ABOUT US
About California Manos del Corazón
California Manos del Corazón (CMC) is a state organization that dedicates and promotes Latinx Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened (DDBDDHHLD) communities in California. In the past, CMC was known as California Latino Council of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing which was established and incorporated in 1996. It was eventually renamed to California Manos del Corazón in 2016. CMC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by the generosity of its individuals and organizational donors.
About Our Organization Name
The organization's name is a combination of both English and Spanish. California is our home state. “Manos” means hands in Spanish and it represents the significance of our hands, not only in the DDBDDHHLD communities but also in Latin American countries and communities. American Sign Language (ASL) is not the sole sign language used in the United States, especially among Latinx DDBDDHHLD communities that use multiple sign languages. “Corazón” means heart in Spanish and its symbol is our cultural icon that stems from the cultural and sociopolitical influence between the Spanish and indigenous ancestors since their first encounter. CMC recognizes the historical impact of Spanish colonization. However, Spain is one of the many agents that perpetuated colonization throughout Latin America; and we also recognize the impact of other nations that contributed to colonization and its influence to this day.
About Our Logo
The logo includes its name in all capitals. Manos is in bold black color. Corazón is colored in red. At the left of California Manos del Corazón is a hand is grasping a full heart. The hand is outlined in black with brown shading; the heart is outlined in black with red shading.
The brown hand represents all Latinx DDBDDHHLD community members. Latinx is defined as creating the inclusion of all gender identities. CMC is committed to the inclusion of all members from different subgroups by recognizing and celebrating the similarities and differences among all. CMC also wants to collaborate with like-minded individuals; their families; ASL/Spanish/English trilingual interpreters; and organizations and agencies.
About Our Organizational Structure
California Manos del Corazón is governed collectively by a Board of Chairs in which all Board members have equal influence, contribution, and participation in the organization’s affairs. The Board is a group of dedicated Latinx Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened persons and serves on a voluntary basis. The Board jointly oversees the activities of the organization. The bylaws are for internal use only for the Board of Chairs since the CMC is the private, non-profit organization.
About Our Objectives
California Manos del Corazón’s objectives are TOGETHER we Connect, Empower, Decolonize, all in SOLIDARITY. As a state organization, we Connect with Latinx families, communities and the DDBDDHHLD members in them by listening to their stories and providing bridges of support among each other; we support and encourage the inclusion of ASL, Spanish, English and Lengua de Señas Mexicana (LSM) interpreting services and Spanish/English translation, so they may Empower and absorb themselves with facts and knowledge as forms of love and resistance; we Decolonize together with educational, historical, cultural, political and social information in terms of how the many institutions operate in many levels of society as well as how to advocate and promote DDBDDHHLD individual rights to education; and we stand in SOLIDARITY by uniting, linking and working together.