By Sky Grimes

Change often begins quietly: with a conversation, a decision, or a single act of service. For Carla and Jean Paul “JP” Signoret, it began with recognizing a need and choosing to step forward together. Today, the married couple serves as catalysts for change and ambassadors for the American Red Cross, using their voices, leadership and lived experience to raise awareness of blood donations among Latino/Hispanic communities.

Seeing a Need, Then Filling it

Born and raised in Mexico, Carla has always had a heart for advocating for her community. She began her career at Allstate 15 years ago. After moving to Chicago, she became deeply involved in community outreach through one of the company’s employee impact groups.

By 2017, Carla noticed a recurring gap: critical safety, health and disaster-related information was not consistently reaching Spanish-speaking communities.

“We started with fire safety,” she said. “Then we pivoted to disaster response. Again, we saw how language barriers created increased risk for our communities.”

That awareness led her to the Red Cross, where she volunteered in communications focused on disaster preparedness. At the same time, JP volunteered with the disaster action team, responding to home and apartment fires. Together, they saw firsthand how vital culturally competent outreach could be. Over time, their roles expanded to include media, community relations and bilingual advocacy.

“We kept asking ourselves, ‘Where is the need?’” The couple said. “Every time, we noticed the need was within the Latino community.”

A Personal Turning Point

For Carla, blood donations became deeply personal in 2024 after she underwent surgery, and her doctor mentioned the possibility of needing a transfusion. Thankfully, no transfusion was required.

“That moment stayed with me,” she said. “I realized how many people rely on blood. Not occasionally, but every single day.”

Already a frequent donor, Carla began prioritizing volunteerism at Allstate and pursued a formal partnership with the American Red Cross. She helped organize a blood drive and supported Red Cross initiatives through company grants.

Carla’s first organized blood drive exceeded expectations. “It was our first time, and we collected 20 pints of blood,” she said. “That helped up to 60 lives.”

The experience opened the door to new donors, strengthened internal networks and sparked conversations that continued long after the drive ended.

Leading by Example

JP officially joined Carla’s blood donation efforts after witnessing her experiences and the impact she made. His own volunteering role quickly expanded, making the timing perfect.

In 2022, JP became more involved with Red Cross initiatives. He emerged as a community leader, creating liaisons, strengthening partnerships between organizations in the United States and Mexico and serving as a national Spanish spokesperson.

A defining moment came when he served as emcee for the Dallas Los Donantes blood initiative launch and blood drive.

“That day wasn’t just about speaking,” JP said. “It was about believing in the mission enough to step in fully.”

Despite years of advocacy, JP had not yet donated blood himself. That day, he decided to do so for the first time.

“I had wanted to donate many times,” he said. “But there was some fear, and I was never a fan of needles. Eventually, I told myself, ‘Just do it.’ Everything went great.”

For the couple, the moment symbolized more than a personal milestone. It marked the continuation of a shared mission rooted in cultural connection and the belief that small actions can save lives.

JP’s message to first-time donors is simple: “If it’s fear, think of it like this: Ten minutes of your time could be someone else’s entire life.”

He acknowledges that cultural norms and language barriers can discourage blood donations, particularly in Latino communities, a challenge JP addresses through education and outreach.

“We meet people at their worst moments,” he said. “Whether it’s disaster response or blood services, the goal is the same: To help build them back up.”

A Catalyst for Change

Together, the Signorets represented the North Texas Region at this year’s AVANZA (Advanced Spanish Spokesperson Academy) in Miami, Florida. Through this intense 3-day training, they learned how to share key messages about the Red Cross mission and response to media and Spanish-speaking communities. Carla, a new AVANZA graduate and JP, a previous graduate, used this training to grow their skills as trusted ambassadors for blood donations, especially in Latino communities, where participation rates are lower despite the need.

“Donating is easy, it’s healthy, and it helps your community,” Carla said. “So why not?”

She also emphasizes a benefit donors often overlook: health insights gained through the screening process.

“It’s another way of taking care of yourself while giving back,” she said.

An Open Invitation

Both Carla and JP see their work as ongoing. Their plans include expanding partnerships, engaging more community leaders and continuing to promote culturally relevant education through media interviews.

Carla’s one message to the world is this: “Stay open. Be open to information. Be open to help. Keep moving forward.”

For the Signorets, change doesn’t come from grand gestures alone. It comes from showing up, overcoming fear and repeatedly choosing to give, one drop at a time.