Heir- AP

Reflection: My mother had a grade 4 Brain aneurysm and pulmonary embolism when I was 7 years old; this tragedy left my mom handicap and paralyzed on the left side of her body. In a vegetative state, my grandmother fought for my mom to live a somewhat normal life, trying to take her to the movies, to get her nails done, or go to day programs that benefit what she needs. Although my mom was not technically a student, the programs she attended were class like, to rebuild muscle and brain memory that was once lost. Throughout the program, we discovered, as stated in the text, "(a) world that has not been designed with the disabled in mind", she struggled in the bathroom... a bathroom! The entire set up was not handicap accessible and she ended up stuck in there, unable to pull up her drawers calling for help and no one heard. The building itself promoted growth, but was insensitive to her needs and several others as well. My grandma spoke up for my mother, and immediately pulled her out of the facility. "Therefore, as more adults with disabilities take on more powerful roles in society and seek to influence schooling, the attention to these issues will hopefully increase". This is absolutely true because the more disabled representatives speak up for themselves, the more likely change will happen to adapt to their needs. The problem, in my opinion is that no one knows where to start or who to go to. Disabled people can only represent themselves so much, and people such as Penny and my grandma are excellent advocates. Penny said that she was aghast that the social worker was surprised that she expected her son, Joe to get a job. By receiving support from an advocate, you can confidently navigate complex systems and advocate for your needs and those of your community. Disability Advocacy: