All my life I have been labeled a minority. I am a minority because I am a Puerto Rican woman from the South Bronx. I was a minority in college as the only Latina in my class. I was a minority at my first job being one of two Latinas at the office. Once again I'm a minority being the only non-disabled person at my current job. Although being a minority can be awkward at times it is the norm for me. However being the minority in the disabled community has been a different experience for me.

I began working with people with disabilities five years ago through a domestic violence program. Since the focus was domestic violence, the consumers' disabilities were not the main issue; instead their safety was the first priority. Disability issues arose mainly when it came to connecting consumers with accessible emergency shelters or American Sign Language interpreters.

It wasn't until about two years ago when I began work at Harlem Independent Living Center that disability issues became real to me. I began to learn more about different disability laws and started attending rallies in Albany, NY and Washington, D.C. I heard different speakers at rallies compare the disability rights movement to the civil rights movement but when I looked all around me I realized my co-workers and I stood out. Sometimes we were the only Blacks and Latinos present at the disability rallies (the minority, again). Although discrimination against people with disabilities is high, how much higher is it if you are disabled and of a different color or speak a different language? Even if disabled people were accepted into mainstream US society, disabled Latinos might still be discriminated against simply for being Latino.

I heard speakers talk about the importance of voting, but what if you are not eligible to vote because you're not a citizen?   It's no wonder the disabled Latino community does not come out to the rallies. The issues being addressed are not issues that will affect them directly. In order for there to be a growth in Latino participation at these rallies, issues which affect Latinos must also be a part of the agenda. Issues such as citizenship, childcare and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in accessible locations and accessible formats should be included. Since disability does not discriminate against race or creed, the issues addressed should to be as diverse and culturally appropriate as possible.

In working with disabled Latinos I have not once been questioned about whether I was disabled or non-disabled. Just the simple fact that I was Latina and could speak Spanish was enough to satisfy my consumers. These same consumers have been dealing with a bureaucratic system that is constantly putting them down for being poor and not speaking English. Whether you are disabled or non-disabled, if you treat people with respect and dignity you can accomplish much more.

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