Veralucía Mendoza Arana

A Black person of Latinx descent with short curly hair smiles in front of a vibrant mural with pink, orange, and black abstract shapes. They are wearing glasses, geometric earrings, and a black sleeveless top.

Information & Referral Specialist

Veralucía Mendoza Arana (they/she) is the Information & Referral Specialist at AAPD.

They have extensive experience as a community organizer and have demonstrated strong leadership across various domains of the social-impact sector. Before joining AAPD, Vera served as a Disability Rights Advocate at one of the nation’s largest Centers for Independent Living, where she spearheaded historic transportation and housing campaigns, including securing long-term funding to expand public transportation services for people with disabilities in Northwest Ohio. Her dedicated efforts have garnered recognition, and in 2020 she received the esteemed “Community Advocacy” award from Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc., Legal Aid of Western Ohio, and the Toledo Bar Association for her exceptional work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, they were among the honorees at the annual Allies & Advocates Ceremony hosted by Equality Ohio.

Vera holds a Certificate in Financial Management from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business and has pursued studies at The University of Toledo.