Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Ann Garcia.
Hi Mary Ann, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story begins with the example set by my parents. My mother arrived in this country at just 15 years old, undocumented and navigating a foreign land, while my father came from a broken home. They spent my entire childhood working tirelessly to provide for my sister and me. Because they were so focused on our survival, I didn’t have access to professional mentorship or a roadmap for the future. I had to figure out my path on my own, which led me to a 20-year career in healthcare.
For two decades, Emergency Medicine has been my world. It was there that my heart began to break for a different reason. I would work night shifts and see patients navigating a cold, complex system entirely alone. I’d go home and cry, unable to sleep, haunted by the isolation those patients felt. I knew I wanted to help, but I assumed the only way to do that was within the hospital walls.
Six years ago, I finally took the leap and founded my nonprofit, Raices Unidas. I started it with zero corporate dollars—just community support and, often, my own hard-earned money. I was determined to be the mentor I never had, creating programs for young adults who, like the younger version of myself, have the passion to serve but no one to show them the way. We built a reputation on radical transparency; I invited every donor to come out and see the joy of our distributions so they could feel the heartbeat of our mission.
This year, however, I reached a significant crossroads. I realized that to truly change the system, I needed to join my 20 years of clinical expertise with my passion for the community on my own terms. That realization birthed my new company, Horizon Healthcare Advocates. Today, I sit at the intersection of these two worlds: I provide high-level professional advocacy for my clients, which in turn allows me to provide free or low-cost healthcare navigation for the vulnerable families we serve through Raices Unidas. I went from being a nurse crying in her car after a shift to a founder building a sustainable ecosystem of care. My parents gave me the foundation of sacrifice, and I’ve turned that into a legacy of empowerment.
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 been anything but a smooth road, but I believe the beauty of Raices Unidas lies in the struggle it took to build it. Because we chose to be a grassroots organization, we didn’t have the luxury of deep corporate pockets or massive grants to fall back on. Our foundation was built entirely on the trust of individuals and small businesses who believed in my mission as much as I did.
The greatest challenge was also our greatest strength: the weight of the responsibility. In those early years, there were many moments when the needs of the community outpaced our funding. I remember frequently reaching into my own pocket, using my own hard-earned money to ensure that we never broke a promise to a family in need. If I committed to a giveaway or a service, I was going to make it happen, even if it meant taking off my own table to do so.
The struggle wasn’t just financial; it was the physical and emotional toll of managing a rapidly growing impact with only a dedicated team of volunteers. However, every sleepless night was outweighed by the profound satisfaction of knowing I was making a tangible difference in Houston—the city that raised me. I’ve learned that a “smooth road” rarely leads to a meaningful destination. The hurdles we faced forced us to be more innovative, more transparent, and more connected to the people we serve. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade those struggles for an easier path, because they proved that when you are genuine with your purpose, the community will always find a way to help you rise.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work is the culmination of a lifelong desire to serve, though it took me two decades to find the right vehicle for it. From a young age, I knew I wanted to help people, and without professional mentorship to guide me, I naturally pursued nursing. However, after three years in the Emergency Room, I realized my heart was too close to the work; I found myself crying alongside my patients, feeling their pain as my own. Understanding that my parents—who sacrificed so much for my stability—wouldn’t understand me leaving the medical field, I pivoted into Healthcare Administration. This led to a successful 20-plus-year career in Emergency Medicine management, but while I was successful on paper, my soul wasn’t fulfilled.
Six years ago, I finally answered that calling by founding Raices Unidas. We specialize in grassroots community support and mentorship, filling the gaps for families who feel as lost as I once did. But this year, I took it a step further by launching Horizon Healthcare Advocates. I now specialize in high-level patient navigation, using my twenty years of insider healthcare knowledge to fight for patients’ rights and help them manage the complexities of the system on their own terms.
What I am most proud of is our mentorship program. I didn’t have a mentor to tell me that ‘helping people’ could look like advocacy or entrepreneurship, so I’m building that bridge for the next generation. What sets me apart is this unique dual-ecosystem: I have the professional ‘teeth’ and clinical expertise of a 20-year medical veteran, but I lead with the heart of a daughter of immigrants who knows exactly what it’s like to have to figure it all out on your own. I don’t just navigate healthcare; I bridge the gap between a cold system and a community that needs to be seen and heard.
What’s next?
The chapter I am most excited about is the official launch of Horizon Healthcare Advocates. For 20 years, I served within a system where I often felt limited in how much I could truly do for a patient’s life outside the hospital walls. Now, I have finally created a way to bridge my two worlds. My plan for the future is to grow this company into a sustainable engine that not only provides families with high-level professional advocacy but also directly funds the mission of Raices Unidas.
I am looking forward to proving that you don’t have to choose between professional success and community service—you can build an ecosystem where they fuel one another. On a personal level, I am deeply moved by the fact that I can finally support my family while living out my true life’s mission. I’m planning to expand our mentorship programs so that more young adults in our community have the guidance I lacked, ensuring they don’t have to wait 20 years to find their purpose.
The ‘big change’ isn’t just a new business; it’s a shift in how I serve. I’m moving forward with the expertise of a seasoned healthcare veteran and the heart of a grassroots advocate, and I couldn’t be more excited to see the lives we will change in the city that made me who I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://weareraicesunidas.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaicesUnidasHtx/
- Other: https://horizonhealthcareadvocate.com/
