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ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM ABOUT[Focus on Abilities (#194): "Barbara Aguirre - Community Activist"]
ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I DIRECT THE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
AND I'M PROFESSOR OF BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS AT UT HEALTH.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST AND WE'LL TALK WITH HER AND A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE BREAK, HOWEVER, I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT WILL ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF THE PROGRAM, AND THAT IT'S WHERE IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, CAN YOU GO IN HOUSTON TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO ENGAGE IN RECREATION AND SPORTS AND CONVERSATION.
WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT AFTER THIS BREAK FROM FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
MY GUEST TODAY ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES IS MS. BARBARA AGUIRE AND, UH, BARBARA, WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
SO BARBARA, WE MET AT THE, UH, METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AND YOU WERE THERE TESTIFYING MM-HMM
ABOUT, UH, EXPERIENCES YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD ON METRO, I THINK.
DO YOU RECALL THAT? YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID.
DID YOU HAVE ANY GOOD THINGS TO SAY OR, WELL, I DID HAVE A SMALL ISSUE WITH, UH, THE WAY CITY AND THE BUSES HANDLE, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEELCHAIR USERS.
AND SO I DID BRING THAT, UH, UP TO, UH, THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT DAY.
YOU WERE, YOU RIDE THE, UH, THE FULL SCALE BUSES? YES.
I RIDE THE CITY BUSES AS ALL AS WELL AS METRO LYFT.
SO YES, I USE ALL THE SERVICES.
SO, AND THE ISSUE YOU HAD WITH THE, UH, THE BIG BUS? I DON'T RECALL.
IT WAS, UH, THEY DON'T, DIDN'T, AT THAT TIME, THEY DIDN'T STRAP US DOWN.
DO THEY NOW? UH, SOMETIMES, BUT YES, FOR THE MOST PART, YES.
LET'S SAY THERE'S SUPPOSED TO.
AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, RIGHT.
UM, SOMETIMES MAYBE, UM, THEY EITHER FORGET, THEY'RE IN A HURRY, THEY THINK I DON'T WANT IT, OR WHATEVER.
AND I WILL SAY, EXCUSE ME, DO YOU MIND ADDING THE OTHER STRAPS? MM-HMM
I NEVER HAD ANYBODY OBJECT TO THAT AS, AS HAVE YOU? NO, NOT RECENTLY.
IT'S, I THINK, UH, NOW THE, NOW THAT I'VE SAID SOMETHING, OR AT LEAST I'VE HELPED WITH THAT CONVERSATION, THEN IT HAS CHANGED A LOT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE ISSUES AND THEY GET FRUSTRATED BY THEM, AND THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND IT REPEATS AND REPEATS, BUT EXACTLY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT IS, BECAUSE IN THE PAST THEY TRIED TO SAY SOMETHING AND NOTHING, NOTHING EVER HAPPENED.
SO IT'S EXACTLY LIKE, IS IT WORTH IT OR NOT? EXACTLY.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE WITH METRO AS A BOARD MEMBER, AS A USER, AND I USE METRO VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY.
IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RIGHT AND YOU TRY TO DESCRIBE IT AS WELL AS YOU CAN, THEY, THEY REALLY WILL TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
AND I THINK THAT'S GENERALLY TRUE OF MOST, MOST PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE.
YOU HAVE, UH, YOU TOLD ME SPINA BIFIDA.
SO YOU HAD A, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITHOUT A DISABILITY? NO.
I, YOUR LIFE HAS REALLY BEEN AS A PERSON WITH A, UM, YOU, I DON'T WANT TO ASK YOUR AGE, BUT, UH, YOU, IT'S BEEN, YOU'RE A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN, RIGHT? OR YOUNG? YES.
SO, UM, YOU WERE PROBABLY IN SCHOOL BEFORE THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT? YES, I WAS IN, I WAS IN SCHOOL IN THE LATE, EARLY NINETIES ACTUALLY, SO YES, RIGHT AROUND THE, IN HOUSTON.
YOU WERE BORN IN HOUSTON, BORN AND RAISED IN HOUSTON? YES.
AND, AND THE, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACCOMMODATED YOU? I WILL BE HONEST, UM, NO.
UM, THE TWO SCHOOLS THAT I WAS ZONED TO, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A NURSE AT THE TIME, AND SO I WAS ASKED TO GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF MY ZONE SO THAT THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE ME WITH, UH, A NURSE AT THAT TIME.
AND SO FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF, OF, OF
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SCHOOLING, WHAT KINDERGARTEN? PRETTY MUCH THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, I WENT TO A SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF MY ZONE.SO THE DIFFERENCE WAS WHAT DISTANCE GOING A SHORT WEIGHT TO YOUR ZONE SCHOOL OR HOW LONG WEIGHT? IT WAS? IT WASN'T THAT LONG OF A, A DISTANCE.
IT WAS, UH, PRETTY MUCH AROUND THE CORNER, BUT DEFINITELY NOT IN MY, IN MY SCHOOL.
AND THE KIDS WERE DIFFERENT? YES, VERY.
SO THEY SEPARATED YOU FROM THE KIDS YEAH.
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BASICALLY? YES.
THAT HAD TO BE A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.
IT WAS ESPECIALLY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER.
SO MY FIRST LANGUAGE WAS SPANISH.
UH, I WAS NOT FLUENT IN ENGLISH, SO IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND BECAUSE I STARTED SCHOOL LATE, SO IT KIND OF MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO MAKE FRIENDS.
UM, I THINK BACK THEN, KIDS OUR AGE, MY AGE WERE NOT EXPOSED TO, UH, CHILDREN WITH DIS DISABILITIES, SO IT WAS KIND OF HARD.
SO, AND THE SCHOOLS WEREN'T TEACHING BILINGUAL EDUCATION? NO, THEY WERE NOT.
SO YOU REALLY WERE DEALING, ADJUSTING TO THE DISABILITY AND THE BARRIERS THERE AS WELL AS THE LANGUAGE BARRIERS? YES, EXACTLY.
AND, AND THEN YOU PROCEEDED BY THE TIME YOU GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL? BY THE TIME I, THINGS BETTER.
BY THE TIME I, I, I HIT HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WERE STILL, THEY WERE BETTER.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THEY QUITE KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH.
I ALSO HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY, SO THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO RUSH ME.
I FELT LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO RUSH ME OUT AND I MEAN, THEY DID A LOT OF MODIFICATIONS AND THEY DID, UH, THEY WERE EASY ON ME WHEN IT CAME TO CERTAIN SUBJECTS.
DID YOU HAVE AN IEP? I DIDN'T.
SO, BUT THAT, DURING THAT TIME, YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE, YEAH.
SO THE SCHOOL ACTUALLY OVERLOOKED? YEAH.
AND, AND THEY WERE ACCOMMODATING YOU IN A SORT OF WAY, BUT NOT REALLY, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO THE RULES EXACTLY.
OF THE EDUCATION FOR ALL HANDICAPPED CHILDREN'S ACT.
WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU MUCH MORE SUPPORT.
YES, PROBABLY DURING THAT TIME.
WELL, WE CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
UM, TALKING TO, TO YOUNGER PEOPLE TODAY, DO YOU HAVE THAT IMPRESSION? I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE, UM, UM, LIKE I, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THE KIDS NOWADAYS THAT IT'S, IT'S A LOT MORE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS, OR AT LEAST THAT'S MY HOPE THAT IT IS DIFFERENT.
UM, THE LANGUAGE ISSUES HAVE PRETTY WELL RESOLVED THEMSELVES? UM, I THINK SO.
UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, BECAUSE, UH, YOU'RE MORE EXPOSED TO, UH, DIFFERENT CULTURES NOWADAYS, SO IT, I FEEL LIKE HOUSTON IS A MELTING POT, SO, YEAH.
WERE YOU IN HISD? I WAS, HERE'S A BIT OF INFORMATION.
UM, THE, THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOLS MM-HMM
HISD IN 1989 WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN THE UNITED STATES TO TESTIFY FOR THE, BEFORE THE US CONGRESS THAT SCHOOLS SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
SO THAT HER, HER NAME WAS MELANIE ELLIS, AND SHE SPOKE BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE IN HOUSTON, AND THEY ASKED HER THAT QUESTION.
THEY SAID, IT'S GONNA COST YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
YOU HAVE TO TRAIN A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SHE SAID, IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT.
UM, BARBARA, I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE AS AN ADULT MM-HMM
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK FIRST, AND, UH, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL BE BACK MORE, UH, BARBARA AGREY RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK FROM FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
DUSK IS THE BEST TIME TO WATCH THE BATS TAKE FLIGHT FROM THEIR W BRIDGE HOME.
WHAT DO HOUSTON'S BEST COFFEE EXPERTS, SUSHI CHEFS, BAKERS AND BREWERS HAVE IN COMMON? YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO TASTE WHEN YOU JOIN US DOWNTOWN.
VISIT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.ORG TO FIND YOUR NEXT DELICIOUS ADVENTURE.
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WE COULD START BY TELLING YOU HOW SLEEK IT IS, HOW IT'S AT THE EDGE OF INNOVATION IN ITS INDUSTRY, THAT IT MAKES CONNECTIONS FASTER AND MORE CONVENIENT.WE COULD PROMOTE THE FACT THAT EVEN TRAFFIC SIGNALS GIVE IT THE GREEN LIGHT AND THAT IT MOVES SO QUICKLY.
WE HAD TO GIVE IT ITS OWN LANE.
OR YOU COULD JUST RIDE, DISCOVER WHERE THIS RAIL LIKE RIDE IS GOING NEXT.
YOU'RE WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES, AND WE'RE HERE WITH BARBARA AGUIRE.
BARBARA, YOU, YOU GOT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL? I DID.
AND, UH, AND YOU TOOK A SHORT WHILE TO EXPLORE HCC, BUT DIDN'T, DIDN'T PARTICULARLY FEEL LIKE THAT WAS THE PLACE FOR YOU? NO, I DIDN'T, HONESTLY, I, I THOUGHT I COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND, UM, ABOUT 2009 I STARTED WORKING WITH DARS AND THEY HELPED ME GO TO SCHOOL TO DO, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.
NOW, DARS IS THE FORMER VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AGENCY IN TEXAS NOW.
IT'S THE, THE CONVERSATION IS NOT ANYMORE RELEVANT, BUT BACK, BACK IN THE DAY, BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS YES.
IT, IT WAS A REALLY OUTSTANDING AGENCY.
AND THEY GUIDED YOU TO, UH, GOODWILL.
UM, SO AT FIRST, GOODWILL TRIED TO SEND ME OFF TO JOB INTERVIEWS, AND BECAUSE I HAD NEVER HAD THE WORK EXPERIENCE, UM, MY COUNSELOR THERE SAID, WELL, WE CAN DO A PAID TRAIN PROGRAM THAT DARS WILL HELP PAY FOR, AND WE CAN TRAIN YOU HERE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I STARTED ORIGINALLY AT GOODWILL WAS A JOB, UH, TRAINING PROGRAM, AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, THREE MONTHS.
AND WHAT TURNED IN INTO A, A JOB, UH, PROGRAM QUICKLY BECAME MY, UH, PERMANENT, UH, EMPLOYMENT.
WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY, THEY TRAINED YOU, THEY FOUND THE BEST ONE IN THE CLASS AND THEY KEPT HER WORKING, RIGHT? YEAH.
YES, I'VE SEEN THEM COMING BEFORE.
UM, DID THE, UH, ABOUT THIS TIME NOW, ARE YOU STILL HAVING, YOU KNOW, SURVIVED THE, UH, PRIMARY SCHOOL AND DONE FAIRLY WELL IN HIGH SCHOOL WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE, UH, SUPPORT YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAD, AND NOW YOU'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
DO YOU, UM, ARE, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A LOT OF BARRIERS, UH, IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY, EITHER FROM A CULTURAL STANDPOINT OR FROM A DISABILITY STANDPOINT? NO, AT THAT TIME, I, I HADN'T, UM, EVERYONE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, OF ME BEING THERE.
I, I ORIGINALLY, WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH GOODWILL, I STARTED OFF IN ONE PROGRAM, SO I WOULD WORK WITH THE TICKET TO WORK AND THE DARS PROGRAM.
SO I WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN I QUICKLY MOVED ON TO, UM, THE GENERAL POPULATION.
SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT, FOR A DIFFERENT THING FOR ME.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, MY GOAL WAS TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES COULD ALSO WORK.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE APPROACHING IT? YES, I AM.
BECAUSE EVERY DAY EVERYONE ASKS, WELL, WOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU WORK? LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU CAN WORK.
AND SO YOU, YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER? YES, I DID.
HOW DID YOU FIND IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? SO, I ORIGINALLY HAD AT ONE POINT COMPLETED MY, UM, OT AND PT AT TIER, AND I WAS SENT OFF.
THEY SAID, FIND A GYM, YOU KNOW, TO HELP YOU OUT, CONTINUE TO DO YOUR WORKOUTS.
AND, UH, A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE AT THE TIME SAID, WHY DON'T YOU TRY GOING TO THE, YOU KNOW, MULTI-SERVICE CENTER? I HAD HEARD OF IT FROM YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS YOUNG, BUT NEVER HAD EXPOSURE TO IT.
AND SO I STARTED ATTENDING THERE IN ABOUT 2011 IS WHEN I REALLY GOT THE EXPOSURE TO THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
AND I, I, I STARTED USING THE GYM, GOT EXPOSED TO WHEELCHAIR SPORTS, UH, WAS REALLY TIMID AT THE VERY BEGINNING, STILL TIMID ABOUT WHEELCHAIR SPORTS
YOU LOOK LIKE IT COULD BE AN AGGRESSIVE PLAYER, BUT YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU'RE REALLY, REALLY NOT.
YOU PLAY BASKETBALL? NO, I ACTUALLY, UM, MY FIRST SPORT THERE, UH, BACK THEN WAS WHEELCHAIR SOCCER.
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CHAIRS.I HAVE USED THE POOL, AND I'VE ALSO USED THE FITNESS ROOM AND VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT, UH, LIKE TABATA TUESDAY NOW IS VERY POPULAR.
UM, AND YOU ACTUALLY WORKED THERE FOR A WHILE? YES, I DID.
UM, AFTER A FEW YEARS, THEY NOTICED THAT I WAS REALLY A PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEY LOVED THAT I WAS GOING, AND I WAS DEDICATED TO GOING THERE ALMOST EVERY DAY,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LESSON IN THAT, IN THAT, UH, PEOPLE WHO DO THINGS THAT THEY ENJOY DOING MM-HMM
AND SOMEBODY SEES THEM DOING IT AND GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT AS PAID WORK.
THAT'S LIKE THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS.
YOU GOT A JOB, YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO.
THAT'S, UH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A LESSON FOR ALL OF US.
NOW, NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE LUXURY RIGHT.
OF HANGING OUT
BUT NONETHELESS, THESE THINGS DO HAPPEN.
AND, UH, I NOW YOU WERE IN THERE SOMEWHERE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS MM-HMM
UH, TO SUPPORT HEALTHCARE AND, AND MAYBE, UH, LIVING MM-HMM
DOES, DID THE WORK EVER START TO INTERFERE WITH THE BENEFITS? YES AND NO.
UM, WHEN I, I WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED OFF RECEIVING SSI AND MEDICAID, AND SO YES, WHEN I DID ORIGINALLY START WORKING, THEY CAUGHT OFF A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT.
I, I WASN'T, UH, GETTING AS MUCH BECAUSE I WAS GAINING, UH, WORK.
AND SO THEY KIND OF, UH, SAID, OKAY, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE MAKING THIS MUCH.
SO WAS IT A BREAK EVEN AT THE TIME? YEAH, IT WAS.
I WAS ACTUALLY MAKING A LITTLE BIT, TO BE HONEST, I WAS MAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO I WAS OKAY WITH IT, AND THEN I WAS, UH, LAID OFF AND WHEN I WAS LAID OFF, NO ONE TELLS YOU, AND NOT EVEN SOCIAL SECURITY TELLS YOU, BY THE WAY, YOU DON'T GET YOUR FULL BENEFITS RIGHT AWAY.
OH, SO YOU THOUGHT THEY WOULD RESTART RIGHT AWAY? YES.
AND DISCOVER THERE'S A WAITING PERIOD.
HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT HOW TO ADVISE PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH THAT? UM, I'VE, I JUST TRY TO SAY, TALK TO YOU SOCIAL, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND TRY TO GET A GUIDANCE.
UH, TRY TO, THEY ALWAYS SAY, UM, EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT.
AND SO JUST REALLY TRY TO GET A, A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR BENEFITS AND WHAT YOU ARE AND AREN'T ALLOWED TO WORK WHILE BEING UNDER SSI VERSUS DISABILITY, BECAUSE THEY'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
UH, AND KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE.
SO WHO CAN YOU GO TO TO GET HELP WITH THAT? UM, YOU COULD ALWAYS, UM, I, I'VE GONE PERSONALLY MYSELF TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE, BUT I'VE ALSO GONE TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO ASK BETTER GUIDANCE BECAUSE I, VERY COOL.
I WANT TO VISIT MORE ABOUT, UH, BARBARA AGUIRE AND WHERE BARBARA IS TODAY.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK FIRST, SO YOU ALL PLEASE STAY TUNED.
UH, THIS IS FOCUS ON ABILITIES IN HOUSTON, WE MAKE TOMORROW TOGETHER, BUT FIRST WE MAKE DINNER TOGETHER.
WE MIX INGREDIENTS AND CULTURES.
WE CREATE EXCITEMENT THAT YOU CAN TASTE AND EXPERIENCES TO SAVOR.
YOU'RE A LOCAL, YOU'RE ONE OF US, AND WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A RICHER, MORE EXCITING EXPERIENCE.
WE'LL SHARE THE FOOD THAT WOWED NATIONAL COOKING SHOWS AND TAKE YOU TO THE ATTRACTIONS THAT PUT US IN TRAVEL AND LEISURE'S TOP 50 PLACES TO VISIT IN 2023.
AND THEN WE'LL TAKE YOU OUT TO A BALL GAME TO SEE OUR WORLD SERIES CHAMPS.
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS AMBULANCE, POLICE, OR FIRE, THE FIRE HYDRANT IS GUSHING EVERYWHERE.
FOR CITY RELATED SERVICES LIKE WATER LEAKS, TRAFFIC
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TICKETS, AND MORE, I NEED HELP FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.CALL 2 1 1 FOR ALL SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD BANKS, HOUSING, SHELTER ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
MAKE THE RIGHT CALL 2 1 1 3 1 1 9 1 1.
THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC METRO HAS BEEN THERE FOR YOU GETTING MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS TO THEIR JOBS DURING LOCKDOWN.
WE'RE ALSO IMPROVING YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
FROM MORE FREQUENT CLEANINGS TO SECURITY MONITORS ON VEHICLES, WE'VE LAUNCHED FREE WIFI AND INSTALLED OVER 3000 NEW ACCESSIBLE BUS STOPS ALL TO MAKE YOUR RIDE BETTER.
VISIT RIDE METRO.ORG TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE.
WE'RE TALKING WITH THE COALITION FOR BARRIER FREE LIVING FOLKS, BOTH LEX AND JOYCE FREEDOM.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A CENTER.
IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF FACILITIES, UH, ON AN ORGANIZED BASIS FOR HANDICAPPED PEOPLE AND THE SUPPORT FACILITIES IN A TOWN OF WHAT ALMOST WELL METROPOLITAN AREA OF 2 MILLION PEOPLE.
PROBLEM THAT WE FIND IS THAT THERE IS NO CENTRALIZED SERVICE CENTER SO THAT HANDICAPPED PEOPLE CAN GO AND SOCIALIZE SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND RECREATE.
SO, UM, UM, THEY CAN FIND SPACE TO, TO RUN PROGRAMS OF THEIR OWN.
WE ARE ALL VERY PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO HOLD THIS HEARING, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD THAT THE DELIBERATIONS ON THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1989 ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN A, A CITY FACILITY WHOSE PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO SERVE THE DISABLED COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON.
AND IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE'RE GATHERED HERE IN HOUSTON TO CELEBRATE THE VISIONARY WORK OF TRAILBLAZING INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES.
BECAUSE WHILE THE A DA HAS HAD AN INFLUENCE ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON HAS HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE A DA FOCUS ON ABILITIES IS ON THE AIR.
AND I'M LEX FRIEDEN, YOUR HOST.
THIS IS BARBARA AGREY, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIFE, UH, IS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.
UM, BARBARA, YOU, UM, SO YOU HAD WORK EXPERIENCE, YOU HAD EXPERIENCE AT SCHOOL AND, AND, UH, YOU MET THIS, UH, WONDERFUL PLACE MM-HMM
UH, AND, UH, YOU MET A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
AND AT SOME POINT YOU DECIDED YOU WANTED TO DO MORE AND YOU I DID.
UH, SO MY BEST FRIEND MARIA AND I, AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND TALKING, WE FINALLY DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO START OUR OWN SUPPORT GROUP FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, OUR MAIN GOAL IS ADVOCACY, ESPECIALLY IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE AS WOMEN, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SELF-ADVOCATE FOR OURSELVES.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPEAK FOR, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR INFORMATION, UM, TO WHERE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT NOT ONLY OUR DISABILITIES, BUT YOU KNOW, LIFE IN GENERAL AFTER A DISABILITY OR WHEN YOU, BECAUSE I, I FIND I HAVE FOUND VERY SURPRISINGLY THAT EVEN WOMEN BORN WITH DISABILITIES, UH, IT TAKES THEM A VERY LONG TIME TO ACCEPT THEIR DISABILITY, EVEN IF YOU'RE BORN WITH IT.
I THINK I REALIZED THAT A PART OF MY DISABILITY I HADN'T FULLY QUITE EMBRACED AND IT IT'S TAKEN ME A REALLY LONG TIME TO EMBRACE THAT.
SO YOUR OBJECTIVE WITH THE GROUP IS TO HELP EMPOWER WOMEN? YES.
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OVERCOME BARRIERS RELATED TO THEIR GENDER, PARTLY TO THEIR RACE, UH, BACKGROUND, CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND, UH, DISABILITY.HOW OFTEN DOES YOUR GROUP MEET? WE USUALLY MEET, UM, ONCE TO TWICE A MONTH.
UM, ONCE UH, A MONTH WE HAVE, UH, DISCUSSIONS, OPEN DISCUSSIONS.
UH, WE ARE OPEN TO ALL OF US DECIDING WHAT DISCUSSION, WHAT TOPIC WE WANNA DISCUSS, AND THEN WE TRY TO HAVE AN ACTIVITY, A FUN ACTIVITY, WHETHER IT'S MEDITATION, UM, YOGA OR BOXING, DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE WANNA TRY OUT TO DO.
DOES THAT HAPPEN ON WEST GRAY? THAT, THAT TYPICALLY DOES HAPPEN AT WEST GRAY? YEAH.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUTINGS, LIKE WE'LL GO OUT AND SOCIALIZE IN THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT IN THIS BOX, THAT THEY TRY TO PUT US IN, THAT WE ARE MORE THAN THAT BOX.
WE, WE GO OUT JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
WE LIKE TO HAVE FUN LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THAT MM-HMM
WHO DO THEY CALL? WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY CAN ALWAYS, UH, REACH OUT TO ME ON MY INSTAGRAM.
IT'S, UH, BARBARA ROMERO, 28, AND I DO HAVE A, UM, A PRIVATE SUPPORT GROUP, UH, CHAT ROOM IN, IN THE, ON MY INSTAGRAM.
SAY IT AGAIN? INSTAGRAM AND THE ADDRESS.
THEY CAN ALWAYS LOOK FOR ME AND THEN I ADD 'EM TO OUR GROUP CALLED THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER PLANS GOING FORWARD GOING FORWARD? WELL, UM, I'M ALSO, RIGHT NOW I ALSO JOINED, UH, BE ABLED, WHICH IS ALSO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS, UH, ATHLETES, UM, OVERCOME BARRIERS, UH, DO SPORTS, UH, ACTIVITIES, DO THINGS THAT WE OTHERWISE DON'T GET TO DO OR HAVE NEVER THOUGHT WE COULD DO.
AND THEY EVEN CONSIDER WHEELCHAIR SOCCER IN SPORT? YES.
WHEELCHAIR SOCCER, RUGBY, TABATA, WE, THEY ARE A HUGE PART OF THE WEST GRAY COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, THE, UH, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, VISION 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING? I WOULD LOVE TO BE, UH, RUNNING MY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, UH, TO HELP WOMEN WITH EMPLOYMENT, UM, SET GOALS, UH, AND REALLY NOT SO MUCH DEPEND ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND NOT LET IT BE YOUR BE END OF ALL.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE TO, YOU KNOW, AND IN ANY OTHER GOAL.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GET HUNG UP ON THAT SOCIAL SECURITY THING.
THEY, THEY HAVE A MINIMUM INCOME THERE AND THEY KNOW IF THEY GO TO WORK, THEY COULD THREATEN THAT.
AND SO THEY, THEY'RE NOT MOTIVATED TO DO MUCH, BUT IF THEY STOP AND THINK, I MEAN, I, THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I BROKE MY NECK WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD.
I ACTUALLY WAS ELIGIBLE FOR SSDI BECAUSE I HAD WORKED SO MANY QUARTERS DURING THE SUMMERS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS GETTING A, AT THAT TIME, A LOT OF MONEY, A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS A A MONTH.
AND, UH, AND I JUST DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
SO THE FIRST JOB I GOT WAS TWICE AS MUCH AS SOCIAL SECURITY AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.
UM, I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S FINE.
HAVING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AND GETTING THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY.
AND ALL THOSE THINGS YOU'RE GONNA WORK ON IN YOUR, UH, SUPPORT GROUP, RIGHT? YES.
UM, THIS HAS, UH, BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION.
I'M GLAD WE COULD INTRODUCE YOU TO HOUSTON AND UH, I HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING, FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
YOU CAN FIND US, UH, ON THE WEB, AND, UH, WE'D ENJOY HAVING YOU ANYTIME.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR THE SHOW, DON'T HESITATE TO SEND 'EM IN.
AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.