The Voiceless Minority

  Hi guys, it’s your friendly neighborhood super-advocate, Jay, back again with another blog post. I have written quite a few in the last month. I want to express my gratitude for your overwhelming support of not only my writing but, perhaps more significantly, I wish to thank you for your continued support of issues that affect the lives of people with disabilities. You constantly inspire me to come up with new content and have reassured me that this blog does make a difference.   Today, I thought it would be appropriate to write a post in honor of Disability Awareness Month. Anyone who has been following the blog as of late will remember that a few years ago, I wrote a piece for Florida Self Advocacy Central and reposted it here. The blog focused on an organization known as The Hive Inclusive Community in Tampa, Florida, which is currently set to open in late 2025. The mission of The Hive, according to their website, is “to foster inclusive communities where every member...

Recently Former FL SAND President Eddie Hall who is already a powerful advocate in Florida was given the opportunity to take his advocacy to a new level when he received a grant from the Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center or as it is commonly known SARTAC. This piece will highlight how when presented with the opportunity Eddie took full advantage of it not only to further pursue his own interest in recreation but at the same time, he has furthered his lifelong passion to make the outdoors accessible for all.  I have known Eddie for several years now. We are both very involved in disability advocacy. Although I thought I knew Eddie I learned a great deal not only about his advocacy but on a deeper level I learned about what drives his passion for disability-related issues during an interview I conducted for a piece I was writing for Florida Self-Advocacy Central. At the beginning of the interview, Eddie explained why he became a disability advocate, to begin with...

To all my regular readers I want to say welcome back and thank you for your continued support. To anyone reading this blog for the first time welcome, please make yourself comfortable and grab a seat or a parking space for your wheelchair and a beverage and enjoy what is to come. In January 2014 I wrote a blog entitled “Aide Care System; The Hurtful Loop Holes” I have included the link to this blog at the bottom of this piece. That piece discussed a crucial problem when it comes to aide care that people with disabilities still face in 2023, however one area it did not cover in great detail was the lack of funding for aide care waivers. The waiver goes by different names depending on the state you live in. I currently live in Florida. Here the waiver is known as the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver. The waiver in theory like all the other waivers started out with good intentions but to be quite honest good intentions don’t pay the bills. In my previous blog on the subject, I tal...

Recently I finished a book entitled “Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter” by Kate Clifford Larson. I was turned on to the book by my girlfriend Samantha Lebron. She knows that I love history, especially political history. When I first began reading the book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Kennedy family has been written about extensively. I thought this would be another look at the Kennedy family through the lens of politics, and, to some extent, it was, but it was much more than just a book about politics. As I got deeper into the book, I realized the book was about something more. It was on a deeper level about the history of the treatment of people with disabilities in the United States. Although Rosemary Kennedy was born to one of the most affluent families of the 20th century, unbeknownst to her she would face prejudices not only from the outside world but even from some members of her own family. Without recounting the whole book which I highly recommend you should read, I w...

It has been a few months since my last blog. However, with it being a new year, what better time than now to hit the ground running with a new sense of purpose and passion? It has always fascinated me how humans can become so disenchanted with life that we reach extremely dark places. To be honest, that’s where I have been the last few months, although it may not seem that way to outsiders. Depression rears its head in the most positive and happy people. You may ask what do I have to be depressed about? To answer without unloading every single problem I face, let’s just say there are quite a few things about my life that would depress most people. How you overcome the difficult times you face defines you as a person. We often require the help and advice of our friends, colleagues, and family to reach the other side of that “dark place.” Lucky for me, I have an amazing group of people that make up the support team that helps me navigate through my “dark place.” Recently, I was having a ...

So, on Monday, I started writing again for this blog. I’m trying to get my shit together. One would think by the time someone is 31; they would have figured things out. I have a great support system and parents who love me beyond measure, yet something is still lacking in my life. I did not know what this was until this morning. As I’ve stated in the other blogs, I attempt to replay conversations in my head after the fact. I was replaying one such conversation from a few months ago this morning when I realized it fit into exactly what’s going on in my life right now. On the surface, it seems as if everything is going perfectly for me. I am being considered for my first job, and from what I’m told, I’m high on the list of potential candidates. I didn’t mess up the actual interview even though I was nervous as all get out. I just had a visit with one of my best friends. Life couldn’t be sweeter, right? Well, I am sad to report that this is not the case. I never thought I’d use this blog...

I know I have written a lot lately; hopefully, it’s a trend that will continue. There are a lot of exciting things happening in my world since the Florida SAND conference. It’s funny how one event can put things in motion that you weren’t even thinking about before the event. Today I met an interesting person by the name of Chris. I have many big ideas, but I have realized that they will take networking and time to implement. I am starting to see that the universe puts things in motion when you least expect it. I was putting together my two-year plan, and it did not involve staying where I am at. I’m not saying that I will, but after the past few days, I’m more open to the possibility of it. I won’t get into great detail about the things that Chris and I discussed because it isn’t set in stone yet; I will say that if it happens, the world will be vastly different (at least in my little corner). I know this was short and sweet, more to come later. 

So, this weekend I attended my first Florida SAND conference. At first, I wasn't sure what to expect; I had never been to an event like this. I had heard mixed reviews from those who have attended in the past. It started slow; there were a bit of technical and arrival glitches with myself and my PCA. However, once we got there, it quickly became apparent that this would not be anything like I had heard. Friday night was a chill night; I met some pretty amazing people and lost Uno's rather exciting game of No official conference business that took place that night. Although my PCA won a bag of espresso beans for some strange reason, I was hoping we would win the autographed football but still pretty awesome. Saturday was the heart of the conference, right away Saturday morning, I realized that something was different. My college brain had kicked in again, and I was in learning mode. I have tried two other academic endeavors since I graduated with my Masters, one in real esta...

Almost two years ago, I wrote a blog about disability parenthood called "Who Says We Can't Have A Family?"  http://thevoicelssminority.blogspot.com/2013/07/who-says-we-cant-have-family.html  In it, I discuss several issues about being a parent and having a disability. When I wrote the blog, I had just turned 27 and had a different view on life. As I am approaching my 29 th  birthday, my perspective on the world is somewhat the same, but on the disability and parenting issue, I don't know if I still hold the same belief.             In that first blog, I laid out the following arguments: It is natural to want to pass genes to offspring, considering human life is just a blip in the cosmic makeup of things, and all we have are the legacies we leave behind. While I still agree with that argument, I find myself internally struggling with the question. Although I believe disabled people as a group have the right to b...

           The news in America has become constant recycling of all the same stories. With the advent of cable news, the news is on 24/7 on some channel or another. You have three major providers, Fox News, CNN, and MSMBC. Along with these providers, you have local affiliates of ABC, NBC, and CBS. But all these channels tend to tell the same stories. Now there is a new type of news network out there.                The Disability News Network, or DNN, is a news network run by DST, Developmental Service Trainers, in Ocala, Florida. DST is a personal care company, which uses the radio station to provide a voice for people with disabilities. Currently, they do not broadcast all the time and are in the process of re-vamping their broadcast schedule. Even though they are based in the U.S., now they only have 1200 listeners. Most of their listeners come from China and Switzerland. Although this is a young radio station,...

s .  If you have a disability, life is generally a struggle. It can be a struggle that can make you healthier or a battle that overwhelms you. In America, since the 1990s, the disabled community has had some form of rights to protect various aspects of life. Those rights have been talked about by me and others extensively. What has not been discussed much is the financial burdens that people with disabilities and their families have to undertake.             To care for a child with a disability is a monumental task. It will consume the lives of people around him/or her. It will strain all parties emotionally and physically, but perhaps most of all, financially. The financial burden can range anywhere from a couple hundred thousand to millions. The financial struggle covers every aspect of life- from transportation to aid care to medical care. When the child grows up, the battle does not end.     ...

  I recently moved back to the south after many years away. Not much has changed; people are still quiet, welcoming, the BBQ is always right, and dirt track racing is still the thing to do on a Friday night. Or at least what all the brochures say.  I was never a fan of dirt tracking racing when I was a kid, but I decided to give it a go since I moved back. One of the "best dirt track racing in the south" is in Ocala, Florida, at Bubba Raceway Park. When I first heard the name, I was skeptical. But then, I did more research. It's a racetrack sponsored and owned by a radio show host known as "Bubba the Love Sponge" although the name may sound different, and his show may not be your typical morning show, the racetrack is what it is advertised to be. Every Friday night beginning in March until the winter months, it is a premier dirt track course and family event. The first time I went, I enjoyed the action-packed show while sitting near the gate while getting co...

It has been nearly eight months since there has been anything new posted on this blog. A lot has happened in eight months hiatus. I have finished my master's degree program in Teacher Education. However, due to the trials and struggles that have occurred during that process, which can be read about in earlier entries, my focus has drifted away from teaching and advocacy for persons with disabilities. Most of this blog has been dedicated to advocacy and discussing various issues that people with disabilities encounter. However, the point of view of the author, me, has changed. A lot of the writing in earlier entries came in a time of my life when I was unhappy with the circumstances faced with. I have since re-evaluated The Voiceless Minority. There was a time where I thought about abandoning the project altogether if I'm honest. However, I decided I would resurrect the blog at this time and take it in a slightly new direction. It will still address social issues, but I will als...

 I suffer many trials and tribulations like everyone else. My physical disability is an apparent battle that I struggle with. However, other battles aren't quite as obvious. Recently, the well-known actor Robin Williams took his own life because he battled depression. This is a disease, which I battle as well. The stigma of depression is overwhelming sometimes. If one finds out you suffer from depression, they look at you negatively. There are more negative consequences of depression in my estimation than with being obese or having afflictions.             With Robin Williams's death, I was set back. It shocked me that someone with such a promise and an appreciation for humor like myself, could not fight his demons anymore. It got me thinking, and to be honest, it got me questioning myself. I often wonder if I am strong enough to battle this internal struggle that I deal with every day. Hopefully, with Mr. Williams's dea...

Today is America’s birthday. I live in the best country in the world. Whether you are liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, we all have opportunities in this country. However, just because we live in the greatest country in the world, it doesn’t mean that people don’t often surprise me. I do have all the opportunity in the world. My disability anywhere else would be 10 times more magnified then it is. I am grateful that I was born where I was, but sometimes I wonder about people. As most of you know I am 27 years old and I have a master degree in education, but that piece of paper doesn’t mean much to my social disability. Yesterday, I was out in Erie at a movie, and I got the following reaction from a lady in her mid to late 40’s. She saw me and my caregiver and her immediate response was awwww. To this moment I still don’t know what that meant, but it made me think.. Just because I have a physical disability doesn’t mean that I have a mental one, but apparently you cannot ...

What is it to be disabled? Disability is a label that society puts on you, but this label has preconceived notions that come with it. This label often causes others to view the one with a disability as something less than human. However, there is more to disability than just a label. A recent situation that has come up regarding my disability has inspired me to write this blog.             As many of you know, I have Cerebral Palsy. Due to the Cerebral Palsy, I require aide care. In a book that I am in the process of publishing, I describe my journey through grad school and the aide care system. However, the aide care system needs a wake-up call. Recently, I have switched to an agency model of care. I am aware that this is a different type of care system, in that I do not hire my employees anymore. However, lately, I feel like a pawn in the aide care system chess game.        ...

It's been a long time since I have written, but I recently watched a video that got me thinking. The video is linked below. I have shared it tons of times since I have watched it. In it, the speaker Stella Young brings up an idea of something called inspiration porn.             She says that the lie that has been perpetrated is more social than physical. I could not agree with her more when I posted the following status "No, I am Not an inspiration for getting my Master's degree and having a disability. No, I am Not an inspiration for getting out of bed every day. Having a disability doesn't make me inspiration, just food for thought." I got a mix back of responses. Some did not understand my point for posting the status, my point being that the inspirational things that I have done should have nothing to do with my disability. My achievements should be based strictly on their merit. They should not have an aster...