MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council Members
FROM: Office of the Mayor
DATE: September 10, 2025
RE: Appointment of Two Members to the Commission on Persons with Disabilities The Mayor's Office respectfully requests City Council consideration for the appointment of two new members to the Commission on Persons with Disabilities to fill vacant positions.
The Commission on Persons with Disabilities plays a vital role in advising the city on accessibility policies, programs, and initiatives that ensure our community remains inclusive and welcoming to all residents. These appointments will strengthen the commission's capacity to address important accessibility matters and community needs.
Proposed Actions:
● Appoint two community members to fill vacant positions ● Enhance the commission's diverse perspectives and expertise ● Ensure full operational capacity for ongoing initiatives Next Steps: The Mayor's Office will present candidate recommendations at the next Council meeting. Both proposed appointees meet the qualifications outlined in the municipal code and bring valuable experience and perspectives to the commission's work.
Filling these positions will enable the commission to continue its important work promoting accessibility and advocating for the needs of residents with disabilities throughout our community.
We greatly appreciate any support you can provide in expediting this process and welcome the Council's prompt consideration of these appointments.
Volunteer Activities: Community Advisory Committee Member for Oakland Unified School District Special Education Department
Please list two references with telephone numbers:
Applicant's signature:
Link to signature
Date: 09/10/2025
1. What is your experience with disability (personal or professional)? The MCPD’s goal is to achieve equal
representation of the diversity of disability experiences, including but not limited to:
Physical
Sensory
Deafness
Blindness
Psychiatric
Learning
Intellectual
Other
2. Do you have knowledge in one or more of the following areas? Please describe.
Education rights
Self-Advocacy
Community organizing
reproductive justice organizing
3. Do you have knowledge of how municipal government
organizations work and the budget process? Please describe.
I have limited knowledge on government organizations work,however I am very familiar with a budget process.
4. Do you have professional expertise in one or more of the following areas? Please describe.
Project Management
Event Planning
Other
5. MCPD seeks representation that reflects the diversity of Oakland including but not limited to disability, age, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, language, and council district of residence.
How would you contribute to the diversity of the MCPD?
As a first generation latina who lives in District 6 I will be able to contribute to the diversity of MCPD
6. To be eligible candidates should be residents or work in Oakland. Exceptions may apply for individuals with unique expertise on a case-by-case basis so anyone interested is encouraged to apply. Do you live and/or work in Oakland? If I live in Deep East Oakland. I work both in Oakland and San Francisco.
City of Oakland Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities Supplemental Application
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not, what motivates you to join the MCPD?
Resume Cynthia Gutierrez 2025 Final Resume .pdf
Cover letter Cover Letter for Mayors Commission on Persons with Disabilities .docx Tell us about your level of knowledge and experience around issues impacting the disability community and describe any recent or current personal and/or professional activity in this area.
I bring both lived and professional expertise to my understanding of issues impacting the disability community. As the parent of a disabled child, I have firsthand experience navigating education and support systems, which informs my awareness of the barriers and opportunities that families encounter. In addition to this lived perspective, I serve on the Community Advisory Committee for Oakland Unified School District’s Special Education programs. In this role, I collaborate with families, educators, and administrators to identify systemic challenges, advocate for equitable services, and contribute to policy discussions that shape the experiences of students with disabilities. My broader work is grounded in disability justice and informed by an intersectional lens that recognizes the ways ableism interacts with racial, economic, reproductive, and environmental inequities. I bring strengths in systems- level advocacy, collaborative problem-solving, and community engagement, along with a commitment to ensuring that the voices of disabled people and their families remain central in decision-making.
How do you see these experiences connected to the work of the MCPD?
My personal experiences influence the work that can be done on the MCPD.
What personal strengths do you bring to the MCPD? I bring the strengths of having a deep commitment to the disability community, systems thinking, bridge building, persistence and resilience.
Do you have any prior experience serving on public boards and commissions and working with elected officials?
I have experience in connecting with elected officials regarding local issues and figuring out how to work together to resolve it.
What is your anticipated level of commitment to the MCPD? Do you know how many hours each month you can commit to
participate in MCPD business outside of the monthly meeting? 10 Discuss your ability to reconcile other personal and professional obligations with MCPD commitments.
I'm confident that with having these meetings and scheduled in advance I would be able to meet my MCPD commitments.
Do you have any specific interests that you wish to bring to the MCPD?
ity of Oakland’s operations becoming as accessible as possible and transportation. I would also want to listen to the concerns of the most impacted and determine interests from there.
How would you provide leadership and advocacy in these
areas?
I would provide deep listening, thought partnership, and collaboration.
Additional questions
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Film Screener
Our Heritage, Our Planet Film Festival 2022 and 2023 Festival Hispanic Access Foundation
• Participated in weekly virtual meetings with film festival organizers • Screened 5-10 hours of weekly films and provided written feedback • Supported in the creation of promotional materials for accepted films • Attended the 2022 and 2023 film festivals to support staff • Featured on a panel for aspiring film makers for the 2023 festival
Social Media Consultant April 2021-November 2021 The Unity Council
• Freelance consultant for COVID-19 Vaccine Social Media Campaign. Supported the creation of social media content, developed a dissemination plan, engaged with community partners, and tracked analytics.
Social Media Consultant September 2020-December 2020 Favianna Rodriguez
• Create social media content and dissemination plan for Favianna’s social media accounts • Consulting for her following projects: Oakland’s Día De Los Muertos, local Oakland elections, reproductive justice content.
Media Associate Consultant August 2019-May 2020 Collective Action Studio
• Conceptualize and plan social media videos, images and text (English and Spanish) • Manage all social media platforms
• Develop content and story-arcs for media campaigns include taking photos, creating images, and developing content
• Document (photograph and video) public events and "behind the scenes" studio sessions • File management and media related equipment management
Research Analyst May 2018-November 2019 Advancing New Standards for Reproductive Health
University of California, San Francisco
Projects included:
1. Public Health Approaches to Abortion / Facilities / Health Departments / MCH Training / 21s tCentury Convening
2. Restrictions Project
3. Louisiana Admitting Privileges
4. D-APPS Women’s Perspectives / MAP PTBi
5. AbAD Convening
6. R01 NIAAA Alcohol & Pregnancy Policies
• Developed and maintained project and research plans, including timelines and resource management • Collaborated on the documentation, testing and implementation of research studies that are part of portfolio of PI projects. Recruit and enroll participants, schedule research interviews, and conduct participant follow-up.
Coordinated study participant and site recruitment, maintenance, and reimbursements. • Maintained and developed research gathering, retrieval and reporting systems. Design and program electronic data collection systems and ensure that these systems (e.g., Qualtrics, RedCap) meet study needs. • Oversaw IRB administrative process for studies both at UCSF and external IRBs • Provided logistical management for program and research meetings. Coordinate business agreements with external contacts, process check requests, expense reimbursements, and other related financial matters • Facilitated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts through the culture & inclusion group
Community Educator May 2017-May 2018
San Francisco Women Against Rape
• Facilitated support groups, peer led prevention education, and self-defense workshops for middle and high school age youth
• Facilitated sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention education presentations for youth and adults in various contexts (i.e. schools, youth programs, community organizations, public agencies) according to annual program plans.
• Conducted evaluations, maintain statistical data, and complete data entry for presentations and programs. • Development of rape prevention and education curricula and materials that are culturally appropriate. • Ensured cultural and bilingual accessibility through integration of the Multi Lingual Access Model (MLAM) into youth and adult education programs.
• Provide counseling on 24-hour rape crisis line and maintained client confidentiality
Bilingual Front Desk Assistant Aug. 2015-April 2017 Santa Cruz Community Health Center
• Provided administrative support for care teams
• Liaison between clinics and billing department to ensure payment of services • Compiled and record patients’ medical charts, reports, and correspondence • Exercised problem solving and conflict resolution when handling patient concerns
Bay Area Chapter Coordinator Feb. 2015-Feb. 2016 California Latinas For Reproductive Justice
• Planned, implemented, and facilitated monthly chapter meetings in the Bay Area • Recruitment and orientation of new members.
• Designed flyers, event invitations, and training materials • Tracked participation of all chapter trainees and leaders in meetings, trainings, events, etc. each month in PowerBase. • Collected and track data on chapter -led activities and people reached through community outreach and education activities, and use PowerBase to track this information as needed.
Prison Project Director Jan. 2014-Aug. 2015
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
• Provided support, development, and coordination of Prison Project program for Barrios Unidos • Served as Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director • Coordinated cultural, art, and educational lectures at Soledad Prison with over 200 prisoners • Directed the cultural rehabilitative groups within Soledad Prison, Santa Cruz County Jail, and Juvenile Hall • Played strategic role as a liaison between California prisons and Barrios Unidos • Supervised and coordinated interns and outreach volunteers • Conducted policy research and advocacy for incarcerated individuals at local, statewide, and national levels • Assisted in developing community education programming and engagement with local and statewide community • Participated in multi-disciplinary collaborative meetings that focused on juvenile and adult justice issues
Student Record Assistant Sep. 2013-Jan. 2014
Oakes College
University of California, Santa Cruz
• Maintained petitions, narratives, and evaluations in student files • Created a new filing system for Oakes College student records • Assisted at the front desk with reception, telephones, and advising appointments
Resource Center Assistant Aug. 2009-Jun. 2010
Women’s Resource Center
City College of San Francisco
• Main point of contact of student resources and advocacy • Event Coordination for resource center and helped develop the first CCF Vagina Monologues
COMMUNITY WORK
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Janary 2025-Present: Member of the Community Advisory Committee for OUSD Special Education June 2021-Present: SisterSong Community Power Building for Birth Justice Steering Committee January 2021-Present: We Testify Storyteller
August 2022-Present: East Oakland AB 617 Community Steering Committee Member June 2018-Present: ACCESS Reproductive Justice Board Member (May 2025) November 2022-Present: IneedanA Advisory Committee
April 2022-Spring 2024: Hispanic Access Foundation Latino Climate Council July 2021-Jan 2022: UCSF Community Advisory Board (Dr. Josephine Urbina) August 2021-July 2022: East Bay Meditation Center PiTA 9 Apprentice Teacher October 2020-Feburary 2021: Oakland Reimaging Public Safety Task Force: District 6 Advisory Board Member June 2018-September 2020 Board Treasurer at ACCESS Women’s Health Justice November 2019-Present: Vice President of the California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom October 2019-Present: Communications Volunteer for The Gathering for Justice (Justice League NYC & CA) December 2017-December 2019: St. Luke’s Hospital Volunteer Doula June 2018-June 2019: Call to Action Lead for Women’s March Oakland September 2016 to May 2017: Doula for the Santa Cruz Collective Wings Perinatal Project February 2015 to January 2017: Co-chair of the Bay Area Chapter of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice February 2015 to May 2017: Steering Committee Member of the Santa Cruz Resource Center for Nonviolence September 2014 to Present: Trainer in Kingian Nonviolence Curriculum June 2014 to January 2015: Inside Out Writing Project Intern: facilitator of writing workshops in the Santa Cruz Jail.
January 2008 to January 2009: San Francisco Women Against Rape June 2013 to December 2013: Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos Prison Project Intern