Latinx Celeb Joins NYC Doctors To Launch New Healthy Living App And Fitness Challenge

On Saturday, October 5, 2019, SOMOS, a nonprofit, physician-led network of over 2,500 physicians serving 700,000 patients in New York City’s lower-income, immigrant-rich communities. The event was joined with Univision’s Raúl “El Gordo” De Molina at the People en Español Festival in Washington Heights for the launch of SOMOS’ new ‘MiSOMOS’ app that integrates Hispanic culture into health and wellness.

The launch of ‘MiSOMOS’ officially kicked off the #SOMOSFit10 Health Challenge – a 10-week fitness challenge to provide an opportunity for participants to take control of their health and wellness, build some muscle and learn healthy eating habits. Each week, participants are given an exercise challenge, step goal and savory recipe to try at home. Participants are able to log each completed challenge and progress into the “Mi Fit Journal” and share videos, selfies, and photos of their journey on social media alongside De Molina using #SOMOSFit10.

“The MiSOMOS app is just the latest in our innovative efforts to help reach patients in NYC’s most vulnerable immigrant communities,” said Dr. Ramon Tallaj, Founder and Chairman of SOMOS. “By providing accessible, exciting Spanish-language health resources to users, MiSOMOS will equip our patients and the Latino community-at-large with the tools they need to achieve better health outcomes at home and have fun doing it. We are grateful for El Gordo’s assistance in helping launch the app and raising awareness of the importance of health and wellness for Latinos everywhere.”

“SOMOS has delivered something that no other healthcare organization has done before,” said Raúl “El Gordo” De Molina. “I hope the MiSOMOS app can help jumpstart the health and fitness journeys of thousands of Latinos in New York City. I am so proud to join SOMOS in the fight to increase access to care and improve the health outcomes for our most vulnerable Latinx communities.”

The app’s launch was part of SOMOS’ weekend-long activation at Festival People en Español where people got to partake in various healthy and family-friendly activities including workout and jam sessions, healthy cooking demonstrations, and performances of comedy sketches by NYC-based sketch comedy troupe Room 28. The app hosts numerous healthy lifestyle video content featuring:

• ‘SOMOS Fit’ – a collection of videos where a personal trainer demonstrates various workouts and fitness activities for users to try at home
• ‘Dr. Del Barrio’ – a video series where a SOMOS physician takes to the streets and answers questions pertaining to their health from local residents
• ‘NYC Healthy Food Tour’ – a video series devoted to showcasing various healthy food eateries throughout New York City and showing different menu and food options
• ‘SICK!’ – a video series focused on promoting healthy and active lifestyles through comedy sketches
• ‘SOMOS Latinas’ – a series dedicated to profiling different Latina women where they discuss their background, health journey and more.
• ‘Mi Cocina’ – a collection of videos featuring cooking demonstrations for different healthy food recipes

The MiSOMOS app launch comes a year after the release of the historic State of Latino Health report, which conducted the first-ever city-wide poll of Latino patients and their health care providers – including 600 patients and over 200 providers.

SOMOS is a nonprofit, physician-led network of more than 2,500 health care providers serving over 700,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in New York City, launched in 2015 as part of New York State’s Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP). SOMOS’ network includes providers delivering culturally competent care to patients in some of New York City’s most vulnerable populations, particularly Latino, Asian, African-American and immigrant communities throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.

Photo credit: Raúl “El Gordo” De Molina press conference.