WE ARE RECRUITING!
We are currently recruiting Latino men aged 24-64 to participate in a pilot study on stress and social connection. The study will ask of participants to join a collection of community workshops (or "platicas") along with other folks to discuss topics that are important to our individual and communty health. You can earn up to $450.00 for your participation in this work. ​
WHAT IS ganas?
Chronic stress can have serious health impacts,
leading to conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Latino men, especially those facing financial and social challenges, are more likely to experience these
stress-related health problems. ​​
​
at ganas (inspired by the Spanish Phrase"Echale Ganas" meaning "give it all you've got")
we are here to help​​​​​
GANAS is a 10-week program specifically designed for Latino men, ages 25-64, to reduce stress and improve well-being.
Our goal is to break down rigid ideas about what it means to be a man, which often prevent men from building strong social connections and learning healthy ways to cope with stress.​​ganas brings together groups of men for weekly workshops and discussions about topics like:
masculinity, stress, and your health
chronic stress and coping
healthy relationshipS, partnerships, and fatherhood
gender, sex, and sexuality
Through these, and other workshops, men learn new ways to connect with others, build supportive relationships, and take care of their health.
​​so How does it work?
​Many men, especially Latino men, face pressure to live up to rigid ideas of masculinity that can limit their ability to cope with stress in healthy ways. Society often teaches men that showing emotions, asking for help, or practicing self-care is a sign of weakness. This can make it harder to deal with stress and connect with others.
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The GANAS program challenges these traditional ideas by creating a supportive space where men can explore healthier ways to handle stress, express themselves, and build strong social connections. ​​​​​​​​
By rethinking outdated gender norms and focusing on emotional and social well-being, GANAS helps men develop the tools they need to cope with life’s challenges more effectively.This program is designed to help men improve their health and reduce stress by encouraging vulnerability, emotional support, and self-care practices—all while fostering deeper connections with others.​
WHAT WILL I HAVE TO DO?​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​To see how well the weekly sessions work at lowering your stress, we’ll track changes in stress levels through a simple test (measuring stress hormones in your fingernails .... that's right, your fingernails) and ask you to answer some questions about your experiences. The study also looks at how these benefits last over time, checking in with participants 9 months after the program ends. ​By joining this study, you can help create a better future for Latino men dealing with chronic stress. The knowledge we gain will shape programs that can be offered across the U.S., making a big difference in the health of our communities.
GANAS Stories
“The infographics we got every week helped me understand about how stress affects our body and our health, and I can share it with my family.”
"
Albert, 35
on his feelings about the materials shared
“it feels like I have a new group of people that we can all talk about the stuff we are dealing with”
"
Tomas, 43
on finding community with the program
“I just feel like everyone should be here … we've never had a space like this. A space to talk and learn about these things and how to work on ourselves and our health. Everyone should be here."
"
Wilfredo, 27
on finding a space to share, learn, and grow