Latine people in the United States are 70 percent more likely than their white peers to be diagnosed with diabetes. Economic insecurity, systemic barriers to healthcare and a lack of access to healthy and affordable food are among the social determinants that contribute to high rates of diabetes within Latine communities.

Blue Cross, in partnership with Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES), Minnesota’s largest Latine-led nonprofit organization, has launched a new diabetes awareness campaign aimed at empowering Latine community members to take charge of their health.

The campaign, called “A Place of Love,” encourages individuals to initiate conversations among family members to discuss overall health and the risks of diabetes.  Resources are available in both English and Spanish on topics related to healthy eating, diabetes prevention, care and management, and comes with a brief questionnaire that can help assess diabetes risk.

“For Latine communities, there is often a stigma associated with diabetes, which can lead to an avoidance of care and sharing of helpful information,” says Amy Bloomquist, director of population health at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. “That’s why it was so important for this campaign to speak directly to Latinas and provides resources in culturally relevant ways.”

“Knowledge is power, and in the case of diabetes awareness, knowledge is hope,” added Bloomquist. “Type two diabetes can be prevented in some cases, and pre-diabetes can be reversed. This information has the potential to improve people’s quality of life, and in some cases, potentially save lives.”

The involvement of CLUES helped to ensure that authentic lived experiences among the Latine community were central to the campaign; and that community members and their voices would be at the center of efforts to advance racial and health equity.

“Our mission is to ensure the advancement of social and economic equity and wellbeing for the Latine community in Minnesota,” said Alex Palacios, manager of community health and wellness at CLUES. “We know that Latinas are the heart of their families, so this campaign with Blue Cross aims to reach them and help them take care of their family’s health.”

The online campaign is focused on the geographic areas across Minnesota that are served by CLUES including the Twin Cities, Willmar, and Austin.

To learn more, visit A Place of Love.