Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, October 8, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Community Education Room at Whittier Street Health Center at the Frederica M. Williams Building, 1290 Tremont Street, Roxbury.
Marisol Garcia, the Commonwealth’s Child Advocate, will deliver the keynote address during the event that honors and celebrates the rich history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities across Massachusetts and beyond.
Garcia, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University, began her service as the state’s Child Advocate in June of this year. She is the former Deputy Director at Health Law Advocates where she developed and led the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids, a statewide legal services program that has represented thousands of families to overcome barriers to mental health care for children.
Garcia has co-authored numerous articles and has presented on children’s mental health issues statewide and nationally. She is co-chair of the American Bar Association Children’s Rights Litigation Committee, was selected as one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Top Women of Law in 2022, and honored with the Latino Excellence on the Hill Award in 2025.
The afternoon’s event will also feature delicious food and refreshments, cultural activities, live music, educational resources, opportunities to connect community members with Whittier’s health and social services, and discussion and celebration of the impact Hispanic and Latinx communities have made across generations in shaping traditions, enriching culture and inspiring pride.
“We welcome all to join us on October 8th as we celebrate and recognize the many significant contributions and rich heritage of our diverse patient and staff population,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center at the Frederica M. Willams Building. “Whittier is and always will be deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming environment where every culture, tradition, and voice is valued and respected.”
Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 36% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.