Heroes: Defined by their Dreams, Not by their Disabilities
by Sarah Vazquez, Newark, NJ
|
Emulation is the highest form of praise. That's what people are taught very early on in their lives. Our parents are usually the first examples that we follow in order to learn how we should behave in society. Later we may seek out other examples. Different factions of society have people that they can model themselves after: as examples, White America has John F. Kennedy, who they often see as an example of heroism; Black America has Martin Luther King who fought for civil rights; and Latin America has their Jose Ferrer who is an example of a political activist and leader. But who do Latin Americans with disabilities have to look up to and consider as their hero?
Too easy to succumb to stereotypes
As a Puerto Rican child, I had no disabled role model to serve as an example that a person with a disability could be successful and contribute as a productive member of society. If I did not have a support system that consisted of my family and friends, it would have been easy for me to succumb to the stereotypes that society has for people who are physically and mentally challenged. There are those who believe that people with disabilities should not be out in the world doing things that people without disabilities do, such as going to school, and to work.
Dispelling those preconceived notions
However, to help dispel society's preconceived notions, on Wednesday, November 16, 2005, the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Disability Services held its "Latinos with Disabilities Employment Conference -- Bridging the Gap." The conference took place at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, New Jersey and the main objective was to encourage Latino people with disabilities to understand that in spite of their disabilities, they can be part of the workforce. The conference was attended by over 200 hundred people and was a great source of inspiration and information for all who participated.
Setting the bar high
One very interesting aspect of the conference was a panel presentation called "A Day in the Life of People with Disabilities." The panel was a platform for successful Latin American people with disabilities to deliver positive messages about how it is possible to achieve success in challenging circumstances though determination. The panel of Latin Americans with disabilities consisted of a lawyer, a self-employed businessman, and a high school student who was the valedictorian of her eighth grade class. The fact that the panelists spoke at the beginning of the conference was key because it set the tone for the workshop discussions. Their stories contributed to the objective of the conference. If the highest form of praise is emulation, then these individuals set the bar very high indeed.
The main focus of the conference was to encourage Latin Americans with disabilities to seek employment. The panel helped to demonstrate that it is possible to fight against the stereotypes; these panelists did not only become the exception to the rule, but became the rule. Much like me, it would have been easy for them to accept society's notion of what people thought they should become, but they made a conscious decision that their lives were not going to be defined by their disabilities but by the dreams that they had for themselves.
For example, one of the panelists became disabled by way of an accident. He dove into the water and hit his head against a block of sand, snapped his neck and became paralyzed from a spinal cord injury. He spoke about how difficult it was to adapt to life with a disability after having lived so long without one, yet he was able to overcome his circumstances, graduate from college and eventually become a self-made businessman. One of the other panelists was blind from an early age. In spite of his lack of sight, he did not lack a vision of how he wanted his life to be. He became a lawyer by attending Seton University Law School College and is now working for the state. Last, but not least, was a young lady from Newark who attends Arts High School which is known to be a very competitive school. Her main point was that she is just like everybody else, in spite of her disability. She has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. She has the same concerns as of any 13 year old girl: after she spoke of her academic achievements, she said, "I like clothes, I like to dance and I like boys."
Why don't we know who our role models are?
As I listened to these remarkable stories of success, I wondered one thing.
Why hasn't society heard about these types of stories? When one listens to the
news, one almost never hears stories concerning people with disabilities, let alone the stories of their success as working people. We can open a book and read the history of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jose Ferrer, but what book can we open to read about Latino heroes with disabilities in the United States? These role models have crossed boundaries and made names for themselves. They also blazed new trails like other American heroes by having the common thread of having the same human struggle in life. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. realized that outreaching to the communities was a vital point of the civil rights movement, providing pathways for people to become informed and involved. That is why others groups need to make the effort to have conferences such as this one. Therefore, we can all learn more about Latinos with disabilities who are heroes and are role models to emulate.
printer
friendly format |
