Vanessa Cuellar is a first generation Latina American. As a middle school student in 2008, she began to volunteer for the city's Parks and Rec department working with youth. Soon after in 2010, she was hired by the City of Patterson to continue her work with the community in both middle schools and high schools. She worked in collaboration with Stanislaus County in order to reach the youth in nearby cities. In 2012, she started her own peer support group called "Be A Friend" for teenagers living with depression. With "Be A Friend," she had the opportunity to host assemblies on anti-bullying at local schools and impact the lives of younger generations. Vanessa moved to Sacramento in early 2015, where she joined Sacramento Job Corps' group of staff working with at-risk youth. After a few years, she decided to branch out in order to help and support a wider variety of youth within our communities. Aside from working at Job Corps, she is now also a Youth Organizer at CFILC (California Foundation for Independent Living Center).
Vanessa Cuellar http://yodisabledproud.org
Presentation: YO! Disabled and Proud
…CONNECTS youth with disabilities to each other, organizations, resources and opportunities.
…ORGANIZES youth with disabilities together to develop leadership skills, identify issues that affect our lives and take action to create social change.
…EDUCATE youth with disabilities about the disability rights movement, disability culture and pride, community organizing, action, advocacy and community resources.
