Many Latinos who have disabilities need legal advice and/or assistance about self-advocacy as they begin to search for employment. Advocacy, Inc. based in Denton, Texas, provides legal assistance to people with developmental disabilities in the State who encounter challenges when entering community or employment settings.

Advocacy Inc. - Who They Are, What They Do

Developmental disability is frequently defined as a severe and chronic mental or physical impairment that begins before the age of 22. The disability must substantially limit the person's abilities in three or more life activities including self-care, language, learning, mobility, self-direction, independent living, and/or economic self-sufficiency.

Advocacy Inc. provides people who have developmental disabilities with services including investigation, mediation, negotiation, advice, and representation in administrative and legal proceedings, trainings about how to be a self-advocate, and more. Information on all the agency's programs is available online in English and Spanish (http://www.advocacyinc.org).

My Experience with Advocacy, Inc.

I am consulting Advocacy Inc. about employment discrimination issues at an institution of higher education. I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to secure a job with this university for eight years.

Despite having a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, a Certification in Rehabilitation Counseling, and 10 years of unpaid and paid experience working with people with disabilities, I have not received a single interview for a faculty or staff position.

The university also has not given me an equal amount of hours in my part-time position as a model in the art department that I have held for six years. Some people in the disability offices questioned me about why I wanted the modeling job. They asked me not to pursue this job. Nevertheless I continue to model in the art classes at a minimal number of hours for financial reasons.

I hope Advocacy Inc. can help increase my chance at success negotiating with the university about my complaint. I believe I am being discriminated against (before even getting an interview to assess my abilities) because of my disability. I hope my case helps to raise awareness about employment discrimination around disability.

I need to maintain high levels of independence in order to be a productive member of society. It is difficult to maintain independence if I cannot acquire a full-time position to meet my needs in my community. It is necessary to have access to housing, transportation, food, services, medical assistance, and employment to be productive. I have difficulty securing these basics because I am not employed.

Be Persistent, Not a Pest

I hope Advocacy Inc. can help me learn to advocate for myself without being perceived as a troublemaker. There is a fine line between being a strong self-advocate and being a troublemaker. Sometimes people with disabilities are overly aggressive when advocating for changes in housing, transportation, community and employment issues.

I strive not to be overly aggressive when advocating for change in Texas. I do not want to be known as a troublemaker because it can lead to division among people with disabilities and community systems.

Latino families often build a strong nucleus of support around a disabled family member that can discourage self-advocacy skills in favor of a family unit approach. Sometimes seeking the assistance of advocacy organizations can enforce further independence for the individual with the disability.

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