How We Got Here
Born from the community
Caminar Latino was founded by Dr. Julia Perilla and Sister Barbara in Atlanta — at a time when the Latino presence in the city was just beginning to grow. From the start the work was driven by one simple commitment: listen to the families and let them lead.
Youth and children programs added
The women in the program asked staff to create a youth program for their children - all of whom had experienced or witnessed violence at home. Caminar Latino listened and delivered.
Accountability programs established
The women asked Caminar Latino to start offering services for their partners too. They wanted the violence to stop, not just their relationships to end. Caminar Latino trusted their voices and launched a state-certified family violence intervention program for men.
Community tranformation begins
Caminar Latino expanded its mission beyond direct services - creating programs that helped communities recognize their own strengths and address the cycle of violence from within.
25 years in. The work is far from over.
Today Caminar Latino is a nationally recognized program known for its approach to addressing intimate partner violence. As we did in the beginning we continue to consult with and listen closely to the voices of the families we serve. Through programs like NCAP, ATIPS, STOP, and OVW Outreach we are influencing systems and policy at the highest levels while never losing sight of the family sitting across from one of our advocates today.
What starts in Atlanta changes the nation.
Over 25 years Caminar Latino grew from a community-based organization serving Atlanta families into a nationally recognized leader in culturally specific domestic violence intervention, training, and policy. Our direct service work on the ground in Atlanta informs research, training models, and best practices that organizations across the country come to learn from.
The roots are local. The reach is national. The mission has never changed.
The vision behind the work.
Caminar Latino was founded by Dr. Julia Perilla - one of the nation's leading experts and researchers in intimate partner violence and Latino communities - and Sister Barbara, a Grey Nun of the Sacred Heart who was the first to listen, the first to gather, and the first to act. Together they built a model that put survivors at the center and communities in the lead.
Their belief was simple: listen to women, believe them, and let them lead change. That belief lives in everything we do today.
Psychologist, educator, and founder of Caminar Latino
The next chapter is just beginning.
Caminar Latino is building toward a future where every Latino family has access to culturally rooted healing and support - regardless of zip code, language, or circumstance.
Through continued research, expanded programs, and a growing national network we are laying the groundwork for generations of impact yet to come.
We have walked a long way. The road ahead is even longer - and we are just getting started.
Be part of the story
35 years of impact was built by people who believed every family deserved better. Your support writes the next chapter.
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