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Irma Resendez, MSW
Founder and Executive Director Familia Unida Living with Multiple SclerosisIrma Resendez founded Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis (FULWMS) in January of 1998, after having endured her own personal experience with MS. FULWMS proudly stands as the first bilingual, English/Spanish, Multiple Sclerosis non-profit (501-c3) organization in U.S. History. In 1990, Ms. Resendez was suddenly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which left her completely paralyzed from the waist down and substantially limited her upper extremities for almost one year. During her difficult rehabilitation period, she was stunned to discover that culturally appropriate and expert information, as well as services and resources, were not available from local or national MS organizations in the Spanish language. From then on, Ms. Resendez, diligently and selflessly, committed her life to serve the needs of individuals with Multiple Sclerosis and other debilitating illnesses, by launching FULWMS. Familia Unida Living with Multiple Sclerosis makes it possible for MS sufferers to obtain access to healthcare, educational services and resources that ultimately encourage maximum quality of life. Ms. Resendez continues to carry out her mission of helping others, by being a strong and effective leader who advocates for the improvement of human rights and the well-being of the diverse populations which she serves. She actively conducts culturally sensitive workshops and presentations to bring awareness of the importance to respect and preserve cultural identity. Through her work, Ms. Resendez has received national recognition. Academically, Ms. Resendez received both her Master's and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work from California State University at Long Beach (CSLB). She was awarded several Honors in Community Service and was also recognized by the National Association of Social Work (Region 1) two times for her exceptional contributions in community advocacy. Her educational experience also includes counseling thousands of individuals and working with diverse populations, with a concentration in families and older adults. In addition, Ms. Resendez, who is fluent in both English and Spanish, has acquired over 16 years of administrative, program development and community organizing experience. Moreover, Ms. Resendez is a recent graduate of the HOPE Hispanic Leaders Institute - Class of 2004. She was appointed as Disabilities' Commissioner for the County of Los Angeles by the Board of Supervisors. Lastly, Ms. Resendez serves as an active fellow member for the ZeroDivide Fellowship supported by The Community Technology Foundation of California. This Fellowship focuses on community technology to advance social justice. Attributable to her valuable work and contribution to the community, Ms. Resendez has been recognized by numerous dignitaries, corporate and community leaders. She was acknowledged for her volunteer community activism, and was the Honoree of Hispanic Heritage Month by KCET/Union Bank of California. In addition, she has been featured in many media and radio interviews, as well as in several Multiple Sclerosis publications. She was also featured in Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center's first-ever calendar (June 2000), which recognized some of the Center's outstanding patients. Overall, Ms. Resendez has established significant community resources and partnerships throughout the country, and has created considerable awareness about the growing number of multicultural groups diagnosed with MS. She recently produced the first-ever bilingual, English/Spanish, Multiple Sclerosis culturally diverse educational video titled, "You are not Alone / No estás Solo" with the support of Gloria Estefan Enterprises and Sony Records.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis woman personal story |
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