Our Story
Our founder, Dr. Daniela Martinez Valenzuela, has always dreamed of redefining the health system in her home country of Mexico. Her vision was a place where health was a universal right and access to high-quality healthcare was equitable. She studied medicine, completed a masters in Public Health Administration, and had the opportunity to work for a women’s program in Latin America. This experience helped her discover her passion for working in the field of health and empowerment for Latina women, and the great need for these kinds of programs on a global level.
When she immigrated to the United States, she faced barriers and inequalities that put her on a different path. Her desire to work on the administrative side of health instead of seeing patients in a clinic meant she didn’t fit into the conventional profile of a physician and had to forge her own way. She studied energetic medicine and integrative medicine and looked for ways to incorporate that into her vision. Later, she decided to do a Masters program called “Health Care Transformation” at the University of Texas, and it was during this program that the idea for Aldea was born.
When Dr. Valenzuela and her masters cohort discovered that one of the primary causes of death for women was intimate partner accidents/violence, they decided to focus their research efforts on finding the root causes of this violence and the needs of survivors. Along the way, they realized the urgent need to create a culturally-specific program designed exclusively for Spanish-speaking women.
When Dr. Valenzuela graduated from her masters program in 2021, she decided to design Aldea, a unique program focused on preventative healthcare and holistic human development for Spanish-speaking women that would reduce the incidence and recurrence of intimate partner violence. She formed a team of professional women who want to give back to the community and understand the importance of a cohesive, multidisciplinary working group. Friends and professional colleagues make up this team of specialists who all believe that empowering Hispanic women and helping them heal on their path to transformation is what will ultimately save their lives.
You can read more about Dr. Daniela Martinez’s story in the book Brave Women Stand, where she participates in telling the inspirational story.