Director, Strategic Partnerships

Rosalia Fajardo, a Colombian Lawyer and community leader for more than a decade has dedicated her efforts to achieve the growth of the multicultural community of the Metropolitan area of Washington DC. A dreamer is an achiever who believes that access to a great education and health is the key to the sustainable development of the Hispanic community, the family, and society. Dr. Fajardo has tirelessly worked for 25 years to create partnerships between families, schools, government agencies, and nonprofit foundations to promote equality, access, and social justice to the Latino community, including disability rights and special education. Her efforts in the Latino community continue to progress as she leads the Bienvenidos Todos Project.

Disability Outreach Coordinator

For over 10 years, Lorena Granados has been a noteworthy leader in the Disability Justice Advocacy community. Serving as the Disability Equity Outreach Coordinator at Endependence Center of Northern Virginia, She plays a major role in advocacy, partnerships and community outreach. Her contributions to the disability community are focused on multi-cultural outreach, public policy advocacy, and employment accessibility. She holds a Marketing Communications Bachelors of Arts from Mary Baldwin University. Lorena has led an impressive career as a Latina Disability Self-led Advocate. She is the first-generation college graduate in her family and is from El Salvadoran nationality but born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia.  Her efforts support the Bienvenidos Project in ensuring Latinos receive the information they deserve!

Organizador Northern Virginia

David is an Arlington Virginia native and Bolivian nationality.  He is one of the Northern Virginia organizers. He serves as a peer mentor for many of the Endependence Center programs including peer mentorship, ADVC  vaccination grant, and organizer for the Bienvenidos Todos project. His passion is helping others with disabilities realize their strengths and building awareness to the community surrounding disability support. David is currently learning all about Advocacy and aspires to help others advocate for themselves and what is important to them as it relates to inclusivity and independence.

Organizadora Northern Virginia

Jimena Barron is a native of Bolivia and is our northern Virginia organizadora. She is a mother of an 11-year-old son with special needs. She is an entrepreneur, life coach, and an activist for families with disabilities in her community. She holds an International Life Coach Certificate and an International Diploma in Neurocognitive Coaching. Her specialization helps her support parents with workshops, conferences, and community groups by teaching them about motivation, acceptance, and crisis support. She mentors women and families with disabilities in teaching them about making healthy decisions making after a diagnosis and empowering them to create a life with a wide range of entrepreneurial opportunities. Jimena focuses on connecting families with resources and the community in northern VA.

Organizadora Roanoke Virginia

Zuheil Álvarez Cortés is originally from Juarez, Mexico and our Roanoke Virginia organizadora. She is a mother of four children and 3 with special needs. She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish, a minor in dance, and a master's degree in Hispanic literature. She has been a professor of Spanish Language at Roanoke College and Hollins University. Since 2008, she advocates for Spanish speaking community and multi-cultural families to create awareness by sharing her lived experience. She became involved as organizadora as she has continuously supported the Latin X community with services and support groups.

Organizador Roanoke Virginia

Vladimir Espinoza is a Cuban native and Roanoke Virginia organizer. Mr Espinoza has a family member with special needs.  For this reason, he actively contributes to his community in establishing support groups and connecting them with resources. Vladimir is a music professional and plays percussion. In his professional role, he is a professor of music at Roanoke Ballet Theatre and American Dance Festival at Duke University in Durham University. He incorporates his music talent by supporting families and children with disabilities with music therapy, establishing eight support groups in Roanoke Virginia.

Organizadora Virginia Beach

Ana Castellanos is a Mexican native and VA Beach Organizadora.  Ana’s personal mission has been to educate herself and advocate for her daughter with Cerebral Palsy and Autism.  She is an ally to other Spanish speaking families who have children with special needs. Ana serves as an advocate to a small group of parents in the Latino community to support their communication needs with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS), which resulted in the creation of ‘Voz Hispana’, a Spanish-language Family Voice Empowerment Group. Their mission focuses on supporting non-English proficient families communicate directly with VBCPS teachers and staff.

Organizador Virginia Beach

Alberto Najera is an Ecuadorian native and VA Beach organizer. Aberto serves as liaison for Spanish speaking families in the Virginia Beach Public School System. He is active leader in his community educating families on special education, leading support groups, and facilitating workshops for Spanish speaking speakers.  Mr. Najera maintains a strong relationship with community partners in identifying resources for Latino families. His experience in health education programs has provided positive working relationships with at risk and vulnerable communities. He continues to educate Latino families with the critical information delivered by the Bienvenidos Todos project in his work.

Organizadora Harrisonburg, Virginia

Ingrid Garcia is an El Salvadorian native and a Harrisonburg Virginia Organizadora. She is a mother of a son with an autism diagnosis. She’s an active member of an immigration transition coalition. She actively recruits families with disabilities to help them lead their communities with resources, advocacy, special education, and support to break cultural stigmas.  Ingrid really enjoys helping others and learning from other cultures and different backgrounds. Her motto is “we never stop learning”. Her experience supports the efforts in our Bienvenidos Todos project, working alongside the Department of Education at James Madison University to help special education professionals.

Organizadora Richmond, Virginia

Yohanna Franco is a Dominican Republic native and Richmond Virginia Organizadora. She is a mother of 4 children diagnosed with Aspergers.  Her experience with Autism/Aspergers started 15 years ago with her 17-year-old son.  Since then, she experienced a journey of learning all about acceptance and resources to share with others in her community.  She actively participates in different educational groups to support her children and learn from other families.  Her involvement with the Bienvenidos Todos project empowers her to continue learning and sharing the information with her community through her own family’s inspiration and being supportive of others.