title: De Madres a Madres: women building community coalitions for health.
abstract: How one group of Hispanic women in Houston, Texas, built community coalitions for primary health care is chronicled from the perspectives of the women. We describe how they formed partnerships with community businesses, health and social service agencies, schools, and churches to develop an outreach network that enables pregnant women to obtain early prenatal care. These women's steps in coalition building are related to feminist theory, with an emphasis on group decision making, shared power for the empowerment of all, and the creation of an environment in which individual worth and dignity are enhanced and risk taking is encouraged and supported.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fehir
mesh_terms: D003256:Community Participation; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013781:Texas; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014933:Women's Rights