Mission & vision

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In 2017 Gamaliel Network of California established a project known as Fuerzas Unidas in San Joaquin County under the direction of Karin Sanchez, a Gamaliel Community Organizer.  Gamaliel received a grant from Valley Mountain Regional Center for equity and disparity in regional centers.

Consuelo Muñoz, voluntarily representing Fuerzas Unidas, invites Mariza Ochoa, and others, to advocate for service rights for people with disabilities in the Latino community. Based on that meeting, and for her participation, Mariza Ochoa was elected President of Fuerzas Unidas. In 2017, Mariza Ochoa was elected to the board of directors of Gamaliel of California. Under her leadership, Mariza Ochoa coordinated several events, managing to orchestrate 250+ people to petition the Lodi, California Unified District for training for interpreters.

Mariza Ochoa, identified the need to promote services for people with developmental disabilities therefore founded Special Needs Assistance for Parents, a project known for its acronym SNAP . Consuelos Munoz, and Faviola Castellanos engage with Mariza Ochoa to create social groups of “parents supporting parents” with a focus on helping families navigate the systems and providing education about services for people with developmental disabilities.

During  2020, Disability Rights of California (DRC) elects Mariza Ochoa to be part of their Board of Directors. As a Board member Ms. Ochoa Coordinates a forum with Disability Rights of California (DRC) to listen to Spanish-speaking families. The focus of the forum was to provide information to DRC which would be used to present law amendments in the State of California. These programs offered a better understanding of the issues affecting the Spanish-speaking community with English language limitations.

In mid-2021, SNAP leaders decide to rename the project “Escuchen Mi Voz” (Spanish title with proper translation Listen to My Voice.  By 2022, Escuchen MI Voz achieves its official corporate registration in the State of California, thus founding the beginning of a non-profit agency. Escuchen Mi Voz establishes its mission to “Improve the quality of life of people with intellectual developmental disabilities of Spanish speaking individuals, support integrating the family, guide understanding via training and knowledge of acceptance, inclusion and the disappearance of cultural stigmas.” During 2022, Blanca Mercado supports the development of the youth program where her son Oscar Mercado, Jr. joins to facilitate youth groups.

During 2023, a set of formal programs are established to provide emotional and educational support to parents while simultaneously developing emotional and educational support programs for young people with intellectual development disabilities. In mid-2023 Listen to My Voice hires Gene Acevedo to further the agency development and to serve as the agency administrator.  Likewise, a team of Promotoras is established to provide support to parents with children with developmental disabilities.