Many people agree that those who have the privilege of being mentored are more likely to excel in academics and eventually become productive, successful contributors in the workforce. In 1997, Hispanic Magazine reported that Aspira, a national organization dedicated to providing supportive educational services, mentoring programs and scholarship opportunities for Latino youth, proposed a conference in Washington D.C. to discuss and plan ways to address challenges that exist for Latino youth with disabilities. Exactly seven years later, Aspira's Chicago-area branches have yet to serve people with mobility impairments.

"It isn't that we want to discriminate against those with disabilities," said Jenny Alvarado, Academic Advisor and Mentoring Program Coordinator for Aspira's Miguel Del Valle Youth Development Center. She continued, "Our offices are wheelchair accessible for those with disabilities who want to be apart of Aspira." Alvarado went on to explain that Aspira does most of its recruiting at schools where there are large proportions of students who are considered at risk of dropping out. She suggested that educational segregation might be another reason there are not more youths with disabilities involved with Aspira.

Jenny stated that for many years, recruitment and information about Aspira was only done in schools where students were receiving general education. Students with disabilities were absent or excluded primarily due to their being separated in special education classrooms or enrolled at schools designed exclusively to meet their educational and therapeutic needs. The Jesse Spalding School located on Chicago's West Side, for example, had a distinct reputation for educational segregation.

Segregated Education in Chicago

Jesse Spalding, established in the late 1800s, was the only institution of its kind that was exclusively designed to meet the needs of "handicapped children." In June 2004, Jesse Spalding performed its final graduation ceremony and closed its doors permanently due to noncompliance with mainstreaming requirements. Too few students with disabilities were placed in their neighborhood schools. Those students who did not complete their school when the facility closed were finally sent to their neighborhood schools.

Spalding was forced in 1991 to begin the practice of reverse mainstreaming; integrating able-bodied high school students from the community. In accordance with a city ordinance that requires schools to accept all students within their district, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, school officials found themselves overwhelmed and unprepared. Classes were still segregated (only freshmen were enrolled the first year and new honors and extracurricular courses were initiated specifically for them), and numerous fights broke out within the student body prompting many teachers to retire the following year.

By the 1990s though, Spalding wasn't the only school equipped to teach students with disabilities. A court case won by Access Living caused the Board of Education to make half of the existing elementary and high schools throughout the city physically accessible for students with mobility impairments. Any new schools being built would be required to provide the necessary accommodations. It is very likely that Latinos with disabilities, particularly those with mobility impairments, were in attendance at schools in which Aspira would be most likely to serve. So, how is it possible that membership within Aspira is void of those with mobility impairments? The answers may lie in the methods of recruitment.

Methods of Recruitment Not Attracting Disabled Youth

When asked about how youth were recruited for Aspira, Jenny Alvarado stated that anyone who is interested in joining is more than welcome to do so. It seemed at first, that there was no direct connection with the students; that all of the recruitment was done through referral but then Ivette Cao Romero, the center's Director, and Assistant Director Wendy Figueroa provided a clearer explanation of the process.

Cao Romero explained, "Recruiting begins when we receive a referral by a teacher, school principal, parent or even the student herself. We then request permission from the school to pass out information and talk with students who have questions about Aspira. We set up our tables by the student cafeteria and spend a full day greeting students and talking with them. We place ourselves at a highly visible area but we haven't yet been approached by a person with a mobility impairment." She added, "There's only one young lady that I know of who uses a wheelchair and has been here to talk about her disability to the students. She happens to be the daughter of one of Aspira's board members."

Aspira isn't completely void of youth with disabilities. Staff provide educational services to some "Aspirantes" with diagnosed learning and developmental disabilities. Writing goals for Individual Education Plans, translating and advocating for parents to receive education services for their child, and being a part of parent-teacher conferences are among the tasks staff realize.

When asked what they thought the reason was for not having a broader representation of youth with impairments, Ivette and Wendy also attributed it partially to segregated education. Both women also felt that parents who are uninformed about resources or who believe children with disabilities should be cared for and kept away from the general public, also have a hand in the "no-turn-out."

In efforts to remedy the situation, Aspira suggested scheduling meetings for teachers and   parents of youth with disabilities. The purpose of the meetings would be to provide information about Aspira. Meetings with parents would include a chance to tour Aspira and an opportunity to discover what barriers are being faced by these parents and what concerns are they have with regards to their child's future.

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