By Lauren Mandel
“Hispanic Heritage Month helps put a spotlight on the fact that disabilities affect everybody and everybody is able to overcome them in different ways regardless of their ethnic background or their racial background,” shared Adriana Zaldivar, Program Manager at our Wheelhouse Office. “At the end of the day we are all just doing what we have to do and everybody deserves to be celebrated a little bit.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month officially ends, the CIL wants to take time to reflect on the month ourselves and honor the vast history, rich culture, and unique individuals of Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. To commemorate this month, we listened to the stories of three members of our Hispanic community at the CIL — including Adriana — and learned who and what makes Hispanic Heritage Month what it is today.
Adriana Zaldivar —
Adriana Zaldivar (she/her) was raised in a Mexican household, where family was at the core of everything and the spirit of helping others was instilled in her from a young age. Though she began her academic journey at UC Santa Cruz studying computer science, it was her deep-rooted passion for disability advocacy that ultimately shaped her career path. After earning a master’s in assistive technology, she found her place at the CIL in June, where she combines her love for technology with her commitment to making a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.
“I’ve always just wanted to help, and if I can use something I’m interested in to help people, then that’s even better,” she remarked.
A large part of Adriana’s desire to help others stems from her Hispanic heritage. She was raised in a community that taught her to “drop anything to help your family,” a principle that continues to guide her in her work at the CIL.
Alongside a strong familial bond, Adriana explained a coinciding “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality when it comes to mental disabilities in her Mexican community. However, Adriana had a unique perspective, shaped by her father’s three decades of advocacy. For her, disability was a familiar part of life, a contrast to the idea of disabilities as anomalies that she notes her more sheltered friends hold.
Much of this comes from a lack of understanding of and exposure to individuals of disabilities. A general lack of depiction of individuals with disabilities and an even greater lack of representation of non-white individuals with disabilities furthers the anomaly stereotype.
“Humans in nature seem resistant to things that they don’t understand,” Adriana explained, “but hopefully incorporating more normalized language will break down those barriers and encourage people to learn about things they are unfamiliar with.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is one such opportunity to encourage discussion surrounding cultures that don’t necessarily dominate mainstream conversations. Adriana notes an increase in questions surrounding her heritage during the month and, although Adriana does not have any particular activities she personally takes part in during the month, she appreciates the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate her Hispanic heritage.
Britney Salas —
Britney Salas (she/her) who recently joined the CIL as Bilingual Program Director, is passionately dedicated to the Latinx community she serves. Growing up in a Mexican household with her sisters as her main role models, Britney felt expected to follow a traditional path of attending school, getting a masters, and then joining the workforce. She went through college not knowing what she wanted to do post graduation. That is until she found the CIL.
“They promote disability in a way that says ‘hey, that doesn’t make you any different,’” Britney reflected. “It’s okay to have a disability and you don’t have to go through it alone.”
As Bilingual Program Director, Britney supports members of the Spanish-speaking community seeking help with employment, translating important documents and applications, and by simply providing a listening ear. Britney recently held an event she called Cafecito con Britney, during which she had pan dulce and coffee to represent a classic chismo session with those in her program. Cafecito con Britney was followed by the monthly tabling at the CIL’s office in the Fruitvale Spanish Speaking Organization. The October tabling event buzzed with lively Mexican music, vibrant colors representing different Hispanic countries, and traditional clothing, all celebrating the essence of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness of the CIL in the Latinx community and to allow people who have a son or daughter who has a disability to say ‘Hey, I think they can benefit from this service.’ Yeah, just call to make an appointment and we can see how we can help,” Britney encouraged.
Britney stressed the need to get over the pobrecito mentality often found in her Latinx community. As a solution, she suggests going to Fruitvale’s tabling events, sharing personal stories, and simply normalizing conversations surrounding disabilities within the Hispanic community.
“Normalize it by talking about it. I didn’t talk about it, it was also a challenge for me,” Britney reflected. “But it isn’t a skeleton in the closet.”
“We aren’t stuck,” Britney voiced. “We can still do things that quote on quote normal people can do, people that might not have a disability. We are more than capable of being able to go to work, hold down a job, and we are more than capable of deserving the same rights as someone that it might be a bit easier for them to function throughout their day to day.”
Adelene Miranda —
Adelene Miranda (she/her) is the Community Engagement Manager and a member of the Advocacy Team, Vocational Program, CIL’s transportation Team, and CIL’s Internship Program
— she does a lot! She is currently focused on the San Pablo Cordal Project, which advocates for more accessible streets on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley.
As a Salvadoran woman, Adelene noted how sometimes Central American countries are overlooked, so Hispanic Heritage Month allows for a highlight of smaller Hispanic countries. She describes the CIL’s fruitvale office as “a mini CIL in Spanish,” and a place where people from any Hispanic country, including those less recognized, and those who just entered the country can come and receive help.
“Our team is small but mighty. We are that open door. If you have a disability and you don’t know how to navigate the system here in America and you don’t speak English, you can come to us with questions and we can help you to the best that we can.”
Simply seeing a familiar face is important to building trust within the Latinx community when it comes to mental health or disabilities. Adelene describes a family mentality within the Fruitvale office which she classifies as an “oh you remind me of my granddaughter” type place.
The Fruitvale office is a hub for the development of goals and friendships for Latinx individuals with disabilities. Adelene stresses supporting goals, especially those of the younger generation, as of the utmost importance when it comes to the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“The next generation is what is going to bring the change and carry this country and values forward. Whether you are Latino or not Latino, support the next generation that have a disability and that have goals they want to reach whether it’s a career or to own a business,” Adelene declared.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, she encourages everyone to explore local Hispanic cuisine — “try that local salvadorian restaurant” — engage with diverse communities, and educate themselves about the significance of the month.
“If you have a disability and you speak Spanish and you’re Latino and you don’t know where to start, just give the CIL a chance. You can come set up an appointment and we can talk with you and see what services are available. It’s okay if you have questions, you can come to us and even if we don’t know the answer, we will figure it out together. You are not alone.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, the CIL is dedicated to continue forward the stories of resilience and strength from our vibrant Hispanic community, celebrating not just its cultural richness, but also our shared commitment to inclusivity and empowerment for all.
