Introducing homeLA’s Accessibility Advisor

homeLA is excited to announce our new Accessibility Advisor, Vanessa Hernández Cruz.

Photo by Bobby Gordon

Vanessa Hernández Cruz (she, her, ella) is an emerging interdependent Chicana disabled dance artist & Disability Justice activist. She is from the unceded lands of the Tongva & Kizh lands colonially known as Los Angeles, California. She graduated from California State University Long Beach with her BA in Dance Science.

In 2022, she was selected into the first national cohort for LatinXtentions year long dance mentorship program led by David Herrera. She was also selected into The Box LA Pieter Parking Space Residency based in Los Angeles, CA where she produced her dance piece “Exit?”. In 2021 she was a part of the Arts Unchained International virtual residency where she developed a dance film titled “11th Hour”.

Vanessa has been implementing the Disability Justice framework (Sins Invalid) through her activism & dance work. She is currently working with DANC (Dance Artists’ National Collective) as their Communications & Social Media Co-Coordinator. She also serves as a consultant in their BIPOC & Disabled Circle.

In the past, she has guided Cal State Long Beach Department of Dance to adopt Disability Justice elements into their dance productions and curriculum with the support of CSULB Affinity AIDE (Advocates for Inclusion & Dancer Equity).

She has developed two workshops: Dismantling Ableism in Dance & Accessibility at the Forefront of Dance Making Series. In addition she offers accessibility consulting to individuals & a variety of arts organizations.

Vanessa’s lifetime aspirations are to perform, choreograph, & create dance films. Through her artistry & activism she will continue to help dismantle systemic oppressions in the dance field to help create an equitable path for future multi-marginalized disabled artists.

This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov