A Call for Policy Changes and Next-Level Advocacy at the 2024 SourceAmerica Grassroots Conference
Unsure of his future in the workforce after being off for almost four years, Jim Lindquist reached out to the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agency in his home state of Tennessee. Through the program, he learned about Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI) and an available position as a part-time switchboard operator. Jim applied immediately, but, in his […]
How Wheelchair Sports Made Me a Better Leader
The very first sport I played was wheelchair soccer. I loved it from my first practice. Even before that, sports have always been my major passion and shaped me into who I am today. I come from a sports-loving family, and watching sports was a pastime that always brought us together. I was fortunate enough to […]
The Goods and Bads of Living with Cerebral Palsy
By Kylie Moore If you’ve read any of my posts before, you’re likely familiar with me; I’m Kylie, and I live with a condition called cerebral palsy. While presenting its challenges this condition has significantly shaped both my personal and professional identity. In honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, observed every March, I want to […]
Three Fundamental Workplace Self-Advocacy Steps that Helped Me Find (and Keep) a Fulfilling Job
By Kylie Moore Being a self-advocate is a valuable skill that has helped me in many areas of life. One of the most critical areas where advocacy comes into play is the workplace. Finding the right job and maintaining it, can be challenging for a person with a disability. Yet, if you learn to advocate […]
How to Effectively Advocate for Yourself at Work, in School, and Everyday Life
Going to college has been my goal since an early age. Throughout the first three years of high school, I had taken all the necessary college prep classes to achieve this ambition. I then started working with the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency during my senior year to prepare for the next step in my education. My […]
How I Build a Strong Network while Living with a Disability
We have all heard the expression: “It is not always about what you know but who you know.” Throughout my career as a disability advocate, I have found this to be true. Building meaningful relationships has been a critical factor in my success, and networking helps me foster and maintain those relationships. What is Networking? […]
Eight Vital Requirements for Empowering Independence in the Lives of People with Disabilities
What if you lost your ability to make decisions that affect your life and your future? Not because you can’t make those decisions but simply because of barriers created by society and your surrounding community. One in four Americans lives with a disability, meaning that one in four individuals faces the real threat of being […]
Navigating the Benefits Cliff: The Challenges of Working While Having a Disability
To live independently, individuals with disabilities need access to the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers. These opportunities include but are not limited to physical, social, and economic freedom. An essential first step towards securing independence is finding meaningful employment and a career that aligns with the person’s skills and interests. The unemployment rates among […]
The Often-Overlooked Benefits of Working While Living with a Disability
By Kylie Moore In 2022, nearly 80 percent of the individuals living with disabilities were unemployed, according to the most recent data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rates for persons with a disability (7.6 percent) and persons without a disability (3.5 percent) declined in 2022. However, as the numbers suggest, those […]
Celebrating Cerebral Palsy Month: BDI’s Kylie Moore Shares Her Journey of Self Discovery & Advocacy
My name is Kylie Moore. I am a 33-year-old woman who has cerebral palsy. For the last eight years, I’ve worked at Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI) as a Special Projects Coordinator. In honor of March being Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, I’d like to share my story and journey to becoming an advocate with you! My […]