Interim Chair, Board Member since 2021

Maricarmen Arjona, MPH has worked professionally in the fields of training and development of human resources, public health, linguistic and cultural competence in health and community organizing. Sheis passionate about grassroots efforts that foster community development and well-being, as well as social, economic and environmental justice towards immigrants and ethnic minorities. Within the culture and the arts, Maricarmen is a practitioner of son Jarocho and a volunteer, cultural promoter of that Mexican musical tradition in the Bay Area. Currently, Maricarmen collaborated as a volunteer, strategic adviser and currently as a Secretary with Prospera.

I am Maricarmen Arjona, a long-term Bay Area resident who immigrated from Mexico in 1996. I am a Learning and Development professional with training in Public Health from UC Berkeley and Communications from UAM-Xochimilco in Mexico City. What we do in Prospera resonates with my values and beliefs for equity, health, and community building: “When we empower immigrant women to be self-sufficient and help them find ways to thrive holistically, we impact the development of healthy communities.” With our collective efforts at Prospera, we can contribute to addressing the root causes of poverty and inequity. And that is very powerful! We work with resilient and courageous women who face important system barriers yet find ways to make ends meet. I am the Secretary of Prospera’s Board of Directors. I am inspired to support Prospera’s work to help more immigrant women find a line of sight, skills to run cooperative businesses, and access to capital and resources. Investing in our immigrant communities helps our local communities to grow, as well as our communities abroad. Prospera is a high-impact, wellness and community development intervention. I am proud to be part of this effort!