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ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM[Focus on Abilities (#201): "Cedric Bryant - Advocate for People with Disabilities"]
ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
I'M PROFESSOR OF BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS AND REHABILITATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON.
I ALSO DIRECT THE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
TODAY WE HAVE A VERY INTERESTING GUEST.
I'M EAGER TO INTRODUCE HIM TO YOU, AND I'LL DO THAT RIGHT AFTER WE TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER, PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
I'M LEX FRIEDEN, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT A GUEST TODAY THAT'S GONNA BLOW YOUR MIND.
UH, MY FRIEND CEDRIC BRYANT IS WITH US.
UH, CEDRIC, WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW.
YOU HAVE, UH, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
YOU LIVE IN HUMBLE HUMBOLDT, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
HAVE YOU BEEN THERE A LONG TIME? I'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT FIVE, THE LAST FIVE, SIX YEARS.
AND YOU HAVE, UH, BECOME A GOOD ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
IS THAT, UH, DRIVEN BY YOUR OWN MOTIVATION? BY YOUR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAS, UH, LED YOU TO BE AN ADVOCATE? WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ME BECOMING INJURED AT THE AGE OF 17.
SO I, IT WAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FOR ME, SO I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF.
THAT WAS ALMOST ALWAYS MY CORE WITH MY MOTHER, WAS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
YEAH, SOMETIME PEOPLE, WHEN THEY TALK TO YOU, THEY TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU.
THEY DON'T NEVER SPEAK TO ME, SO I, ILL ALWAYS WANT TO SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF.
SO AT 17 YEARS OLD, YOU BROKE YOUR NECK? NO, I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY SHOT.
AND, UH, I, I WANNA LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL AT THAT TIME? YES, I WAS.
WHAT SCHOOL? I WAS GOING TO JACK YATES HIGH SCHOOL.
WERE YOU AN ATHLETE THERE OR YOU A NO, I WASN'T AN ATHLETE IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I PLAYED A LITTLE BASEBALL, BUT I WAS WORKING, I HAD A JOB, SO I NEVER GOT TO ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAME.
I JUST WAS ON A PRACTICE, PRACTICE TEAM.
SO YOU WERE WORKING WHEN YOU WEREN'T GOING TO SCHOOL? YES, I WORKED AT KROGER.
WHAT WAS YOUR JOB THERE? WELL, I STARTED OFF, UH, SACKING GROCERIES.
THEN I MADE IT BECOME A CASHIER AND A SUPERVISOR.
BY THE TIME I WAS 16 YEARS OLD, I STARTED AT 15.
UM, THAT'S, YOU'RE A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT THEN YOU GOT, UH, INVOLVED IN, IN A GROUP THAT, UH, RESULTED IN YOU GETTING HURT, RIGHT? YES, SIR.
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN? WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL? I WAS IN SUMMER SCHOOL, SO ME AND A FRIEND DECIDED TO GO HOME.
WE WAS LIKE, WE WANTED TO EAT AT MY HOUSE.
SO ON THE WAY HOME, WE WAS APPROACHED BY A GUY WHO WAS TRYING TO ROB A GUY, AND I GUESS I WAS LIKE, I GOT CAUGHT IN A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS.
I SAW A GUN AND THEY SAID I TURNED TO RUN AND IT WENT OFF AND HIT ME IN MY NECK.
BUT THE CRAZY PART, I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THAT DAY.
I JUST REMEMBER WAKING UP IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? I WAS JUST GOING OFF WHAT AS SAID, TOLD ME WHAT THE GUY TOLD ME.
WHAT'S YOUR PAL TOLD YOU? IT WAS MY PAL.
UH, HE WASN'T HURT AT ALL? NO, HE WASN'T HURT AT ALL.
HE RAN ALL THE WAY TO MY HOUSE.
HE THOUGHT I WAS BEHIND HIM THE WHOLE TIME.
HE LOOKED BACK, HE SAID I WASN'T THERE.
I WAS ON THE GROUND AND THE AMBULANCE WAS LOADING ME UP.
SO THE BAD GUY WAS ROBBING ANOTHER PERSON? YES, SIR.
AND HE SAW YOU AND GOT NERVOUS AND SHOT YOU? NO, HE TRIED TO HELP GET US TO HELP HIM.
OH, HE WANTED TO ENLIST YOU? YES, HE WANTED TO ENLIST ME AND HIM.
AND YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT? NO.
SO HE SHOT YOU? I, THEY SAID THEY WERE FIGHTING OVER A GUN, SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
I MEAN, YOU MIGHT HAVE TRIED TO GET HIS GUN OR THE OTHER GUY.
WELL, HE WAS BEING ROBBED PROBABLY.
WELL, I MEAN, IT'S NOT FAIR FOR ME TO ASK YOU THE QUESTION SINCE YOU ALREADY SAID YOU DON'T REMEMBER.
AND THE NEXT THING, YOU WAKE UP IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR IN THE, THE ICU.
SO YOU WENT ALL THROUGH, PICKING YOU UP ON THE AMBULANCE ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, PUTTING YOU IN THE ICU AND YOU WAKE UP AND WONDER WHY YOU'RE THERE.
CAN'T MOVE, CAN'T TALK NOTHING.
AND PEOPLE JUST STARING AT ME.
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I WAS IN BEN, TALK.WELL, SO THEN YOU'RE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? NOBODY COULD TELL YOU.
I COULDN'T, LIKE I SAID, I COULD NOT TALK, BUT MY MOTHER DID EVENTUALLY BREAK THE NEWS TO ME THAT I WAS SHOT AND PARALYZED AND SHE KEPT ASKING ME DID I REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED.
THAT WAS MY ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE, WAS SHAKING MY HEAD OR CLICKING MY TONGUE AND TRY TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION SINCE I HAD UP NO WAY TO TALK.
SO WHEN DID YOU FIGURE OUT ANY OTHER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE? JUST THEY WOULD GIMME A BOARD WITH DIFFERENT ALPHABETS, BUT IT WOULD, I I WAS, I WOULD GET FRUSTRATED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH EVERY ALPHABET JUST TO SAY, OH, I NEED SOME WATER.
THEN THEY SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE WATER.
HOW LONG WERE YOU IN THE HOSPITAL THERE? I WAS, I COULD SAY I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL ABOUT MAYBE A, A WEEK OR TWO.
THEN I WAS TRANSFERRED TO T HERMAN.
SO, UH, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? THAT WAS IN, UH, THAT WAS IN JUNE OF 2009.
SO I WENT TO, WENT THERE ABOUT JULY, EARLY JULY.
AND ONCE YOU GOT THERE, THINGS CHANGED, THEY GET MORE ACTIVE OR WHAT HAPPENED? YES.
I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING TAKEN OUT THE BED, PUT INTO A WHEELCHAIR, GOING TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY.
'CAUSE I HAD, NOW I HAD GOT A SURGERY AND GOT A TRACHE ME.
SO I HAD A TRACH AND THAT IT WAS INFLATED SO I COULD NOT TALK AT ALL.
STILL, THEY WANTED TO PUSH, MAKE SURE ALL THE OXYGEN IS GOING THROUGH MY LINES.
HOW WERE THEY COMMUNICATING WITH YOU? I COULD, YOU KNOW, I STILL SHAKE MY HEAD.
I CAN BARELY, IF YOU, YOU COULD READ MY LIPS.
PEOPLE GOT GOOD AT READING LIPS.
YOUR MOM STAY WITH YOU ALL THE TIME? ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL LESSON.
SO WHEN YOU WERE AT THE HOSPITAL AT TIER, HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE? ABOUT A MONTH.
AND WHEN DID YOU START, WHEN DID THEY REMOVE THE TRACH? THEY REMOVED THE TRACH ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH MY STAY.
AND THEN YOU FELT BETTER 'CAUSE YOU COULD START THE FIRST DAY? NO, I, I HAD A PANIC ATTACK.
I COULD FEEL THE OXYGEN GOING AROUND THE HOLE IN MY NECK.
AND NOW I COULD TALK, BUT I WAS NOT HAPPY AT ALL.
YOU MEET OTHER, UH, PEOPLE WHILE YOU WERE AT TIER OTHER PLENTY PATIENTS? YES.
WE, WE HAD TO DO LIKE GROUP THERAPY WITH EACH OTHER.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND GROUP THERAPY.
SO YES, I, I MET A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND YOUR QUESTION WAS PROBABLY WHY YOU WERE THERE.
WHAT AM I GONNA DO NOW? RIGHT, RIGHT.
WHAT AM I GONNA DO? WHO ANSWERED THAT QUESTION? REALLY, THE THERAPISTS HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION.
THE DOCTORS, WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT WHAT THEY TELL YOU, WHAT MEDICINE, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA DO THIS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THEY TOLD ME I'LL NEVER BREATHE ON MY OWN.
AND THAT'S NOT, WE LOOKING, WE LOOKING HERE, WE WERE DOING TODAY, I HAVE NO VENT.
SO, SO THAT, SO THEY TOOK THE TRACH OUT BEFORE YOU LEFT? YEAH.
THEY TOOK ME, UH, I STILL WENT HOME ON THE VENT.
THEY JUST CHANGED THE TRACH WITH, INSTEAD OF IT BEING INFLATED, I, NOW I CAN BE ABLE TO TALK A DEFLATED TRACH.
WERE YOU IN BED MOST OF THE TIME AFTER YOU WENT TO HOME? UH, NO.
I NEVER LIKED REALLY BEING, BEING IN A BED.
I LIKE GETTING UP IN MY WHEELCHAIR EVERY DAY.
THEN AT NIGHT, I'LL GET IN BED WHEN IT CAME TO ME HAVING NURSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THE, THE, YOU HAD, UH, EVIDENTLY INSURANCE? YES, I DID.
WHEN, WHEN YOU WENT TO THE HOSPITAL? YES, I DID.
THROUGH YOUR JOB AT KROGER? NO, THROUGH, I WASN'T WORKING AT THAT TIME.
I HAD LOST MY JOB EARLIER THAT YEAR.
SO I HAD WHAT THEY CALL WHAT TRADITIONAL MEDICAID THROUGH MY MOTHER, HER JOB CHIPS.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW.
UH, BUT WE'LL DO THAT RIGHT AFTER WE TAKE A BREAK HERE.
AND, UH, YOU ALL STAY TUNED FOR MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES HOUSTON 3 1 1.
[00:10:01]
NOW AVAILABLE AS A MOBILE APP.TAKE A PHOTO, ENTER YOUR LOCATION REPORT AN ISSUE, THE QUICK AND EASY WAY TO REPORT NON-EMERGENCY ISSUES OR REQUEST CITY SERVICE INFORMATION.
DOWNLOAD TODAY ON THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY ECO SMART.
WHEN YOUR GOAL IS TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY.
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WELCOME BACK TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
OUR GUEST IS CEDRIC BRYANT, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CEDRIC'S EXPERIENCE FOLLOWING, UH, SPINAL CORD INJURY IN 2009.
UM, CEDRIC IS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND, UH, SINCE THEN YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AND SO ON.
UM, IN THAT PROCESS, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOUR MOM HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE.
SHE WAS, SHE WAS VERY MOTIVATIONAL.
SHE NEVER LET ME DOUBT MYSELF.
EVEN WHEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF, SHE NEVER LET ME BE DOWN A LOT.
SHE KEPT ME MOTIVATED SPIRITUALLY, EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MY OWN SELF.
WHAT, WHAT KIND OF LESSONS DID SHE TEACH YOU? SHE TAUGHT ME ONE LESSON THAT I ALWAYS REMEMBER, AND I REPEAT THIS EVERY DAY, IS THE NEVER GIVE UP ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE MIRACLE.
SOMETIME I'LL BE WANTING TO DOUBT MYSELF AND I GIVE UP.
BUT THEN IF YOU JUST HOLD ON A LITTLE BIT, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, WHAT CAN CHANGE.
AND I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING THAT EVERY DAY.
UM, SO BESIDES YOUR MOM, WHO ELSE DO YOU CREDIT FOR YOUR REHABILITATION, FOR YOUR CURRENT OUTLOOK, FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU NOW HAVE? WELL, WELL, MY, OTHER THAN MY MOTHER, I HAVE MY FATHER, I HAVE MY AUNT MARLENE, MY GRANDFATHER, RELATIVES, MY BROTHER AND FRIENDS.
I HAVE GOOD, I HAVE CREATED GOOD FRIENDS THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THESE 15 YEARS.
JUNE 30 WILL MAKE 15 YEARS OF ME BEING INJURED.
IT'S LIKE I ALMOST, I CAME BACK AND BEING REBORN AGAIN.
THAT'S, I HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT.
AND THAT TO SOME EXTENT WAS MY EXPERIENCE.
UM, CEDRIC, WHAT ABOUT THE GUY THAT, UH, YOU WERE, UH, HOOKED UP WITH THERE THAT, UH, WAS WITH YOU WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED? UNFORTUNATELY, TO A YEAR OR TWO AGO, HE PASSED AWAY.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S SAD IS HE ACTUALLY GOT SHOT HIMSELF AND WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR.
BUT HE, YOU KNOW, HE, HE COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, COPE WITH THAT.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY THAN OTHERS, OBVIOUSLY.
HE, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE KIND OF SUPPORT THAT YOU DID.
I MEAN, MAYBE THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUE.
UM, SOME OF US ARE WIRED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS.
UM, WE'RE DOING SOME RESEARCH RIGHT NOW, UM, AND LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD DIFFERENT, UH, DISEASES.
AND WE FIND THAT SOME OF THEM CAN COPE WITH THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A DISABILITY FOLLOWING THEIR RECOVERY, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE MUCH MORE DIFFICULTY.
AND I GUESS THAT'S TRUE OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE MET, UH, WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES.
YOU, YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION AROUND YOU WITHOUT JUST YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.
AND WITH ME, I LEARNED IT WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL ABOUT DOONE STEROIDS.
THE SURVIVAL OF THE FIT IS FIT IS BEING GOOD ENOUGH TO REPRODUCE.
SO I NEVER, IF YOU GOT TO SURVIVE, IF EITHER YOU ADAPT OR YOU DIE OUT, I'M NOT READY TO DIE OUT.
SO I'M READY TO ADAPT AT ONE OF THE GROUPS YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH NOW IS THE SPINAL CORD INJURY ASSOCIATION.
THE UNITED SPINAL CORD INJURY ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON.
WHEN DID YOU GET CONNECTED WITH THEM? I GOT CONNECTED WITH THEM MAYBE THE 20, PROBABLY 20 12, 20 13.
UH, DURING OUT OCCU OUTPATIENT THERAPY, I MET A GUY NAMED RAFFERTY AND I JOINED THE GROUP.
SO YOU MET RAFFERTY LAREDO? YES.
WHEN YOU WERE IN TIER DOING OUTPATIENT THERAPY? YEAH, I ACTUALLY SAW HIM INPATIENT, BUT I WASN'T A CLIENT OF HIS, BUT I MET HIM OUTPATIENT, AH, THROUGH MY, UH, THERAPIST, AMBER.
AND HE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE GROUP MM-HMM
HOW, IF SOMEBODY'S WATCHING THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT GROUP.
HOW DO THEY GET HOOKED UP WITH IT? WELL, YOU CAN SEARCH THEIR WEBSITE ONLINE.
IT'S FREE TO JOIN, AND YOU CAN GO TO UNITED SPINAL CORD ASSOCIATION AND GO TO YOUR LOCAL CHAPTER.
THEY HAVE A FACEBOOK GROUP, GALLERY ONE, AND THEY TELL YOU MONTHLY WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND YOU JUST,
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YOU KNOW, JOIN AND GET INVOLVED WITH 'EM.ONE OF THE PROGRAMS I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IS THE ONE WE HAVE AT TIER CALLED THE, UH, MENTORSHIP, UH, PROGRAM FOR DISABILITY ADVOCACY.
UM, YOU'VE JUST RECENTLY FINISHED THAT PROGRAM.
HAS THAT GIVEN YOU ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, PERSPECTIVE ON YOUR DISABILITY, WHAT YOU CAN DO? YES.
IT HAS, IT MAKE ME WANT TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE.
I ACTUALLY LIKE THAT AVENUE SPEAKING FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T, DO NOT HAVE A VOICE, BECAUSE AT ONE TIME I WAS JUST LIKE THAT.
AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA USE YOUR OWN, UH, ENERGY, YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOUR EXPERIENCE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OTHERS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
AND TO NEVER GIVE UP, GIVE UP HOPE AT ALL.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY DON'T, YOU KNOW, DON'T BELIEVE IN THE SAME GOD.
YOU MIGHT NOT, BUT YOU STILL SHOULDN'T GIVE UP.
I BELIEVE NOBODY SHOULD GIVE UP.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN.
AND, AND, AND ALWAYS HAVE A GOAL, RIGHT.
WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR PRESENT GOAL? A PRESENT GOAL IS ADVOCACY.
AND ALSO I WOULD LOVE TO GET INTO MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING.
WHAT, HOW YOU HAVE A PLAN ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD APPROACH THAT? RIGHT NOW, I'M, I'M IN TOASTMASTERS, SO I'M LEARNING TO ARTICULATE MY SPEECH BETTER.
AND WHAT WE HAVE IN TOASTMASTERS, WE, UH, SEGMENT CALLED TABLE TOPICS.
THEY CAN THROW YOU ANY TOPIC, ANYTHING, AND YOU GOTTA BE ON YOUR FEET READY TO TALK ABOUT IT.
JUST IMPRO AND THAT, THAT REALLY HELPS ME.
MAKES YOU THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, BUT IT ALSO MAKES YOU THINK FAST, RIGHT? RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO, 'CAUSE YOU GOTTA SPEAK ABOUT ONE TO TWO MINUTES.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WITH YOU IN THAT GROUP? IT'S ABOUT, I'D SAY IT'S ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE OF US.
WE MEET WEEKLY EVERY TUESDAY AROUND 6 45.
WHERE, WHERE'S THAT MEETING? WE ON ZOOM? WE'RE ON ZOOM.
WE'RE ON ZOOM, BUT WE'RE GONNA START MEETING IN PERSON.
WHAT, UM, DID, DID YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH ZOOM START LIKE MINE MOSTLY AFTER COVID? YES, ACTUALLY DID, ACTUALLY DID WITH DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS WITH, WITH THERAPEUTIC GROUPS, BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF ANOTHER GROUP WITH RS SATAN.
IT'S ABOUT GUNSHOT SURVIVALS PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCED SPINAL CORD INJURIES THAT GOT SHOT.
AND WE MEET DAILY, WE TALK ALL NIGHT, BUT WE, WE'VE STARTED OFF MEETING ONCE A MONTH, THEN ONCE A WEEK, THEN IT'S DAILY.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, WE, I COUNSEL PEOPLE THERE TOO.
THAT YOU CAN JUST DIAL INTO? YES.
AND HOW, HOW DO YOU GET, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO TOUCH BASE AND, AND CHECK IN, UH, THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE GROUP MASTER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WELL, NO.
RIGHT NOW THEY, THEY GO ON FACEBOOK TO SPINAL CORD SUPPORT GROUPS AND THEY, THEY TELL OTHERS TO, TO JOIN.
I JOINED THEM THROUGH THE UNITED SPINAL.
I JUST WAS HAPPEN TO LOOK UP DIFFERENT SUPPORT GROUPS.
AND I FOUND ONE BASED IN ROCHESTER, BUT I EMAILED THE GUY LIKE, HEY, I'M NOT IN ROCHESTER, BUT I DO HAVE A, A GUN INJURY THAT GET RESULTED IN A SPINAL CORD INJURY.
AND HE TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD AND JOIN.
SO NOW SINCE JOINING THAT GROUP, WE HAVE PEOPLE NOT JUST IN ROCHESTER, WE HAVE TEXAS, WE HAVE, UH, FLORIDA.
WE HAVE EVEN ONE LADY IN THE UK.
SO THAT YOU MUST, UH, ENJOY HERE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOME SUPPORT IN THE PROCESS.
AND IT ALSO MAKES ME HUMBLE BECAUSE A LOT LIKE THE WOMEN IN OUR GROUP THERE WERE INJURED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SOME OF THE GUYS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS MEMORY OF THEM GETTING INJURED.
I HAVE NO MEMORY, BUT IT STILL MAKES ME MORE HUMBLE AND APPRECIATIVE BECAUSE I CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE.
BUT IT'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT CAN BE WORSE THAN ME AND STILL LIVING AND COPING WITH THEIR SELVES AND CARRYING ON.
WELL, YOU AND I HAVE SHARED SOME EXPERIENCES IN THAT REGARD.
I, I WAS PRETTY DEPRESSED AFTER, UH, AFTER I, I, I LEFT THE HOSPITAL.
UM, BUT A FEW MONTHS LATER I APPLIED TO GO TO COLLEGE AND THE COLLEGE TURNED ME DOWN.
AND WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE I USED A WHEELCHAIR.
AND I THOUGHT, WOW, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT EVERY TIME I TRY TO DO SOMETHING.
UH, FORTUNATELY I FOUND ANOTHER COLLEGE THAT HAD A WHOLE DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, AFTER THAT I KIND OF GOT OVER MY DEPRESSION AND, UH, STARTED LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT DAY.
SCOTT, UM, CEDRIC, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A BREAK HERE.
BUT, UH, BEFORE WE DO, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION AND THAT'S FOR THE AUDIENCE.
UM, DOES THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UH,
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REQUIRE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION? DON'T ANSWER YET.WE'RE GONNA LET THE AUDIENCE FIGURE IT OUT AND WE'LL ANSWER IT BEFORE THE END OF THE SHOW.
WE'LL BE BACK SHORTLY TO MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES OF THESE.
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.
NEXT IN HOUSTON, WE MAKE TOMORROW TOGETHER.
BUT FIRST WE MAKE DINNER TOGETHER.
WE MIX INGREDIENTS AND CULTURES.
WE CREATE EXCITEMENT YOU CAN TASTE AND EXPERIENCES TO SAVOR.
WELCOME BACK TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
CEDRIC BRYANT IS OUR GUEST HERE TODAY.
I'M LEX FRIEDEN, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A PERSON BECOMES DISABLED, UH, HOW THEY CAN COPE, AND, UH, ALSO WHAT, UH, MOTIVATES CEDRIC TO GO FORWARD EVERY DAY.
UH, CEDRIC, YOU, YOU, UH, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DESIRE TO, UH, BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER MM-HMM
AND, UH, YOU PROBABLY AFFECT A LOT OF, A LOT OF FOLKS.
UM, UH, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A HARD JOB 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO, UH, EVALUATE YOUR AUDIENCE AND SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE AND, AND KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN GIVE THEM A FEW THINGS THAT TO THINK ABOUT.
SO I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA BE GREAT AT THAT.
ALSO, WHEN ALSO IN YOUR ADVOCACY, YOU HAVE, I KNOW, WORKED ON TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY AND YOU DID TELL, TELL US YOUR STORY ABOUT, UH, TRYING TO GET ON METRO LIFT.
WELL, SINCE BEING INJURED SINCE 2009, I'VE BEEN RIDING METRO LIFT.
I RODE IT TO, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL SOME DAYS.
WROTE IT TO COLLEGE WHEN NOT, ESPECIALLY, I USED IT A LOT IN COLLEGE WHEN I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND I WENT TO HCC.
SO I NOTICED THEY HAVE LITTLE QUARRELS LIKE ABOUT TIMING.
YOU DON'T, YOU MIGHT MISS YOUR APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE TIME USED TO SHARE RIDE SERVICE, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
BUT ALSO WITH TRANSPORTATION, I'VE LEARNED THAT IT'S THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IT IS BUMPY, PERIOD.
SO WITH MY, WITH MY ASSIGNMENT WITH THE, UH, PROGRAM, I WAS TALKING ABOUT ACCESS TO SIDEWALKS AND METRO LIFT, NOT COMING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF VILLE, TEXAS, WHICH I LIVE IN THE TESLA CEDAR OF FOREST IN HUMBLE TEXAS WITH.
SO I FIRST CONTACTED THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, BUT THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T THEM.
SO I CONTACTED THE CEDAR OF HUMBLE, THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T THEM WENT TO THE COUNTY.
SO I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO, TO GET IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WITH THE COUNTY WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD THE FINES AND THEY APPRECIATED ME FOR BRINGING INTO THEIR ATTENTION.
SO THAT, THAT'S WAS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
SO THE COUNTY THEN PROVIDES YOU WITH SOME TRANSPORTATION? NO, ACTUALLY THEY DIDN'T PROVIDE ME WITH TRANSPORTATION.
THEY PROVIDED ME WITH AN AVENUE TO FIX MY PROBLEM WITH THE SIDEWALK.
BUT WITH TRANSPORTATION, I HAVE A HANDICAPPED VAN MYSELF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BREAK DOWN.
SO, UH, METRO LIFT IS AN OPTION, BUT WITH METRO LIFT WHERE I'M AT, I WOULD HAVE TO USE THE SIDEWALK TO GO TO THE LOCAL WALGREENS.
SO, SO I DON'T LIVE IN THE ZONE.
SO THE, SO THE ISSUE IS THE ZONE.
UM, AND THAT LEADS US TO THE QUESTION THAT WE ASKED THERE IN THE PRIOR SEGMENT.
DOES, DOES THE A DA COVER, UH, TRANSPORTATION? IT SHOULD, IT IS PART OF THE A DA, IT'S A CITY SERVICE, SO, YES.
SO, AND IN THE A DA, THE, THE, THE LAW SAYS THAT, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THAT THOSE BIG BUSES THAT CONSTITUTE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN OUR CITY AND MOST OTHER CITIES, THERE IS A, AN ALTERNATE, UH, SERVICE METHOD CALLED, UH, UH, WE CALL IT METRO LIFT, BUT THEY'RE THE, THE VANS THAT GO DOOR TO DOOR TO PICK PEOPLE UP, AND THEY PICK PEOPLE UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN DROP 'EM OFF AT THE VARIOUS PLACES WHERE THEY'RE STAY WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
BUT IN, UH, HOUSTON, LIKE OTHER CITIES, THE LAW SAYS THOSE COMPLIMENTARY SERVICES HAVE TO HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME
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ZONE AS THE BIG BUSES.AND IN A FEW EXCEPTIONAL CASES, UH, METRO HAS EXTENDED THE ZONE, UH, TO PLACES WHERE IN THE FUTURE THE BIG BUSES WILL PROBABLY ALREADY GO.
ALWAY, UH, AL ALSO GO, BUT THE, UH, THE PROBLEM IS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE ZONE.
AND IN YOUR CASE, THE ZONE ENDS, WHAT, A HALF A MILE FROM YOUR HOME AT THE YES.
ABOUT HALF A MILE AT THE WALGREENS, RIGHT? YES.
AND YOU COULDN'T GET TO THE WALGREENS TO CATCH YOUR RIDE BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS YEAH.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I WONDER HOW OFTEN THAT HAPPENS.
IN YOUR CASE, YOUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO, UH, TO GET TO THE WALGREENS SAFELY.
AND WITHOUT THE SIDEWALKS, YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.
UM, METRO DIDN'T HAVE THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FIXING THE SIDEWALKS.
THE COMMUNITY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION CLAIMED THEY DIDN'T.
THE CITY SAID THEY DIDN'T, AND FINALLY THE COUNTY DID.
AND THEY, DID THEY FIX ALL THE SIDEWALKS ALL THE WAY FROM YOUR HOME TO THE WALGREENS? NOT YET.
THEY TOLD ME A PHASE THREE OF THE YEAR, THEY'RE GONNA START.
YOU SENT ME AN EMAIL WITH THE LOCATION AND IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN RED WHERE THEY'RE GONNA START FIXING IT AT.
AND THAT'S HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT THREE, MR. BRANDON HICKS.
SO, SO, WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IT IF YOU GOT IT IN WRITING, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE CHECKING IN WITH YOU TO SEE HOW YOU DO WITH YOUR SIDEWALK REPAIR.
I THINK SIDEWALKS ARE AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HOUSTON.
IF, UH, PEOPLE CALL 3 1 1 AND REPORT THEIR SIDEWALKS THAT DON'T WORK, IF THEY USE A WHEELCHAIR, WHATEVER, THEY SHOULD SAY THAT.
AND I THINK THE CITY HAS DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THE, UH, OFFICE ON DISABILITY OF REACHING OUT AND HELPING TO SOLVE SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS. YES.
YOUR ADVOCACY THEN WILL EXTEND TO, UH, SIDEWALKS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THEN ALSO FIXING THE HUMPS.
I, WITH ME RIDING IN MY VAN, I'M AT THE BACK.
AND I REMEMBER OUR MAYOR SAYING THAT WAS HIS GOAL WAS TO TALK ABOUT FIXING THE BUMPS IN THE CITY.
I, I GOTTA SAY THAT, UH, I WAS RIDING IN A VEHICLE, ONE OF THOSE, UH, ACCESSIBLE TAXIS ONE DAY, AND IT HIT THE BUMP SO HARD IT BROKE THE WHEEL OFF THE WHEELCHAIR.
THAT WAS, AND I WONDER WHAT DAMAGE IT DID IN MY SPINE.
SO THESE, THESE ARE TRULY ISSUES THAT WE DON'T HAVE REALLY GOOD SHOCK ABSORBERS ON OUR WHEELCHAIRS.
SO YOU HOPE THEY HAVE THEM GOOD ON THE, ON THE VEHICLES.
AND, UH, AND BY THE WAY, I RODE IN SOME NEW VANS, METRO LIFT FANS 1300 SERIES.
SO LOOK FOR THAT, THAT NUMBER WHEN THEY PICK YOU UP.
UM, CEDRIC, ANY LAST THOUGHTS YOU WANNA LEAVE OUR, UH, AUDIENCE WITH? I WOULD JUST WOULD LIKE TO, TO SPEAK TO ANYBODY THAT MAY BE GOING THROUGH SOMETHING, BECAUSE LIKE WITH ME, I WENT THROUGH A STAGE OF INDEPENDENCE TO A STAGE OF A POINT WHERE YOU NOW YOU HAVE TO DEPEND ON OTHERS.
YOU GOTTA ACCEPT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HELPING YOU.
SO DON'T, DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR LIFE.
IT IS PLENTY THINGS YOU COULD DO.
YOU CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS WITH YOUR MIND.
IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU, HOW DO THEY DO IT? THEY CAN, UH, REACH ME ON FACEBOOK.
CEDRIC BRYANT, I THINK CEDRIC.
CEDRIC BRYANT ON INSTAGRAM IS YUNG, UH, CED 7 1 3.
SO YOU CAN REACH ME ON ALL THREE OF THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
YOU'RE ALL, ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
I'LL, I'LL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR PODCAST NEXT.
THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE WORKS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, CEDRIC, FOR BEING OUR GUEST TODAY ON, ON, UH, FOCUS ON ABILITIES AND, AND WE'LL HAVE YOU BACK ANOTHER TIME TO TELL US HOW YOU'RE PROCEEDING.
UH, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU WATCHING, WE WOULDN'T BE MAKING THE PROGRAM.
SO IT'S NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU FROM TIME TO TIME.
I WANT TO THANK HTV AND, UH, ALL THE PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS, UH, CAMERAMEN, THE STAFF, EVERYBODY THAT HELPS TO PUT THIS SHOW AND EVERY OTHER HTV SHOW ON THE AIR.
I WISH YOU A GREAT DAY AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT TIME ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.