Let Me Introduce Myself!
I am a Disability Rights Advocate who has been very active in Los Angeles’ disability community for over 13 years now. I know that my advocacy triumphs are a result of my being physically disabled from birth, and facing countless issues in my life. From lack of access in my community to discrimination due to my speech and type of disability, I have fought to educate people and improve mobility-related access in Los Angeles and neighboring communities. As a self-advocate, I have been successful in situations which others said were impossible to win. Oftentimes, there is enough work involved in the process, but winning makes it all worthwhile! I will share some of my triumphs in future posts.
Those who know me well know that I do not let my disability get in the way of anything I set out to do. I believe in my abilities, and I know that when a challenging situation comes up that I am equipped to handle it, which may mean finding alternate ways of accomplishing something. I invite challenge in my life, as it makes me a stronger person with each feat I accomplish.
Facing challenges is not easy at all, especially when I am treated inappropriately and unfairly merely based on the way my disability of cerebral palsy forces me to appear. When I experience this, I feel like I am seen as less than a person, although I know I am an educated, accomplished individual who has so much to offer. This, along with my speech impairment, is the most difficult aspect of my disability, not the inability to do things as many might think.
In 2019, I founded Project AIR, which is an organization whose mission it is to educate the public and business entities about individuals with disabilities and speech impairments. We publish materials on this subject, and do sensitivity workshops as well.
I invite you to visit our website at project-air.net to learn more about our organization, and request what interests you!