During the sixth annual Bridges to Employment Conference, a group of Latinos dealing with disabilities came together to share their personal stories of struggle and success as they transitioned form school to the world of employment. A recurrent theme was the resilience of the participants, who strive to live a full life in spite of the difficulties that come with being a minority and living with a disability.

Megan O’Neil, project manager of the World Institute on Disability’s Access to Assets program, presented the speakers. “Seeing others like you and how they deal with strategies for employment is very helpful,” O’Neal said to a room full of consumers, employers, service providers and advocates.

Natasha Alvarez, a Latina who lives with osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease, works as a middle school teacher in Miami. “I am a woman, a Hispanic and disabled; what more can you ask for?” she asked humorously. Alvarez writes the syndicated online opinion column “Just My Bellybutton,” and is also founder, president, and editor of Audacity Magazine, an award-winning online magazine for people with disabilities. In 2006, Alvarez was chosen by The Miami New Times as one of South Florida’s Savviest Singles and was a finalist for the Diva Visionary Award for her contributions to the community as well as a nominee for teacher of the year.

When Alvarez started her job as a teacher ten years ago, her colleagues thought that she would not be able to handle the demands of her job, she said. “A friend of mine [at work] said to himself, ‘I’m going to have to handle those kids when she can’t handle them,’ but now it’s exactly the opposite—I take care of his kids when he can’t handle them,” she said.  “Do not underestimate me…sometimes what we think is our weakness is a strength that has not been touched.”

Diego Betancourt, a student at Miami Lakes Technical Education Center, agreed.  “Anybody with a disability can do anything if they work hard and try their best,” Betancourt said. Betancourt, who has a physical disability, studies major appliance repair and is the first place winner of a Skills USA regional competition. He will attend the national competitions in Missouri at the end of June.

Parents of people with disabilities were also represented in the panel. Filiberto Davalos is father to 23-year-old Cesar, who was diagnosed with autism as a child. Davalos shared the painful memories of finding out about his son’s handicap, the struggles towards independence, and the sweet realization that his son has overcome many of the obstacles he faced as a child. Cesar graduated from high school this year and now works at Goodwill. His father could not be prouder. “As a son there could be no better,” Davalos said.

As Cesar’s case shows, supportive parents are an important factor in the success of people with disabilities. “Both of my parents have been very supportive,” said Anthony García. “This builds my confidence and helps me to keep going,” Blind since birth, García is a staff member at Lindsey Hopkins Technical Education Center.

Sara Helena Vazquez, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of four, reiterated that parental support makes a difference in the life of every child, and is even more important for a disabled child. “My mother raised me to believe that I could do anything,” said Vazquez, who has a BA in psychology and English from Rutgers University, works at the state of New Jersey Division of Disability Services, and is currently writing an autobiographical book. “Parents always say that to their children, but it’s different when a parent tells that to a child with a disability,” Vazquez said.

After college graduation, Vazquez had to learn to deal with employer’s low expectations of people with disabilities. “I remember sitting in front of an employer for a teaching position—she looked at me and asked, ‘Did you really go to Rutgers University?’”

In spite of the hurdles, the panelist said that their spirit, not their disabilities, gives meaning and direction to their world. As Vazquez so eloquently put it, “My disability has helped me discover the person I was meant to be, but it has never defined my life.”

For further information:

Proyecto Vision: 866-367-5361 or www.proyectovision.net

Audacity, the disabled magazine for the able mind: www.audacitymagazine.com

Miami Lakes Technical Education Center: 305-557-1100

State of New Jersey Division of Disabilities Services: 888-285-3036 or 609-292-1210 TTY

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