December 5, 2006

Campbell’s Luisa Perez wins National Award
from Latino National Behavioral Institute

Luisa Perez, a 54 year Campbell resident, is this year's honoree at the 12th Annual Latino Behavioral Institute Conference held recently in Universal City, Calif.

Perez was honored for her work as a key contributor to the Santa Clara County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Since 1984, she has been facilitating support groups in Spanish for families of people with mental illness, and setting up and teaching "Familia a Familia" classes. Initially she worked with Rebecca Woolis, author of "When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness."

Perez, as vice president of NAMI Santa Clara County, has been tirelessly involved in outreach work to the Hispanic community, providing much needed knowledge and advocacy on their behalf. Perez' teaching efforts are unique, and she has been able to integrate many persons with limited literacy into her classes through very creative teaching approaches.

This year Perez organized an all day seminar in Spanish on various aspects of mental illness at the NAMI California Conference in Burlingame. Over 60 people attended the seminar, which featured speakers Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers of American and Dr. Alexander Kopelowicz of UCLA. Perez raised funds for the seminar; this made it possible for many, who otherwise would not have access to this information, to attend and benefit.