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Benefits of Voice Activated Lighting for People with Disabilities

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

Technology has been a key element for increasing the independence of people with disabilities. I’ve written other articles that discuss the benefits of smart homes and how they help people with disabilities increase their independence and self-esteem. There are many layers of technology available to choose from based on your needs and the features you’d like to have available to you in your home. Voice activated lighting is one piece of technology that can be added to many options someone can choose from to increase their home’s accessibility and the individual’s independence

Voice activated lights have the capability to be controlled through specific voice commands instead of being operated with an on and off switch. Depending on the type of voice activated light you choose, it also may have an on and off switch too. This type of technology helps people with disabilities who have difficulty turning on and off conventional light switches due to mobility issues, issues with fine motor control or other limitations that make it difficult to control the lighting in different parts of their home.

There are many benefits of voice activated lights and other types of home automation that help people with different disabilities empower themselves through increasing their safety and independence with these types of available technology. It also allows the person to save money while managing the electricity use in your home.

People with mobility impairments can also benefit from using voice activated lighting. They are able to independently control the lights in their home without having to worry about the possibility of slipping and falling. If you have limitations with your hands that make it difficult to turn a light switch on or off, using voice commands to control the lights in your home remove the barrier from operating the lights so you can accomplish this independently. Voice activated lights can be used on their own or through automated systems like Google Nest or Amazon Alexa. They give people the opportunity to set schedules to have the lighting turned on and off or even dim the lights during certain times of the night or day. This is a good tool to use to control the electricity used in your home which can result in a lower electric bill and help you save money.

You can create schedules so that the lights in your home turn on or off in the morning before you get up in the morning. If you work late hours and arrive home when the sun has already set, you can place the lights on a schedule so that you aren’t coming home to a dark residence where all the lights are off. If you plan a vacation where you’ll be gone for a few days, this type of technology helps you set up a schedule, so your lights turn on and off at a certain time each day. These types of innovations can allow you an extra layer of security when you are on vacation.

The price range for this technology varies and it’s a good idea to research which one best fits your needs. Being able to have options to choose from when looking for technology like voice activated helps you learn which option is most budget friendly for your wallet. You can also select the features that fit your needs best to help increase your independence, save some money and maintain your safety at the same time. That can only result in a positive outcome for your well-being and self-esteem.

Why “The Capitol Crawl” is Important to People with Disabilities

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

Disability history is a rich well of information full of major events that have shaped the trajectory of not only the world people with disabilities live in today but has also positively impacted the landscape of the United States as we know it.

The Capitol Crawl was one of those important moments in disability history that few people may know about. This article will take a closer look at the details and explain the importance of learning more about disability culture.

Disability activists had been calling for increased access and inclusion in society since the time of the civil rights movement. The planning and execution of the events that occurred the day that would be later dubbed “The Capitol Crawl” are an excellent example of how peaceful activism can lead to real change that has a positive impact on everyone. This demonstration took the disability rights movement into visibility and catapulted the message of inclusion and access into the mainstream like never before

The Capitol Crawl was a demonstration that was organized by activists in the disability community which took place on March 12, 1990, in Washington DC. It was organized by disability activists to get the attention of legislators so that they would move forward in having the Americans with Disabilities Act become the law of the land. The demonstration saw many individuals with disabilities abandon their wheelchairs, crutches and canes to struggle up the steps of the United States Capitol to demonstrate the importance of removing the physical barriers that people with disabilities experienced in society when accessing services in their community.

This demonstration was an important event in disability history because it put a face on people with disabilities who had previously not been as vocal about their needs until the disability rights movement began and demonstrated the obstacles people with disabilities must encounter every day to accomplish routine tasks of daily living. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by George H.W. Bush just a few months later that year on July 26, 1990.

Activism such as events like the Capitol Crawl and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act helped open doors to level the playing field for individuals with disabilities in society that could only be imagined before the activists took action to gain rights previously unavailable to our community. The impact of the legislation signed into law by President Bush is far reaching and still evident today in schools, places of employment and other aspects of every community across the country. It also serves as an example of what steps should be taken to effectively influence the changes we want to see around us to foster a more inclusive society.

As an additional bonus, the events of the Capitol Crawl were also illustrated in a children’s book titled All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything. This book illustrates one girl’s efforts to gain increased access to the world around her despite her disability during a time when there were barriers in front of individuals with disabilities who wanted equal access to the world. This book is a wonderful children’s book that is a great way to start teaching young children about disability acceptance and the importance of disability history.

Four Ways to Get Your Family Organized for the New Year

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

The New Year is a great time to start new routines. It’s the perfect time of year to survey what worked in the organizational department of your family life during the previous year and figure out what you can do better in the coming year to make sure your household runs as smoothly as possible. There are also many health benefits to getting organized. Some people may not realize that getting organized can help reduce the amount of stress in their lives. This blog post will give you four ways to get your family organized for the New Year.

Declutter Spaces. This is a common suggestion you may see people bring up when talking about organization, but the New Year is a great time to take up this strategy. You could even schedule this on your calendars to make sure that it happens twice a year. Scheduling a decluttering session in your home could make decluttering less of an overwhelming thought than it is for some people. If you have kids then they probably got new toys or gifts for the holiday. Why not make this the start of setting aside clothes that no longer fit them or toys and games they are no longer interested in to make way for new items.

Create a Family Schedule. Getting your family organized through a family calendar will help you keep track of monthly bills, homework assignments and projects, school activities and doctor appointments. You could use different color markers to keep track of appointments or deadlines if you decide to use a large calendar. More great tools available are magnetic calendars and boards you could put on your refrigerator. Digital calendars like Google calendar give you the option to color code blocks of time. This is a great strategy to help you know what your day or week ahead looks like based on the colors you choose to assign each event. This allows everyone in your household to get a firsthand look at the activities or appointments scheduled for a specific day or time. It is also a chance to plan fun activities like a family vacation or even a staycation if you don’t want to leave your own back yard.

Rethink your Household Budget. Budgets make the financial world go around. They are an opportunity for people to empower themselves by knowing what bills they have, when they need to be paid and how they can spend their money throughout the month. Have you wanted to get into more of a routine spending time paying bills or managing your finances? This is a great time to start the habit of sitting down on a routine basis to take care of paying the bills and planning out how to spend your money during the rest of the month.

Search for Coupons and Other Ways to Save Money. When someone says the words couponing, you may think of clipping coupons to use at the grocery store, television shows about people who diligently use coupons to slash their grocery bills or coupon organizers that your mom or grandmother used to use to make ends meet. There are so many more options available now where coupons can be helpful to your budget. There are websites with printable coupons, digital coupons are available through specific stores and there are coupons available in your Sunday newspaper. Sometimes you can also receive coupons in the mail for restaurants or services specific to your area. Credit card rewards points may also be available that can be redeemed for gifts cards to your local grocery store or even restaurants for a fun family night out depending on the rules outlined in each credit card rewards program. All it takes is to set some time aside to plan out a strategy to search for and use coupons in your household.

Once you have created an organizational routine that works for you and your family, it will be easier to incorporate each step throughout the year. Even if you get off track with the approach you have taken to organizing your family and surroundings, it’s never too late to start again. You can use these ideas as a starting point to increase productivity within your home. These ideas and many others can help you keep track of all the important activities and due dates of things that impact your family life. This can help you manage your days better and make your household more efficient because of the systems you have put into place.

Perspectives in Parenting: Interview with A.L.

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

In our first interview for our series on perspectives of parenting with a disability, we spoke with A.L. from South Florida. Continue reading this post to learn more about his experience of parenting with a disability.

Question: What are some of the concerns you had about parenting with a disability before becoming a parent?

A.L: When I got injured in 2004, my daughter who is now 25 was 7 years of age. One of my concerns was not being able to play sports with her as she was very active with softball and soccer. Also, not being able to have close access to her games due to the fields being all grass and or parks not having wheelchair access.

Question: What is one of the biggest obstacles you have faced as a parent with a disability?

A.L: Not being able to easily go to the beach with my kids due to access on the sand.

Question: What is the most important modification or pieces assistive technology that has made it’s easier and is important to you as a parent with a disability?

A.L: My hand controls for driving are a must!

Question: How have your children adapted to you as a parent with a disability?

A.L: My 25-year-old who was 7 at the time adapted to my situation very quick. She saw that I was motivated and determined so that made it easy for her. My triplets who have only known me in the wheelchair, only have random questions once in a while.

adult affection baby casual — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Question: Can you remember a time where you changed someone’s opinion about your ability to parent with your disability?

A.L: Yes. When people would see me around my neighborhood pushing a triplet stroller they would smile and tell me how they never thought they’d see someone in a wheelchair take their kids for a stroll so easily.

Question: As a stepparent, do you feel like your stepchildren treated you differently because of your disability?

A.L: My triplets mother has a daughter who was 5 years of age when I met her. At first she had a lot of questions but adapted very quickly and saw that I can basically do everything that an able body person can just a bit slower.

Question: What would you like to see change for parents with disabilities?

A.L: More access for hard to reach places and more cost effective equipment.

Question: Is there anything else you’d like people that are reading this to know about parents with disabilities?

A.L: Never give up on trying to do the things you want to do for yourself and your children!

Mama’s Munchkin Blog would like to thank A.L. for participating in our interview. If you know anyone who would like to participate in this series in an effort to raise awareness about the issues parents with disabilities face in our society, please email us at mamasmunchkinblog@gmail.com

Perspectives on Parenting with a Disability

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

When it comes to parenting, there aren’t very many parents with disabilities in play groups, after school groups, or even recreational groups for our children. However, there are parents with a range of disabilities in society. Sometimes people are too caught up in our limitations to realize that people with disabilities can be successful parents too. The issues faced by parents with disabilities aren’t really known by mainstream society. We are still seen as people who are incapable of parenting because of our limitations. This misconception doesn’t stop people with disabilities from dreaming and planning to become parents.

Social media posts exist that tell parents to teach their children to be accepting of the kids with disabilities in their surroundings. The first ingredient is for the fear of disability to be erased in adults. People with disabilities are still seen as people who are constantly ill or can’t take care of themselves at all. There is the misconception that it is too cumbersome to afford us the accommodations to meet our basic needs. People believe we live a miserable existence and there is little positivity that surrounds us. This may sound uncomfortable or difficult because some people don’t know where to start. The solution to overcoming this myth is to find out more information from reliable sources on disability. This should be the starting point to unveiling the unknown of what it is to really live with a disability. Unfortunately, society allows different forms of media to shape people’s frame of reference without having real life experiences to draw upon.

The reality is that people with disabilities are productive members of society who deserve the chance to not be judged solely on appearance. Parents with disabilities are still left in the shadows or criticized for their choice to become a parent in the first place. There are resources, support and pieces of assistive technology available that make the job of parenting with a disability a possibility for those interested in exploring that avenue and a reality to those that are already parents. On the flipside, we are still parents to children who love us, who only see us as their parents and see our disability as secondary if even at all. It is rarely an issue to kids that we have any sort of limitation. Adding to the conversation of what parenting with a disability is really like is one way to add a layer to a topic that is rarely discussed. It is time that it be brought out of the shadows.

The way people with disabilities have been treated and portrayed by society has significantly changed for the better. There are more true-to-life stories being told. These accounts unmask what other people are so afraid to talk about. That doesn’t mean further change of people’s mindset surrounding our community couldn’t be accomplished. Acceptance of parents with disabilities is one of the components that could be used as a starting point to get the dialog of what living with a disability is really like.

This may seem like a tall order to fill, even in the 21^st century. There are still societal and attitudinal barriers that are faced by the disability community regularly. These only seem to be amplified by mentioning the words parenting with a disability in the same sentence. There are so many related topics that are seen as taboo when you add the fact that some people with disabilities decide to have a family. There are still important issues like healthcare, relationships and over all well being that are ignored for people with disabilities because we don’t need those kinds of services. The reality of the matter is that we need more accessible information to be available so that we can have an increased quality of life. This information will help us make informed choices on the options of healthcare. That is when we will be able to make informed decisions about those subjects. The people who are most cherished in our lives need us to be healthy so we can participate in everyday activities.

It is important to raise awareness of parents with disabilities to the next level. People need to have the opportunity to learn more about what parents with disabilities must overcome even when making the decision of whether to go down the road of parenting in the first place. Sometimes people feel like parents that have a disability will become a burden to their children. Everyone’s child wants to take care of their parents as they age. Parents with disabilities are no different.

The conversations we have with our children and others around us are important in shaping the views people have surrounding a concept. The ideas shared on the subject with their children will help form the belief systems they will carry through their lives. If we can turn the tide to a more positive feeling surrounding disability, that would be a step in the right direction. Then there will be change and as a result mainstream society will see parents and people with disabilities in a more positive light.

Hopefully through the next series of content posted on the blog, questions will be answered and things that some people are afraid to ask will be answered.

What is an Advocacy Toolkit and Why Do People with Disabilities Need One ASAP

Featured by caste551, posted in Uncategorized

As people with disabilities, advocacy is one of the main techniques we use to have our needs met. While this can invoke stress and anxiety in some people and even prevent them from conquering their goals, it does not have to be that way. Creating an advocacy toolkit may be the solution you have been looking for without knowing you were looking. This post is going to explain what an advocacy toolkit is and why you need one in your life.

An advocacy toolkit is a term I created after years of advocating in different situations with no clear road map to guide me along the way. Creating your own advocacy toolkit provides you with a system to implement that helps you be more efficient in your efforts. When you live with a disability, there aren’t many “how to” manuals to take the guesswork out of accomplishing your goals. This can leave you scared, overwhelmed, and even defeated before you get started. Some of the items in the toolkit are physical while others are not. Those that are not will require some other investment from you such as time, resourcefulness, or brainstorming. This is when you can get creative and have a little bit of fun involving friends, family, or others in your support system to get involved in sharpening your skills on the way to overcoming each hurdle that lies in front of you.

While some of the issues that people come up against while advocating for their needs are unique to them, there are some things that are standard that can help make overcoming your obstacles a little bit easier. First, let me define what I mean by an advocacy toolkit. It is a set of resources you create to help you maximize your ability to get a positive outcome for your issue.

Organization is a big part of successful advocacy. Choose a designated area to keep your materials. I call that the command central of all your advocacy activities. The benefit of even having a dedicated corner or space for your advocacy projects can be priceless to the overall operation of your success in the world of advocacy. Advocacy can be stressful. Designating an area to house folders, notebooks and other key materials helps you know where all your materials for each project are located at the drop of a hat. After you sit down in that space, all you need to do is focus on what needs to be done.

Documentation. First it is important to mention that to ensure your success, you should use a system that works for you. Whether you are using a computer program to document certain facts that help you build supporting evidence or if you use regular pen and paper. Your system for keeping notes, logs and other important papers together needs to be something that won’t be easily lost like a loose-leaf sheet of paper randomly placed on your dining room table.

Resources. Learning all you can about what is currently available to help you in your community is another tool that needs to be in place. It is important to stay up to date on the requirements to utilize the services of agencies or other offices that can play a role and assist you in your desired outcome.

Key Details Know the details of the issue that is an obstacle for you. This is where you focus on the problem in front of you. Is there anyone else who has had the same problem in the past? How is it affecting you? Why is it an obstacle for you? Learn as much as you can about how the system currently works and who is on the front line.

Build your Team. Building your team has many benefits for the advocate. Sometimes we need people to be there to listen to our ideas. Maybe we need someone to talk to if the process gets stressful. Building a team that can provide us with the support we need is a way to figure out who can best encourage you in reaching your goal. It is also a way of figuring out who are the people you need to connect with to help you with information and who are the people responsible for helping you overcome the obstacle in front of you. Sometimes you can enlist family members or friends. In other cases, it is the managers of a company that can help eliminate the obstacles in front of you that you can make connections with to help you along the way.

Become Familiar with Potential Outcomes (or Devise Your Own) Try to find out solutions that have been used in the past. What worked and what did not work? Do you have an idea that seems like it could work as a satisfactory solution? Be open to working together with the other stakeholders and other interested parties to work together in finding a solution that works for everyone involved.

Practice your craft. Advocacy is all about refining the skills you need to get your message across. Whether it is public speaking, writing a letter or learning better organizational techniques, use some of your time to find ways to improve on the craft of advocacy. There are plenty of workshops, books, and webinars you can access right from the comfort of your home to brush up on your skills or even learn new ones that can come in handy for improving your outcomes.

This list can help you get off to a good start at becoming a better advocate. It is up to you to create the system you need that will maximize your success rate. Advocacy can be a stressful thing to take on. When you have fewer things to worry about, it is much easier to use the energy to focus on the desired outcome and how to get there.

Different Methods Help You Communicate with Your Child’s Teacher as a Parent with a Disability

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As parents, we all know that our children’s success in school helps them carve out a path to their future. Part of that success in school is being able to communicate with your child’s teacher and be part of the educational team. As a parent with a disability, you may feel like you face obstacles in communicating with their teachers or even participating in the educational journey they are on, but do not be discouraged. There are many ways to communicate with your child’s teacher.

Whether it’s this subject or another obstacle you may face in accomplishing your goals as a parent with a disability, the best advice I can give you is to create a plan. That plan needs to be specific to your needs. You should have it outlined in your mind at the minimum to know what you are going to do when you need to put it into effect.

When my son began attending school, the options were limited as to how I would interact with the teachers and other school staff as independently as possible. Being unable to drive, I knew issues would present themselves, though I was not sure how I was going to solve the puzzle that was in front of me. I decided to come up with an alternative way so that I would be able to compensate for my limitations. I was determined to be as involved in every aspect of his schooling as possible and was not going to allow the obstacles that lie in front of me from having the same experience with my child as other parents that did not have a disability. Their school experience is where kids make a lot of memories with their families, and I wanted to share that part of his life with him too.

When it was time to attend parent teacher conferences or meet the teacher, I had to tap into my natural supports to make that happen. Natural supports, also sometimes referred to as organic supports, are a great tool you should already have in place before an event. This will alleviate your need to be worried at the last minute about how you can get certain things done. It took having a network of different people willing to help by being available at specific times so I could participate in those activities.

When the pandemic unexpectedly arrived in early 2020, the ways in which people were communicating and handling their daily lives got flipped upside down. That included how students were attending school. Suddenly, my son was home attending classes over the camera on my computer and he even brought some classes literally into my living room.

On a positive note, the new options that were available not only made things easier but also more accessible. The technology allowed me to interact with his teachers more independently. This helped since I no longer had to coordinate with someone else’s schedule to make sure I could participate in a school meeting.

Things like using email communication, phone conferencing or video conferencing allow you to have open communication with teachers and other staff people. This is a great option to allow open communication whether they have an issue with the student that needs to be addressed or if you have a concern you need to bring to their attention. Suddenly, the limitations your disability might place on you have disappeared and are no longer a factor. You can focus on the matter at hand which is your student’s educational needs.

The most important thing is to be a proactive and involved parent on your student’s educational journey. Research the ways you can participate in the school’s events. Make a plan you feel good about and is functional for you. As a result, being able to be a present and proactive parent will let your child know they are loved and supported.

When interacting with their teachers, reassure them you are a proactive parent and are there to support your student and the teacher in their work. Not only will these steps help your student succeed in their educational life, but you will have the chance to make memories with them that will give them a chance for a successful future.

Dating Someone with a Disability: A Few Things You Should Know

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Dating can be an exciting part of life. It gives you the chance to meet different people and learn about the different kinds of relationships people can experience in their lives. Dating a person with a disability may not have been anything you have considered before. Maybe you have dated someone with a disability and felt like you went about it all wrong. In the second part to this blog, I wanted to share some tips for people without a disability who might be interested in approaching someone with a disability to go on a date or begin a relationship with that other person but don’t know where to start.

We are people first. The main thing to know is that people with disabilities are people first. This idea came from a movement of self-advocates who wanted people without disabilities not to define them by their disability. The shift in the way people address those with a disability takes the focus off the disability and keeps it on the individual, where it should be. People with disabilities have interests, jobs and outside activities that shape who they are. While the disability is a part of that person, it shouldn’t be the focus. The same is true for you if you decide to go on a date with someone who has a disability. Not only will they be impressed with you not focusing on whatever limitation they have to live with, but they will know you’ll be giving them a chance to get them know them as a person instead of being caught up in a disability they more than likely see as secondary to who they are as an individual.

Every disability affects people differently. Even though a large population may have the same diagnosis, that doesn’t mean that the disability presents itself in the same way. Whatever you may have read may not be accurate. If you have any questions about someone’s disability, it is important to get the facts from the person themselves. That person is the expert on how their disability affects them. It’s a good idea, once you have become comfortable with each other to find out the facts of that person’s circumstances. Don’t make assumptions based on what you have seen or read about what that person’s life is like. Once you get to the point of learning more about how that person’s disability affects them, you may be surprised what you learn.

Get ready to learn something new. Dating can be an exciting journey for so many reasons. You get to meet different people; you get to have new experiences. Dating someone with a disability is no different. The only additional perk is that you will learn new things about how people with disabilities accomplish tasks. Most of the time people with disabilities must think outside the box to get things done. Seeing life through someone else’s eyes by spending time with them gives you a new perspective on how others navigate the world. The area of assistive technology can also show you the possibilities available by helping people compensate for the limitations a disability puts in front of them. Assistive technology are pieces of equipment someone with a disability can use to help them accomplish tasks someone without a disability can do without assistance. Seeing someone use a piece of assistive technology may also change the way you look at the world. These devices are a great way to demonstrate in real-time that a person’s limitations, physical or otherwise don’t have to limit their experiences in the world.

Be open to new experiences. Dating someone with a disability can open your eyes to many things. It can teach you about the importance of accessibility of spaces or even inclusion of people with disabilities. You may go into a relationship with someone and feel like you know everything about a disability because of what you may have seen on television or heard about from a friend. A disability affects each person differently and the only way to know about how the disability affects that person is to be open to what you may learn or in a new experience.

Be yourself. Let’s face it, everyone is nervous when it comes to dating. If you even look like you are being made uncomfortable by a person’s disability, your date is basically over. On the other hand, if you find that you have things in common and can relate to each other simply as two people on a date, the odds will be in your favor that you’ll have a good time with that person. Your date will appreciate the environment and be excited to spend that time with you. If everything goes as well as you both hope, you’ll be on your way to scheduling a second date soon.

Remember, no matter what happens at the end of the date, dating people with different disabilities gives you a chance to broaden your horizons on specific topics. Our lives are not much different than other people and given the chance you probably will see for yourself that dating someone with a disability can be a great experience for you both. You may learn something new or even learn more about yourself on a personal level. You never know what is going to happen, you may have just met your future spouse and started making memories together.

Contributions Made by Ed Roberts Still Impact the Lives of People with Disabilities

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Although people may not be aware of how disability history has shaped the path of people with disabilities, some people may find it interesting that there have been many people with disabilities who have influenced a lot of activities and initiatives in existence today. Many individuals with disabilities have placed their stamp on American history. In this post I am going to discuss why Ed Roberts’ contributions to the history and advancement of people with disabilities has impacted people’s lives in today’s environment.

This week the disability community celebrates Ed Roberts Day. He is one of the most important figures in disability history for many reasons. Ed Roberts gave the world a blueprint of how to live your life and accomplish your dreams despite your disability. Diagnosed with polio at the age of 14, he did not let that stop him from pursuing higher education and advocating for change that are now considered standard practice for people with disabilities. He is one of the people who led the way in the disability rights movement and showed that people with disabilities could do more than be defined by their physical limitations.

The idea of independent living would not have gained momentum during the time it did if Ed Roberts had not advocated for the rights and equality of individuals with disabilities. His efforts paved the way for the chance to live in our communities while having access to needed supports that would ultimately improve our quality of life.

He broke down barriers for people with disabilities to have an opportunity to experience independent living when other people said that we could not. He laid the foundation for people with disabilities to have the chance to live on campus during their college years, live independently with the supports they need, and be gainfully employed. If Ed Roberts would not have set a path in front of himself during his life, the struggles of people with disabilities in these areas may look considerably different today. There may not be a framework in place to allow students with disabilities to believe higher education or employment could be a possibility available to them.

During his time in college at The University of California, Berkley, he established The Rolling Quads. This group of students with disabilities would be the model of what students with disabilities service offices look like on most American campuses today. They worked together to create needed resources for students with disabilities to succeed in completing their education. This included what they crafted into accessible housing and making the first strides toward advocating for accessible architectural changes in their surroundings.

Ed Roberts is also known as “The Father of Independent Living Movement.” He along with a group of other people with disabilities started the first Center for Independent Living. Now widely utilized within communities across the country, Centers for Independent Living provide a range of supports and resources so that individuals with disabilities can navigate life within their communities.

Ed Roberts later became the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation in California. This agency is charged with assisting individuals with disabilities in obtaining a job. It can also assist you to tap into other needed resources to help you during your employment journey. These resources can minimize the obstacles a person with a disability may face in their line of work. In this role, he also proved that an individual with a disability can successfully oversee an agency.

As a result of his pioneering efforts, Roberts helped people with disabilities live more independently and expand on opportunities for a better life. People with disabilities can live within the community. They can have the full college experience, complete with living in the dorm rooms if they are available at your chosen higher institution. They can also be gainfully employed and hold a position of authority at the same time. The stereotypes he was able to crush helped move people with disabilities in the direction of being seen as people who can make valuable contributions to the world.

Learning about historical contributions of individuals with disabilities shows it is not a negative thing to have a disability. It is also clear evidence that those in the disability community can have positive and lasting impacts on the framework of society.

As a community and as individuals we should follow his example. He did not let his disability be an obstacle to what he wanted in life. The key is to follow your heart and not worry about what others say. Take the torch he has left for us and continue with the mission of advocating for full equity in all areas of life for people with disabilities.

His example encourages us along our paths even though we may feel like some things are insurmountable. There are steps everyone needs to follow to accomplish what they want in life. This is also true for individuals with disabilities. The only difference is that we must sometimes be more creative along the way. It is only a matter of plotting out the course of our lives and seeing things through to their completion.

Goal Setting Empowers People with Disabilities for the New Year and Beyond.

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Once again, we have made it to another New Year. So many people think about making a New Year’s resolution, but do we really realize where the idea began? New Year’s resolutions were started over 4000 years ago by the ancient Babylonians.

New Year’s resolutions are helpful because they make you think of how you can make changes in your life for the new year. All this positive energy is a great way to start a new year. New Year’s resolutions also carry a certain amount of pressure. This is true because if you do not complete your New Year’s resolution, it may discourage you from making other changes in your life. New Year’s resolutions generally get a lot of attention during the first couple of days or even weeks of a New Year only to fall haphazardly to the wayside with last year’s calendar.

On the flip side, goal setting with long-and short-term goals in mind may be a better idea for you. For some reason, people do not think about goal setting as something they can or should use to get important things done regularly. Maybe you think of goal setting as something that should only be used for long term or large projects, or something done in a work environment. It is possible you might think goal setting is something that is difficult, and you are not sure where to start. Although defining your goals may take some time and resources, the rewards are worth it.

There are many ways to motivate yourself to get in the habit of goal setting that can make you a rock star at achieving each of your objectives in life. There are many tools to use that make goal setting a fun and an easy thing to do. Once you get in the habit of taking time to outline what you need and want, the adventure has begun. It is completely up to you how to track your goals. You can use calendars, note cards, post it notes or your phone to monitor your progress. The only thing you must do is make sure the system you choose works for you. It is okay if you find it necessary to test different methods or even combine a few to figure out what works best for you. Make sure to write your goal somewhere that you are going to see it every day. It is also a good idea to create daily action steps toward making your objective a reality. These are things you must do to make sure your goal is achieved. It is just another way to keep your needs at the forefront of your mind. Whether it is reviewing your notes on the progress you have made or talking to a friend to get encouragement, both are productive steps to keep you focused on your desired result.

Goal setting is a great way to get into the habit of taking steps to see actual change come to life right in front of your eyes. It is also an effective tool to use to minimize your chances of getting frustrated or overwhelmed by your situation. Another positive thing about goal setting is that it can help you see your progress in manageable stages instead of trying to tackle a large project in just one afternoon. Seeing your goals through to completion will also help increase your self-esteem and further empower you in the choices you make for your life. It will be clear evidence of your abilities and the methods you used to get results. This could also be your personal playbook on approaching other similar situations and minimize the potential legwork needed next time.

For many people with disabilities, advocacy is a big part of having our needs met. Goal setting is a great tool to use when you are approaching an advocacy project. It gives you an opportunity to focus on your needs and even map out a way to get there. Once you see the progress you have made, it can give you the motivation and self-esteem to complete any project. Using goal setting for both types of issues gives you an opportunity to monitor your progress, celebrate milestones and keep track of the amount of time steps take to be accomplished.

Using the methods put forth in goal setting can be helpful in many aspects in the life of someone with a disability. It can not only help you achieve great things throughout the New Year but let you work on your advocacy skills at the same time. Seeing your goals become a reality is a great way to increase your feelings of empowerment when it comes to choices you make in your life. Not only will the idea of goal setting help you set yourself up for success in the New Year but will help you practice skills that will make you a success in other aspects of your life too. That is a goal anyone would want to reach anytime of the year.