Millie Gonzalez, M.A., is co-founder of the New Jersey Disability Collective; board president for The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies; board chair, retreat organizer and program developer for the Spina Bifida Resource Network (SBRN); and vice board chair for the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI). Gonzalez is also a communication strategist, writer, editor and event planner with nearly 20 years of experience. She was on the steering committee that established ACI’s annual NJ Disability Pride Parade & Celebration in 2011 and has served as the co-emcee of the event nearly every year since its inception. A longtime disability advocate, Gonzalez established, organizes and facilitates SBRN’s annual Empowerment Retreat for adults with disabilities, as well as their new Virtual Empowerment Series and online support group.
A certified peer mentor with United Spinal Association and member of the ADA Trainer Leadership Network, Gonzalez is a disability consultant, trainer and speaker. She presents on a wide range of topics including accessibility, emergency management, advocacy, allyship, relationships and intimacy, job readiness and disability etiquette to a variety of audiences. Gonzalez is the lead organizer of the ReelAbilities: NJ Disabilities Film Festival at Kean University, which features disabled artists and speakers alongside award-winning international films by, about and/or featuring people with disabilities. As Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey 2019, she elevated her platform, #LiveFiercely through Self-Care, to increase awareness of the disability community and encourage disabled folks to honor their health and mental wellness and engage in civic engagement. She is a member of ZCO/Dance Project and Shimmy Sisters, has studied with AXIS and Full Radius dance companies, and has performed with the physically integrated Heidi Latsky Dance Company in New York City.
A plus-sized, disabled Latinx, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Gonzalez is one of only 30 honorees of Diversability’s national D-30 Disability Impact List.
