Promotoras Tradicionales Project

"As we heal ourselves, we heal the earth."

The Promotoras Tradicionales Project (PTP) is a collective of  learners and teachers who practice and promote traditonal and natural medicine and bring a different view of healing and medicine to underserved, uninsured, and economically disadvantaged families, primarily, in the south valley, Bernalillo Counties largest rural unincorporated area. The PTP provides and promotes culturally-appropriate preventative health care education and services to empower women in making healthcare decisions for themselves and their families and helps build leadership among women who are reclaiming, reconnecting, and reconizing, the traditional and natural ways in which people participate in their own healing. The PTP is mostly a volunteer program run primarily by women. The Promotoras Tradicionales Project emerged from Kalpulli Izkalli's Cihuapahtli Project. The Cihuapahtli (Women's Medicine) Project began in 1996 as an opportunity for women to come together to share their knowledge of utilizing traditional medicine for healing themselves and their families.

The Project is mostly a volunteer program run entirely by women in the community which provides and promotes culturally-relevant preventative health care education and services to empower women in making healthcare decisions for themselves and their families.

The Project helps build leadership among women who are reclaiming, reconnecting, and recognizing, the traditional and natural ways in which people participate in their own healing.

The primary purpose of the Promotoras Tradicionales Project is to create a collective of community teachers as Promotoras Tradicionales who bring a different view of medicine and economic development to the underserved and uninsured and economically disadvantaged.

Our Promotoras

• Irma Hernandez, BSW, MA, Practioner of Traditional Medicine-Combines 25 years of experience as a ceremonial leader, danzante of the Mexica-Conchero tradition, Reiki, Temazkal (mexica sweatlodge), as well as her education as a social worker and counselor to heal herself and assist others in healing themselves spiritually, physically and mentally.

• Sylvia Ledesma, Practitioner of Traditional Medicine- has for more than 35 years, practiced Mexica ceremony, philosophy, and medicine as an apprentice. Sylvia works intuitively to facilitate others' healing, has a vast working knowledge of medicinal plants, and is a guardian of the Temazkal (mexica sweatlodge). She is a founding member and Director of Kalpulli Izkalli and the Promotoras Tradicionales Project.

• Paula Terrero, Reiki Master- Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Paula learned Reiki in 1986, and since has been dedicated to sharing this gift of love with others. After becoming a Reiki Master in the Usui System of Natural Healing in 1993, she taught continuously and was one of the first to introduce Reiki in the communities of color in New York.

• Mariposa Varela, Mother, Danzante of the Mexica tradition, masters cerification in Reiki. Her objective and intention is to seek a pathway to healing through teaching & learning self-healing.

• Julie Zuniga, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker- She has served the community for more than 25 years. Julie has studied various forms of healing. She combines her knowledge to guide individuals to be in equilibrium spiritually, physically, and mentally.