Hilda Lloréns: Championing Health and Community Well-Being
KINGSTON, R.I. – Nov. 6, 2025 – Hilda Lloréns has dedicated her career to enhancing well-being in Puerto Rican and Latinx communities in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Next month, the anthropology professor will be honored with the Hispanic Health Council’s first Applied Anthropology Research Award at its annual gala.
The Hispanic Health Council works to promote equity and tackle health disparities among Hispanic and Latino communities. Lloréns connected with the Council and the Institute for Community Research during her graduate studies at the University of Connecticut. There, she began investigating why certain communities face health issues like asthma and how to create policies that improve overall well-being.
Lloréns’s work focuses on addressing structural inequalities and challenging ingrained power dynamics affecting community health in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and among Latinx populations. She said, “I feel very honored and humbled to be the first recipient of this award. The inspiration I’ve drawn from the Hispanic Health Council and the Institute for Community Research fuels my desire to enhance community well-being.”
As an accomplished author, Lloréns has published several books and articles dealing with race, gender, and environmental justice. Her 2021 book, Making Livable Worlds: Afro-Puerto Rican Women Building Environmental Justice, won accolades for highlighting how Afro-Puerto Rican women create meaningful lives for their communities through principles like solidarity and care.
Currently, Lloréns is on leave from the University of Rhode Island, serving as Wellesley College’s 2025-26 Mary L. Cornille Distinguished Visiting Professor. She is working on a new book about how Latinxs engage with the outdoors across the U.S., including in Rhode Island.
Her recent article in URI’s Sea Grant magazine 41°N examines how Movement Education Outdoors aims to close the “nature gap” for youth of color from urban areas in Rhode Island. This nonprofit is introducing urban youth to nature, opening doors to careers in fields like aquaculture and environmental advocacy.
Lloréns has also collaborated with Groundwork Rhode Island’s Providence Green Team Youth, focusing on composting, tree planting, and urban farming. She emphasizes the importance of greenery in urban settings. Without adequate tree coverage, communities face higher risks of asthma and respiratory issues, hotter temperatures, and soaring utility bills.
“The health risks from inadequate tree canopies in urban areas are staggering,” Lloréns explains. “High energy costs can strain household finances, and not everyone can afford air conditioning.”
As Lloréns continues her work, her commitment to community engagement and applied anthropology shines through, making a lasting impact on the well-being of marginalized populations.
For more about the Hispanic Health Council and its mission, visit their official website.
