Team Council Advocacy/ Disabilities Awareness Speaker
4-2-08
The following account of James' visit to ESR was written by members of the ESR Team Council.
The speaker’s name was James.
He has C.P. or Cerebral Palsy which causes him to stumble when he walks.
He feels it is important to advocate for your family, work, your community and even your staff.
James discussed the consumer question about driving. He does drive and drives a manual transmission (stick shift).
James talked about often stumbling when he walks and stated that for most of his life he was in a wheelchair. He says it is difficult for his legs to work right when he is standing but they seem to do better when he is sitting so that is why he can drive “okay”.
He also answered a question stating that he was born with CP and has lived with it for 42 years. Then James went on to say that we learn to live the way we are and that he came to that conclusion after he had a long conversation with God. At that point he decided he wanted to keep his “disability” – it is part of who he is and that it is “okay” to accept the abilities we do have.
WORK
James currently works for the Minnesota Rehabilitation Services doing job placement helping people look for jobs.
He will be going back to school in the Fall for a Masters Degree in Rehab Counseling. James has a college degree, in Marketing and in Communications. He graduated in 2002 so it is never too late to go back to school.
James talk to his clients about the importance of advocating for yourself. He also talks to them about how important it is to advocate the right way. Getting mad doesn’t help. Your need to problem solve and always be RESPECTFUL because if you are angry no one will hear what you have to say they will just be paying attention to how mad you are.
James helps people with interview skills, and preparing to meet with employers, how to talk – (respectfully) and how to write resumes.
He said we all have to get ready to advocate for ourselves and that we all have disabilities, but that we all have more things that we CAN DO that we can’t do!!
COURAGE CENTER
James has been involved there for more than 30 years as a client, volunteer or staff.
When he was a client he was using a wheelchair and they helped him to work really hard until he was able to use crutches and then after that a cane to walk.
Then he decided it was time to give back and advocate. So he volunteered in the swimming program to help people swim. He has also volunteered in kid’s programs, volunteer public relations and for the Alpine Ski program becoming a ski instructor, adapting skiing to each individual.
James also was involved with the “Cars for Courage” program.
He worked with KARE 11 news on a few media spots for courage as well. One was about a swimmer who was raising money to go to the ParaOlympics.
AMY
Amy was a Para Olympic swimmer who wanted to go to the International Games. James helped her raise money and tell her story through orchestrating a media spot on KARE 11 news.
When Amy was age 7, she had 3 strokes in one day causing her disability. She was told by doctors that she would never walk or talk again. She had more strokes and seizures, had brain surgery and then began the process of re-learning how to walk, talk, eat and crawl all over again.
Then Amy started swimming. Now she is so good she wants to race in races with and like those who are “able bodied” swimmers. In the video Amy infact was practicing with an “able bodied” partner.
She is able to drive with handle and foot modifications and volunteers at Courage St Croix with Swimming and is currently married with kids of her own.
VOTING
If you are able to vote and don’t- policies may not reflect your say. So if it is a “bad policy you really don’t have the right to complain if you are not exercising your rights.
We all need to advocate for our rights and what we believe in.
James stated, “I DO VOTE!”
He is in support of programs for people with disabilities and uses his right to vote to advocate for you!
James stated that when you vote you go to a polling place in your neighborhood, these places are accessible and they will help you to vote if you need it.
James excitedly stated that the best and most important way you can advocate for yourself is to exercise the right to vote. The more people that show up to vote like you the more you can do!
JAMES and the KARE 11 EXTRA
James was the subject of a KARE news extra one time.
He states that he enjoys advocating on TV- it is his favorite thing that he likes to do.
The extra was about the baclofen pump to reduce spasticity in people who have CP like himself. He said it was great and that it made him want to dance. He said he learned to dance underwater.
James said he never realized how much pain he was in until it was gone through the use of the baclofen pump.
He said the bottom line is that we need to speak up for what we believe in- in a respectful way!
