Living the American Dream: What does it look like to work with a disability? Samantha Lebron answers this question in an open and honest interview.

In America, from an early age, we are conditioned to work and contribute to society; well, at least, most people are.  However, when you have a physical disability like Ms. Samantha Lebron does, you are often not expected to work full-time. Even though Ms. Lebron has a severe case of cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, she has decided to go against the grain and become a full-time worker.

Throughout the rest of this article, we will highlight a recent interview I conducted with Ms. Lebron, in which she discussed what it is like to work full-time with a physical disability. We will gain insight into Ms. Lebron’s everyday routine, and she and I will discuss topics ranging from society's expectations of people with disabilities and her thoughts on whether she thinks it is worth the extraeffort she has to do to work full-time.

 

J: Hello, Ms. Lebron. Thank you for answering the questions on this important topic of disability and full-time employment.

Samantha Lebron: Hello. Thank you for interviewing me today.

Let’s get started. My first question is pretty simple: What disability do you have?

Samantha Lebron: I have cerebral palsy that disrupts my motor function and how I walk.

That is interesting. So do I. Since our readers can't see you, does your CP affect your arms or just your lower body?

Samantha Lebron: It mostly affects my legs.

I see you are using a wheelchair today. Have you always been in a wheelchair, or have you had to adapt to this over time?

Samantha Lebron: As a child, I used to walk on crutches. When I started college, I used a four-wheel walker. Now, due to secondary medical issues outside of CP, I use different mobility aids depending on my environment and the tasks I am completing.

J: What type of mobility aids do you use?

Samantha Lebron: A power wheelchair or manual wheelchair. I do use crutches occasionally to strengthen my muscles.

J: We have known each other for several years now. You are a very powerful disability advocate. What got you started in advocacy?

Samantha Lebron: When I had to use a wheelchair full-time, I didn’t want it to hold me back, so I went to my local center for independent living in search of activities to do. I met with the grassroots leader and discussed how to get involved in disability advocacy. He then directed me to the organization Ms. Wheelchair Florida, which I competed in, in 2020.

J: What is Ms. Wheelchair Florida?

Samantha Lebron: It is an organization that empowers women in wheelchairs to be an advocate for the state of Florida. Its goal is to break down barriers we face.

J: That is very interesting and sounds like something people should know more about. I will cover that in a different post. So, what was your experience like?

Samantha Lebron: My experience was amazing and lasted three days. I participated in multiple advocacy workshops. While attending the workshops, the judges would come in and pull us aside to conduct interviews to get to know us better. For example, for one of the questions we were given a scenario if we were in a restaurant where the service staff would address other people instead of us and we were then asked how we could advise people with disabilities to handle this situation. This question was one of many they asked everyone. Luckily, I must've answered all their questions satisfactorily because I was chosen as Ms. Wheelchair Florida 2020. And due to the global pandemic, I served for 2021 as well.

J: Thank you for such a strong answer. You have done a lot since Ms. Wheelchair Florida. We met several years ago when you were working for FL SANDS, but I understand you have a full-time job now.

Samantha Lebron: Yes, I work a full-time job now.

J: What is your job?

Samantha Lebron: I work as a disability navigator for a career source in my area.

J: For those unfamiliar with career source, what is career source?

Samantha Lebron: Career Source Florida is a statewide workforce policy and investment board of government and business leaders that guides workforce development in the state. It connects employers with qualified, skilled talent and Floridians with career development opportunities.

J: And what do you do for them specifically?

Samantha Lebron: I am the current disability navigator for the Ticket to Work program in Hillsborough, Florida.

J: That sounds like a pretty important job. Could you tell us a little about what you do?

Samantha Lebron: I help any job seeker between the ages of 18 and 64 coming into the center who receives social security benefits, like SSI and SSDI, and who is looking for work and is eligible. As a navigator, I help each individual find employment and navigate the social security system while being employed because income affects disability benefits.

J: As I said earlier, it sounds like a very important job. What is it like for you to work a full-time job in a wheelchair? What is your daily routine like?

Samantha Lebron: My daily work routine is very long. I have to use a special transportation service to get to and from work.

J: Is this similar to paratransit services?

Samantha Lebron: Yes, it is the paratransit service provided in my county.

J: When I lived in Maryland and Pennsylvania, I learned that paratransit is not designed for one person but multiple people, so what time do you have to be at work every day?

Samantha Lebron: At 8 am every day, the bus picks me up between 5:45 and 6:15.

J: Do you live that far from work?

Samantha Lebron: No, if I were to take an Uber or Lift, it would take me 20 minutes to get to work. I can’t use Uber and Lift because I use a power wheelchair at work, and Uber and Lift do not have vehicles that can transport power wheelchairs.

J: Oh, really. I assume that means you have to wake up earlier than your colleagues.

Samantha Lebron: Yes, I wake up at 4:30 in the morning for work.

J: And you work a 40-hour week, correct?

Samantha Lebron: Yes, that is correct.

J: If my math is correct, you are basically working two full-time jobs to transport to work.

Samantha Lebron: It feels like that most days, yes.

J: I have important questions that many of our readers are wondering. So far, you have been very open with us, and we greatly appreciate it. However, do you think it is worth the 40-hour-a-week paycheck you get, given all that you have to overcome based on your disability? 

Samantha Lebron: Yes, because prior to full-time employment, paying my bills was a struggle.

J: Is there any advice you would give someone beginning their employment journey?

Samantha Lebron: I would say listen to your body, be honest with yourself, and have open conversations with your employer regarding job accommodations. For example, if I have to go offsite for work, I do not have to return to the office and can go home and continue the workday from home because my employer is aware of my transportation situation. I also work two days from home every week.

J: What two days are those?

Samantha Lebron: Mondays and Thursdays.

J: Thank you. We are almost done torturing you with my horrible interview, but before you go, I have two more important questions we have not yet discussed. You use personal support, correct?

Samantha Lebron: Correct.

J: If you don’t mind me asking, what do they help you with?

Samantha Lebron: On the job, they help me access all buildings because not all the doors have automatic push buttons and assist me in the restrooms because not all restrooms are large enough to accommodate my power wheelchair. They also help me with lunch because I can't reach all areas of the breakrooms.

J: Does that mean feeding?

Samantha Lebron: She helps heat up my food and prepare it for me to eat. She also helps with other areas in the building I can't reach.

J: Thank you again. Do you want our readers to know anything before we let you go?

Samantha Lebron: Working with a disability can be very challenging, but I think every person with a disability should try it, whether volunteering part-time or jumping into full-time.

J: Do you think if more people with disabilities pursue full-time work do you think society would be more accepting of people with disabilities?

Samantha Lebron: I would say yes because people with disabilities can hold full-time jobs and should be visible in every aspect of society. We are not going away anytime soon.

J: If anyone wanted to reach out or learn more about your story, how could they contact you?

Samantha Lebron: I have a Facebook page for Ms. Wheelchair Florida, and they can message me there or use my email: mwfl2020.samanthalebron@gmail.com.

 

Again, we would like to thank Ms. Samantha Lebron for her honesty and openness. Her interview highlights the need for employers to be more proactive in recruiting people with disabilities and the idea that people with disabilities need to be more proactive in promoting themselves to live life because, as Ms. Lebron says, people with disabilities are not going away. Society and our community need to learn how to live with and around one another more than ever.