In a vibrant and emotionally charged panel at this year’s Hispanic Marketing Council Summit, industry leaders came together to address what may be the most urgent yet overlooked challenge in healthcare today: capturing the Latino growth market through inclusive, culturally intelligent strategies.
Moderated with infectious energy and passion, the session began with a call to movement—literally. “Shake it off, shake it, shake it!” said the moderator, prompting attendees to stand, breathe, and connect with those around them. “This is healthcare—we’re making it exciting, right?”
But beneath the warm laughs and wellness moment, a serious message followed: the face of America is changing, and so must our approach to health and wellness.
Joining the panel were Katherine Freeley, Head of Media Center of Excellence, Boehringer-Ingelheim, and Lili Gil Valletta, Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Investor, TV Commentator, and CEO of Culture+ Group, who helped anchor the discussion in data, urgency, and humanity.
“If 100% of U.S. population growth is driven by multicultural groups, and those same communities have 30–40% worse health outcomes—then the more we grow, the sicker we become as a nation,” Gil Valletta stated powerfully.
According to the Hispanic Health Snapshot 2025, Latinos are not only younger, more mobile-first, and family-centered-but they also suffer disproportionately from chronic diseases like diabetes, liver disease, and HIV. Nearly 82% of Latinos are under the age of 35, yet they face 1.7x higher rates of undiagnosed diabetes, and are 2x more likely to have liver disease compared to non-Hispanic whites. These aren’t just disparities—they’re missed opportunities.
As discussed during the panel, this isn’t just a public health issue—it’s an economic one. New data from Culture+ Group shows that closing healthcare gaps among Hispanics could unlock over $1 trillion in U.S. economic growth. Initiatives under the Inclusive Health Economics framework integrate cultural intelligence, behavioral science, and tech-driven interventions to reduce inefficiencies and improve outcomes:
Culturally aligned preventive care boosts ROI 6:1. Predictive models cut preventable hospitalizations by 30%. Culturally adapted digital health increases patient engagement by 60%.
“It’s not about selling pills anymore,” said Gil Valletta. “It’s about selling lifestyles. And that starts with understanding the patient, not just treating the disease.”
CHANGING THE LANGUAGE AND THE MINDSET
The panel also urged a shift in industry language and perception. “Stop calling it ‘the general market,’” Gil Valletta challenged the audience. “In places like LA, NYC, Miami, and Chicago—the ‘general market’ is Hispanic. We have to stop treating multicultural marketing like a side project. It is the strategy.”
This call-to-action resonated deeply with attendees, many of whom work in pharma, advertising, and policy. The panel emphasized that inclusive health is not charity or compliance—it’s smarter business, and it’s essential for ensuring long-term national well-being.
As the session concluded, the energy remained high—but so did the responsibility. “This matters to all of us. Whether you’re a marketer, a caregiver, a policy maker, or just a concerned citizen—this is about the health of our families, our future, and our nation,” said the moderator. The Latino Growth Market is not a niche. It is the new mainstream. And if we want to build a healthier, more prosperous America, we must begin by seeing, serving, and investing in the communities driving that growth.
