunidad

Comunidad is why we’re here. Nuestra cultura is what brings us to this space and the above values are how we move through it. Being transparent about why we’re here and how we build is critical to supporting a Colectivo Health that operates from a place of sustainability, accountability and love.
Our why reflects that we’ve been here and we’re not leaving. How we build means we’re here to be better for and with la comunidad.
As you may have noticed, we use the term “Latine” when referring to la comunidad. We use this term with the understanding that singular identity labels have the potential to contribute to the erasure of those who have been historically marginalized within our community. While a single label will never fully capture the rich spectrum of who we are, we intentionally use it to center both racial and gender equity in how we build. When we say Latine, we are including anyone of Latin American descent who identifies as Latina, Latinx, Latino, Hispanic, Chicana, Chicanx, Chicano, Boricua, Tico and more. Our goal is to be the most inclusive in our language when referring to the community as a whole and be specific when referring to an individual’s identity. By setting these intentions, we aim to affirm historically marginalized identities within our community while building a colectivo that fully embraces its sociopolitical power and potential.
As we grow, we also recognize the fluidity and evolving nature of language. So we humbly commit to ongoing deep listening as we work with the community to be responsive to the needs of nuestra gente.
Latine representation and perspective is often missing from the ideation, design and development of health innovations. As partners, we offer a creative, strategic and rigorous approach that applies a cultural lens to civic engagement and solution development.