As a resident of Denton, Texas and a wheelchair user, I am often faced with the challenge of trying to manage my life within a city that has limited employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. A number of rehabilitation specialists and higher education instructors have recommended that I chose another location to live and work, but I have declined such recommendations. It is my opinion, that relocation would inhibit further growth towards an independent lifestyle. As Latinos, we are encouraged to maintain family cohesiveness in the event of an illness or disability.

More protection than freedom
As a child with a disability, I was encouraged to remain home where I would be safe. My father and mother were always firm advocates of protecting their children from the outside world. I was often not allowed to attend sport events, movie theaters, and other social activities without my parents. I was always frustrated with my parents because they would not allow me to go anywhere with my school friends. I was once asked to go with a friend to the State Fair of Texas, but my parents said no. For me, a trip to the local grocery store was a treat.

As I grew older, I began to dream about the freedom of riding my wheelchair to daily activities. I liked the concept of using my wheelchair to complete daily activities. I would also dream about walking my dog along side my girlfriend as we strolled through the neighborhood. These dreams, as I never thought would come true, did begin to materialize when I moved to Denton, Texas.

Now free to travel in my community
Today my life is different. I no longer endure the social isolation of my childhood. As a resident of Denton and a wheelchair user, I am free to travel throughout my community with the use of my scooter. I am free to see the beauty of my neighborhoods without the constant fear of social isolation by other professionals that claim to know the needs of the disability population. As I travel around the University of North Texas, I often see friends that greet me on my trips to complete daily activities.

For example, I have a friend, Mayo, who continues to cut my hair for free. Mayo has lived at his barbershop for 45 years, and is the most comical man in the neighborhood. I often hear him speaking Spanish to his friends as I pass by on my way to the post office. Mayo always yells, "Hey!" as I continue across the road. As I continue towards the post office, my friend Nichole (a security guard) is quick to greet me at the front entrance. We discuss the day activities or recreational events that stimulate our conversations. Nichole will sometimes recommend certain wheelchair modifications during times of extreme weather. For example, Nichole will recommend a bolted umbrella when the weather is extremely rainy or hot. As I arrive at the post office, I ring the bell several times to let them know it is me. The postman (Mike) is usually there to get my mail for me because I am unable to reach my post office box. Mike and I will talk about the weather or the stress of catering to the new students. I also greet the other post office employees as I prepare to continue my daily activities. Lastly, I continue my daily activities by going to the bank, grocery store, or other business entities that benefit my needs. These activities help increase my social network so that I can be a productive member of the community.

Few employment opportunities
The only drawback to living in this community is that there are limited employment opportunities. Within Denton, there are two major universities and other social areas that provide me with interactions with young people. The University of North Texas is known for its liberal arts programs. The university has a variety of recreational and social activities throughout the year, and during the fall semester, is active with football events. There are games, pep rallies, on-campus social activities, dances, and other events that are designed to promote social interactions for students and visitors. I enjoy the football games, pep rallies, on-campus movies, the outdoor events, the recreational center, and the Sunday church services at the Catholic Campus ministries. The Texas Woman’s University (TWU) is known for its health care programs.

I am less familiar with Texas Woman’s University’s on-campus social activities, but the campus is very beautiful, and it has very good walking trails. I also enjoy visiting the on-campus student union for dining and the social interactions. Both the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University are excellent campuses in which to interact with young students. This is why I aspire to be a university instructor in field of Psychology and/or Rehabilitation Studies in the near future.

Treating myself as a client
As a person with a severe disability, I am often asked why I do not wish to relocate to a higher populated city where employment opportunities could benefit me. As a Rehabilitation Counselor, I would not recommend such a transition for myself. Within the scope of my field, I was taught to work within the strengths of persons with disabilities. This means that I am supposed to encourage the employment and social decisions of my clients. This maybe a difficult task because some clients may not have realistic goals, but my role as a counselor is to guide clients into proper directions towards employment outcomes. In my personal situation, I must view myself as a client and a counselor in order to achieve maximum employment and social goals. This is why I have chosen to be a college instructor and writer as my career choice. As a college instructor (web-based or in-class), I would be able to fulfill my employment goals while still engaging in social activities within my community.

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