Juan Romero was born in Tampico, México with Spina Bifida. Today he is 27 years-old and lives independently in Chicago, IL.

Juan receives a check from Social Security that helps him pay his rent and buy personal care items. He is studying at Northeastern University in Chicago because he wants to be a bilingual teacher. He is continuing his studies because he believes that education is indispensable to finding a quality steady job and to obtain benefits including healthcare.

In 1981 Juan's family immigrated to Chicago in search of new opportunities for Juan and for the family as a whole.

When Juan became old enough to work, he began to work part-time as a receptionist at a school. But Juan had to leave the position because he was at risk of losing his medical benefits, an indispensable service considering he has frequent health needs.

Juan has experienced the lack of understanding about his disability from people in his close circle of family and friends as well as from strangers and acquaintances.

The inaccessibility of some public places was a barrier to Juan because he uses a wheelchair. For this reason he is well informed about his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so he can protect his rights and the rights of others.