WHO ARE WE?
Ardena Bartlett, MPA Parent, Founder & Executive Director
Ardena Bartlett, MPA Parent Advocate, Founder, Executive Director Access Nonprofit Center Ms. Bartlett is the founder and director of her initiative Parenting Black Children the mission is to decrease disparities and increase access for parents/caregivers of children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. She is a proud parent of a Beautiful Black Boy on the Autism Spectrum served by the Regional Center and is well aware of the needs of raising a child with Autism and developmental differences.
She soon realized, that other Black parents experience the struggle of gaining equitable access for their children to receive services from community and public education. She began attending Special Education, Autism, and Developmental Disability trainings so that she would be equipped to empower her community of parents to gain access to this hidden information. As a result the PBC initiative was awarded the State of California DDS Service Access and Equity grant to focus on decreasing the disparity of Black/African American families gaining access to services.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from University of California at Irvine(UCI), and a Master’s of Public Administration from University of Southern California (USC). Additionally, she has served the local school district’s special education department, volunteers at church, sits on a board Committee of the San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center, participates in California Department of Developmental Services workgroups, and is a member of the Pomona Valley NAACP. She resides in the San Gabriel Valley with her family and enjoys discovering new opportunities for her son to help him and other children Live & Thrive in Home Community & School.
open position, operations Manager
ELISE, resource & research coordinator
RN, MN (Registered Nurse and Master of Nursing)
Elise, a California native has always had a passion for patient advocacy and empowering the Black community in their healthcare decisions. With her own history of sickle cell, her diagnosis did not stop her from pursuing her dreams. She graduated from Spelman College with her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and is currently acquiring her Masters Degree in Nursing. She aims to help rebuild the trust between the Black community and the medical field, so that they can lead healthy and sustainable lives. After graduation, she plans to continue her education and acquire her Nurse Practitioner license.
When she is not actively studying, Elise conducts research for the various initiatives offered here at Access Nonprofit. She believes that in order to make informed decisions about one's care, having the proper resources is necessary, and as a result, commits to ensuring that parents are adequately equipped to address the needs of their children. Living life through the words of her favorite quote ["to know that one life has breathed easier because you have lived--is to know success-Ralph Waldo Emerson], she hopes to be an asset to those who cross her path and help them breathe easier.
Starlyn, Parent ambassador
IVANA, Communication & Marketing iNtern
USC Keck School of Medicine, MPH
Career Aspiration: Project Management in Public Health
Ivana Tan is a lifelong Southern California resident dedicated to promoting health, happiness, and cultural understanding. She has always been passionately committed to public health and recognizes its pivotal role in creating healthier and thriving communities. Ivana holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Biology and a minor in Public Health from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Southern California (USC), specializing in Community Health Promotion.
During her undergraduate years, Ivana co-founded the UCI Human Biology Outreach Program, addressing health issues and promoting positive change in underprivileged schools in Orange County. Additionally, her love of traveling to nearly 40 countries inspires her advocacy for improved cultural competency in the health field, seeking equitable health for all. These experiences emphasize the need to tailor interventions to diverse contexts, reinforcing her commitment to a more inclusive approach to health promotion.
Upon completing her studies, Ivana is eager to leverage her skills in leadership and project management to develop interventions that positively impact community health. Excited to be a part of Access Nonprofit Center, she brings a wealth of passion and dedication to support its initiatives, and contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling future for all families.
Faith Oladimeji, Data & Grant Intern
USC Keck School of Medicine, MPH
Career Aspiration: Health Equity Advocate/Specialist
Faith Oladimeji is a second-year MPH student at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine where she focuses on health services and policy. Faith was born and raised in Lagos Nigeria, and migrated to the U.S. during her early teenage years. Her experience as a black immigrant has given Faith a worldwide view of the importance of health care and accessibility. Faith graduated from the University of California, Davis with her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior with a minor in Public Health Sciences.
Her passion for health equity and mitigating the effects of health disparities led her to her MPH program at USC as well as to her current roles as an HIV Testing Program Manager and Access Nonprofit Intern. Faith is passionate about bridging the gap in healthcare and increasing healthcare access to many underserved populations. When not studying or working, Faith loves to travel and indulge in soft/calming activities. After receiving her MPH degree, Faith plans to work in the public health sector advocating for important health policy changes as well as being the voice for the voiceless and eventually contributing to a more equitable society.
College ambassadors
American Medical Student Association-CSUSB
History of the organization
Ardena Bartlett, founder of Access Nonprofit Center is a parent/caregiver of a child with Autism served by San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center and is well-aware of the challenges of raising a child with developmental, educational and behavioral challenges. In that same passion of those mighty mothers who were instrumental in the establishment of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act in 1969, so is Ms. Bartlett who built the mission of ACCESS Nonprofit Center around her personal struggle to obtain access to relevant early intervention information and resources to help her son.
Access Nonprofit Center is a TEAM of passionate professionals who are parents, disability advocates, teachers, church ministers, culture experts, college students, film-makers, early education professionals - who are all ready to expand their passionate project. ‘Parenting Black Children’ is just one of the many projects that will become a great resource to African American children and their families.
Ms. Bartlett believes it is essential to the well-being of the community to create community-based support groups for parents/caregiver of African-American children with developmental disabilities. Additionally, she believes that reaching out to the emerging generations (Millennials- Gen Y & Z) as they begin family planning will increase the probability of early detection in babies.
There is a coined phrase in the African American culture “the struggle continues” which means that although in the midst of victory there is still more battles to overcome. The African American community has seen many struggles and many victories. The struggle is not failure, but a reason to “fight” and work together to solve our collective issues for the well-being of our families. Surely, “the struggle continues” as it relates to Awareness, Early Intervention, Authorization and Utilization of services within the Regional Centers across our great state. However, in the SG/PRC caption area, African American clients make up only a small percentage of the total client population. Parenting Black Children is just one of the many projects of Access Nonprofit Center that was created to cater to these underserved communities.
ConsULTANTS
Maisha
Pastor Linda Wiggins
Pastor Linda Wiggins
Pastor Linda Wiggins
Pastor Linda Wiggins
Pastor Linda Wiggins
Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
2020-2022
Social Media Consultant
IG: @gwendolyn_oliver
Moon
Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
2020
PSA/FILM-Maker
IG: @MusicbyMoon
Kwanzaa Principle
"To always do as much as we can, in the way we can,
in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it."
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