Wise and Integrated Resources Institute are excited to announce a new iteration of the PRIDES Learning Series, a webinar and podcast series focused on improving services for individuals with intellectual disabilities who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Trainings are centered around the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals with IDD and aimed at promoting more inclusive work environments within provider organizations.
This presentation explores the intersection of culture, identity, and disability through a Two Spirit and LGBTQI+ lens. We'll examine belonging, sexuality, and the lived experience of individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, honoring traditional teachings while addressing modern challenges of acceptance, self-advocacy, and community. Attendees will gain culturally grounded tools to support belonging and healthy identity development.
Learning Objectives:
Learn what "Two Spirit" means and why it is important.
Understand that people can be Native American, LGBTQI+, and have a disability all at the same time.
Learn what "belonging" means and why it matters.
Know where to find support if you need help or have questions.
Meet the Trainer
Héctor Manuel Ramírez (They/Them/El)
Héctor Manuel Ramírez (they/them/el) is an Autistic Two Spirits disability rights advocate based in California. They serve as a state-appointed Commissioner on the California Commission on Disability Access and a county-appointed Commissioner on the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities (LACCD). Héctor is Mexican and of Apache ancestry, Héctor’s extensive advocacy is grounded in their lived experiences as a domestic violence survivor, a formerly institutionalized person, and a long-time client of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH). Hector works at 211 LA and is a union member of SEIU 721 and an active member of the Lavender Caucus and Los Angeles County Indigenous Pride LA.
Héctor collaborates with county, state, and national bodies to design inclusive public services and champion legislation that reduces health disparities for marginalized populations. They are an active member of the Behavioral Health Stakeholder Advisory Committee for the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and the Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). At the national and international levels, Héctor serves as an ABLE Ambassador and holds emeritus board positions with the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and the Inter-Tribal Disability Advocacy Council at the Native American Disability Law Center. They are also a board emeritus member of Disability Rights California and previously served on Governor Newsom’s Behavioral Health Task Force. Héctor resides in Chatsworth, California, on the unceded ancestral lands of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians.