Maricela Sanchez

Maricela Sanchez has been a Physical Activity Instructor in various modalities for 30 years. Upon arriving in this country, she taught physical activity classes in her garage for over 4 years in Bakersfield, CA, with the firm conviction that people needed access to free physical activity. Over the years, she has participated in various health organizations on community health projects, facilitating curricula focused on managing chronic diseases and physical activity for diverse groups such as the elderly, people with arthritis, and the general community. In 2009, she met promotoras at Visión y Compromiso, and with them, she became certified in Bailoterapia, as well as a Community Instructor, serving the community with free physical activity classes since then. She became an active member of the Bailoterapia Circle, which aims for holistic and free health for all. Currently, she is the Coordinator of the Bailoterapia Program at Visión y Compromiso. “I realized that I have been a promotora since I was a teenager, and the best example was my mother, a promoter from the ’80s, who has left a mark on the hearts of the people she served, leaving a legacy that I am willing to continue.”