Naty V. Rico

Naty is a physically disabled, neurodivergent and queer, first-generation college graduate who serves as the Director of the Disability Cultural Center at the University of Arizona. She is also a Master’s student in the Higher Education program at the University of Arizona. Originally from South Central Los Angeles, she was raised by parents who immigrated from Mexico and struggled to navigate the medical system while she was growing up. She became a disability advocate due to her experiences with physical inaccessibility and ableism during her undergraduate career at UC Irvine. There, she advocated for campaigns to fund golf cart services and accessible public transportation for disabled students on campus. She also led and facilitated disability awareness trainings for various student organizations and departments, and assisted with making the campus' nationally recognized Orientation Program more accessible. While working at West Los Angeles College, she provided mentorship, academic, social, and employment support to disabled peers in their pursuits of college and career readiness. Naty has presented about ableism and the exclusion of students with disabilities in college access discourses at conferences across the country. She has also lobbied, rallied, and spoken in support of affordable and accessible higher education for all via the College4all Coalition, the US Student Association, and the UC Student Association in California and in Washington DC. As a leader, she works to advance disability justice in student affairs and cultivate disability identity among college students. She has traveled abroad as a student via Semester at Sea in the Fall of 2016 and enjoys playing Nintendo videogames, traveling, and spending time with her 2 chihuahuas.