Who do I ask for a reference after a layoff? - 8 months and counting

My manager was laid off too and I am unsure who to use as a reference. I am in Fresno, in case local advice matters. A colleague offered to vouch for me. Who did you use?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 8 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.