Life & Work with Wendy Perez Herrera of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Perez Herrera.

Hi Wendy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Compton, California, in a community where healthcare and support systems had a big impact on my family. From an early age, I knew I wanted to work in a field where I could give back to my community and support others.

I began my work experience as an IHSS elderly caregiver, which taught me compassion, patience, and the importance of dignity in care. After that, I worked for about 8 years as a preschool teacher/ Home Visitor at Children’s Institute, where I supported early childhood development and worked closely with families. Both experiences strengthened my passion for helping people at different stages of life.

I have always been familiar with Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital and knew I wanted to be part of the organization one day because of its commitment to the community.

Today, I’ve been working here for about four years as a Community Health Worker in the ECM program. In this role, I support patients in a more holistic way, focusing not only on their medical needs but also on cultural understanding, trust, and overall well-being.
As I grew in this role, I realized I wanted to do more to reach the younger members of my community.
Alongside my healthcare work, I also became a self-published children’s author. Through my book “El Peche”, I encourage families to read together and help children connect with their cultural identity while supporting their emotional growth. I was raised with strong cultural roots, but navigating a new environment in the U.S. was challenging. In the end, it was my culture, my language, my memories that helped me find my strength and thrive.

Overall, my journey has been about growing through different roles, but always staying focused on one goal serving others the best way possible.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road.

I was born in El Salvador and came to the United States when I was 7 years old with my parents and my three brothers. The journey took about three months, and arriving in a new country was very difficult for me. I started school right away, but I didn’t speak English, and I cried every day for the first few months because I felt scared, lost, and deeply homesick. I missed my friends, my school, my grandparents, my cousins, and even simple things like going to the river where we washed clothes and walking down the street to my aunt Chela’s store. I held on to the hope that we would return to El Salvador one day, because that is what I was told.

I stayed in ESL classes until 9th grade, and I had to work very hard to learn a new language and adjust to a completely different life. Despite the challenges, I graduated from Alain Leroy Locke High School in South Los Angeles in 2000, even though many people around me did not expect me to, because of the school’s reputation.

After high school, I tried to continue my education, but it was difficult financially, and I was not eligible for financial aid at the time due to my immigration status. During that period, I became a mother at 19 and again at 21, and I had to focus on working hand in hand with my husband to support my family. I started working as an In-Home Supportive Services caregiver, and that is where I had close exposure to care managers and social workers. That experience is what opened my eyes to my true passion for helping others and supporting vulnerable populations.

Later, when I was finally able to access financial aid, I returned to school in 2006. With the support of my husband and parents, and while balancing motherhood, I continued my education while working and raising my daughters. I often studied late at night after putting my children to bed or during their naps. In 2008, I obtained my Associate of Arts in Health Administration degree. I began looking for a job, but it was very difficult to find one without experience. Around that time, my father passed away, and I felt a deep responsibility to keep going and continue pursuing the education he always encouraged me to complete.

In 2011, I proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services.

Looking back, the road was not easy, but every challenge shaped who I am today and led me to a career in servicing others.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I learned very early what community truly means. It means neighbors looking after one another, families sacrificing for a better future, and resilience being passed down from generation to generation.

My passion for serving others deepened when I worked as an elderly caregiver. Supporting vulnerable adults taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of dignity in care. That experience led me into early childhood education, where I spent eight years as a preschool teacher and home visitor at Children’s Institute nurturing young minds and supporting parents during critical developmental years.

During that time, I would often pass in front of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital and tell myself, one day I will serve there. As a child, I remember coming to Martin Luther King Jr. hospital with my parents during emergencies and also for joyful moments, like the birth of my nieces. For me, the hospital always represented hope, safety, and care.

Today, I serve as a Community Health Worker Lead within the ECM program, where I support some of the most vulnerable populations in South Los Angeles. I specialize in providing culturally sensitive, patient-centered care, focusing not only on medical needs, but also on building trust, understanding cultural backgrounds, and supporting the whole person.

What I am most proud of is being able to make patients feel seen, heard, and supported, not just medically, but emotionally and culturally. I truly believe that kind of care can change someone’s experience and even their life.

I am also deeply proud of writing and illustrating my own children’s book, El Peche. Centered on family, music, and culture, it invites children and parents to read and grow together. Through it, I hope to remind families that nurturing a child’s cultural identity is powerful, and something that can shape their confidence, sense of belonging, and well-being into adulthood. I have seen firsthand that early childhood experiences build the foundation for resilience later in life.
What sets me apart is my ability to connect across generations and experiences. My background in both caregiving and early childhood education allows me to understand families as a whole, from children to elders and meet them where they are with empathy and respect.

Today, I feel honored to serve all generations from children learning to dream, to adults navigating health challenges, to elders deserving dignity and care. Everything I do is rooted in the values I grew up with: compassion, cultural pride, resilience, and community love.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that might surprise people is that everything I’ve achieved comes from growing up in a very hard-working, Spanish-speaking household where my parents didn’t have the opportunity to learn English.

I learned from my mother the value of hard work and sacrifice, and from my father the importance of responsibility and perseverance in building a better future. With their example, and with faith in God, I was able to keep moving forward even when things felt uncertain.

Because of that background, becoming a bilingual children’s author and illustrator of El Peche was not easy—it’s something I feel I have been working toward my whole life. El Peche is a reflection of my journey, symbolizing dreams, resilience, and the strength to keep moving forward despite challenges. I independently self-published the book through my platform, Crecer2gether.com, bringing this vision to life on my own.

Because of that, when I support patients and families, I don’t just see a case, I see someone’s story. I understand what it feels like to struggle, to adapt, and to keep going. That personal connection is what drives me every day.

My vision is to take El Peche back to my home country and share it with underserved communities, giving children a sense of hope and reminding them that their dreams are possible, that they, too, can grow, create, and dream beyond their circumstances.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://crecer2gether.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crecer2gether/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586443833259
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Crecer2gether