Partners and Affiliates

Norma Gonzalez

Norma Gonzalez was born in Mexico and emigrated to the United States 19 years ago. In 2018, she began working at the La Familia agency in the Developmental Disabilities Department, where she currently supervises the Aprende, Promueve y Actúa program(APA). Initially, Norma started as a Parent Leader Coordinator, overseeing six support groups.

The program APA, formerly known as the Disparity Funds Program, is funded by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) through the SAE Grant. Its mission is to support Latino families who have a child or relative with intellectual or developmental disabilities, helping them access necessary services from the Regional Center or other generic resources.

Since the end of 2022, Norma has been supervising this program, providing her the opportunity to help families access the best services available for their children. As a Latina immigrant, Norma brings a unique perspective to her role, allowing her to deeply understand the cultural needs of the families she serves. Through her work, she continues to support Latino families in navigating and accessing essential resources.

Edda Bañuelos

Edda received her BA in Business Administration and MA in Family Science at Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. As an immigrant, she understands the need of the Latino community and the struggles they face due to language barriers and the lack of resources available to this population. In 2001, Edda began working with La Familia as a Case Manager in the department that she now leads. At present, she supervises nine Case Managers who provide supportive services to more than six hundred Alameda and Contra Costa County residents with developmental challenges. Edda represents La Familia by taking leadership roles in the organization and participating in various community outreach events, such as Congreso Familiar and participates as a spokesperson in Spanish-speaking workshops for parent support groups providing general information regarding available services for the population her department serves. Her primary goal is to continue to provide outstanding services to the Latino community and improve their access to resources in order to achieve equality in social services.