Cruz, Alan | Council Member

Alan Cruz (he/him) is the Youth Community Liaison for the Dayle McIntosh Center (DMC). He is a blind Mexican man. He started with DMC in August 2017 as a youth. In 2018 he became a volunteer through YO! Disabled and Proud. At the end of his time with YO, he got offered a job opportunity at the Dayle McIntosh Center. He has been involved with the California Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) and the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL). Alan was recently appointed to the California State Independent Living Council by the Governor. He enjoys music, technology and helping others be successful in life. Alan has a positive attitude, and he takes his work very seriously. His motto is “Piece of Cake!” when collaborating or taking initiative.

Dindzans, Rian | Council Member

Rian is a San Ramon resident, dedicated power soccer player since 2013, and proud to be disabled. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 3 at age 2, they have used mobility aides since 5 years old, and have been using a power wheelchair since they were 12. They are a graduate of the 2018 California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF), where their interest in disability advocacy was cemented into a true passion. More recently, they have been volunteering with the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP), an organization that provides access to and hosts a variety of accessible exercise and adaptive sports programs, to help give back to the power soccer program that changed their life. In college, in the midst of the first year of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they revived and remodeled a club to support disabled students at California State University, Sacramento. Thanks to the efforts of the next generation of officers, the club has continued to operate after their transfer to Cal State East Bay (Hayward), and has established the school’s (and the California State University system’s) first Disability Cultural Center – a main goal of the club when it was first founded. They continued to focus on disability advocacy during their time at East Bay, joining both the student Disability Justice Club and the faculty Disability Justice Working Group, as well as targeting the topic of Disability Cultural Centers again through their senior research project in hopes of assisting in the groundwork needed to establish one at Cal State East Bay. They are graduating from East Bay with a bachelor’s in Human Development in Spring of 2024.

As someone who needs 23 hour-a-day caregiving to live an independent life, programs such as In-Home Support Services (IHSS) and the Independent Living Centers are important to Rian. They have been keeping a finger to the pulse of their disabled community circles, and are looking to expand these connections and uplift the voices and concerns of those impacted by the caregiver shortage and many other issues impacting independent living. Please feel free to reach out to them at any time if there’s anything you’d like to share!