Category: Programs

Intersectionality between Disability and LGBTQIA+

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By Matthew Louis LaGassa and Embry Burton Published June 8, 2023

Reviewed by Victoria Wells

 

About the Authors

Matthew Louis LaGassa (born March 2002) was diagnosed Autistic when he was two years old, and has always thought of his neurodivergency as a core part of his identity. Outside of his internship here at CIL, he’s a soon-to-be Senior year student at Rollins College, majoring in in English and minoring in Writing, with a knack for analytical essay writing. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, videogames, tabletop roleplaying games, and baking.

Embry Burton (she/they) is a sophomore at Rollins College involved in the Bonner Leaders Program. They are planning on double majoring in biology and psychology. Embry enjoys reading, volunteering, and feeding the cats on campus. They feel particularly passionate about the topic of the intersectionality between disability inclusion and LGBTQ+ pride because of their identity as nonbinary, pansexual, and someone with a chronic joint illness.

 

Pride and Disability: The Overlap in Community and Activism

Happy Pride Month from the Center of Independent Living in Central Florida (CIL)! As the LGBTQ+ community all across the country is gathering to uplift each-other’s voices in the fight for their rights, we’ve been hard at work this week doing the same, albeit with an intersectionality-fueled twist. We’ve previously documented how the Independent Living Movement, the cornerstone of our ethos, shares its roots with the African American Civil Rights movement, and similarly, both our community and movement have much overlap with the equally storied history of LGBTQ+ community and activism. Looking at the statistics and activists of the past and present, it’s clear that it’s an overlap that deserves to be highlighted.

 

The Statistics: Community Overlap

Beginning with reviewing the overlap in our communities, it is evident that people with disabilities make up much more of the LGBTQ+ community than they do their cisgender heterosexual counterparts. Among the approximately seventeen million people that make up the LGBTQ+ community, around five million (roughly thirty six percent of the community) are estimated to be people with disabilities as well (Pauli, 2021; Human Rights Campaign, n.d).

Further studies break this estimated five million down further via percentages: thirty percent of queer men and thirty six percent of queer women self-identify as people with disabilities (Pauli). Breaking down the data even further among individual sexual orientations and gender identities, fifty two percent of transgender people self-report having a disability, as do gay and bisexual men at twenty-six and forty percent respectively, with lesbian and bisexual women both at thirty six percent (Human Rights Campaign; Pauli; DeVault, 2023). Overall, studies like these affirm that queer people are more likely to identify as having disabilities than the general population, and naturally, from such a wide overlap, many activists with a foot in both sides of it have rose throughout this shared history.

 

Audre Lorde: Blind, Lesbian, Black, Feminist, Poet, Essayist, Activist.

Predating even the 1969 Stonewall Riots, Audre Lorde shines as one of the earliest figures in this storied history of intersectional activism. Born to a poor immigrant family in New York on February 8, 1934, Audre was legally blind due to being short sighted (Holder, 2021). She found success as a poet in her teens, and continued to write and present her poems, as well as essays, in adulthood as a Columbia University graduate and Librarian in New York Public Schools (Holder; Poetry Foundation, n.d.). It was these experiences as Black Lesbian with a disability in straight white male academia that became the foundation of her activism, where she specialized in the intersection between queer theory, feminist theory, and critical race studies, most prevalent in her essay, “The Master’s Tools Will Not Dismantle the Master’s House,” (Poetry Foundation).

She was a staunch figure in movements confronting racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia for decades, where her writing continued to ring “with passion, sincerity, perception, and depth of feeling,” (Poetry Foundation). Sadly, Audre was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977, but she never stopped writing: her 1980 self-reflection on the latter condition, The Cancer Journals, went on to win American Library Association’s Gay Caucus Book of the Year Award in 1981 (National Museum of African American History & Culture, 2020). Sadly, six years after that diagnosis, Audre was diagnosed with liver cancer, and passed away on November 17, 1992 (National Museum of African American History & Culture).

With a storied legacy like that, Audre Lorde certainly deserves her legacy today as “A ‘self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,’” and so much more, and it wouldn’t be long until many more activists would come to follow in her steps, no where matter where they went (Poetry Foundation).

 

Bobbie Lea Bennet: Trans Woman, Wheelchair, Courageous

With Transgender people in many states at risk of losing their access to gender affirming care, Bobbie Lea Bennet’s story of taking the fight straight to the top is as timely as ever. Born in Louisiana on March 31, 1947, Bobbie was a United States Medicare recipient for her use of a wheelchair. With this unique position, Bobbie successfully mobilized media coverage in support of her to confront the system’s lack of coverage for cover gender affirming surgeries, spurned her own request for Medicare to cover it being denied with no explanation (Transjoy, 2023; Phoenix, 2022). In 1978, after a cross country road trip from San Diego, California, to Baltimore, Maryland, Bobbie made her case to Medicare’s director at the time, Thomas M. Tierney, and won, obtaining gender affirmation surgery as a trans woman at last (Transjoy).

Bobbie continued her activism in 1985 by founding the St. Tammany Parish Organization for the Handicapped to serve the needs of people with disabilities in the eponymous Louisiana Parish, but has sadly since been dissolved (Transjoy). Bobbie continued to live a long life of activism for both LGBTQ+ and disability rights, passing away on July 18, 2019. Alongside countless other intersectional activists’ stories, Lorde and Bennet’s legacies live on today in more recent figures.

 

Lydia X. Z. Brown: Non-Binary, Living at the Intersection, Writer, Activist, Scholar, and Attorney

Moving up to modern times, the Chinese American Lydia X. Z. Brown, they/them or no pronouns, stands out for their many skills as a “writer, public speaker, educator, trainer, consultant, advocate, community organizer, community builder, activist, scholar, and attorney” (Brown, n.d.). They are incredibly involved and accomplished in their local and national community as leader of the “Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color’s Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment… an adjunct lecturer and core faculty in the Disability Studies Program and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown University, and as an adjunct professorial lecturer in the American Studies Program at American University’s Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies.” Among these and many other impactful roles, they are also the “Director of Policy, Advocacy, and External Affairs at the Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network” (Brown).

Having “worked to address and end interpersonal and state violence targeting disabled people, especially disabled people at the margins of the margins… of disability, queerness, race, gender, class, and nation and migration,” for over a decade, Lydia shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, and neither does this last group.

 

Drag Syndrome: A Royal Ensemble of Down Syndrome Artists

Closing out our litany of recognition with “The new queer cultural heroes,” Drag Syndrome, a “drag collective featuring highly addictive queens and kings with Down-Syndrome,” these of creative artists celebrate gender expression, sexuality, and their identities as people with Down-Syndrome (Drag Syndrome, n.d.). With art as their starting point before anything else, and country-to-country tours, Drag Syndrome has been featured in many major news outlets, including BBC, The New York Times, and NBC, spreading their message of acceptance and inclusivity far and wide, and where honored to do the same.

 

Conclusion:

As we pride ourselves in being inclusive of every person it is important that we better understand these struggles, alongside the ones many further face as people with disabilities, hold fast to the figures that both have, and are still fighting, to push back against such bigotry, and make their courage our own. In the spirits of Audre Lorde, Bobbie Lea Bennet, Lydia X. Z. Brown, Drag Syndrome, and countless others like them, we at The Center for Independent Living stand with all queer people with disabilities, and are here for them, so that they may find the help they need to live safe and fully independent lives.

 

Works Cited:

Audre Lorde. National Museum of African American History and Culture. (2020, May 29). https://nmaahc.si.edu/audre-lorde

Brown, L. (n.d.). About. Lydia X Z Brown. https://lydiaxzbrown.com/about/

DeVault, N. (2023, March 10). Study affirms LGBTQ people are more likely to have a disability than the general population – ameridisability. The Latest National Disability News. https://www.ameridisability.com/study-affirms-lgbtq-people-are-more-likely-to-have-a-disability-than-the-general-population/

Drag syndrome. Drag Syndrome. (n.d.). https://www.dragsyndrome.com/

Holder, D. (2021, August 24). Audre Lorde, warrior poet. DisHistSnap. https://www.disabilityhistorysnapshots.com/post/audre-lorde-warrior-poet

Pauli, P. (2021, June 2). Celebrating approximately 5 million LGBTQ+ people with disabilities for pride 2021. RespectAbility. https://www.respectability.org/2021/06/pride-month-2021/

Phoenix    1 year ago1 year ago, B. (2022, February 25). LGBT+ History month X disabled students group – Bobbie Lea Bennett. THE HOOT. https://thehootstudents.com/lgbt-history-month-x-disabled-students-group-bobbie-lea-bennett/

Poetry Foundation. (n.d.). Audre Lorde. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde

TransJoy. (2023, April 5). LGBT+ figures in history #5: Bobbie Lea Bennett. TransJoy. https://www.transjoy.co/2022/03/01/bobbie-lea-bennett/

Understanding disability in the LGBTQ+ community. Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). https://www.hrc.org/resources/understanding-disabled-lgbtq-people

 

Let’s Talk About Autism

Posted on | by Victoria | Leave a Comment on Let’s Talk About Autism

By Matthew Louis LaGassa Published April 20, 2023

Reviewed by Victoria Wells

 

About the Author:

Matthew Louis LaGassa (born March 2002) was diagnosed Autistic when he was two years old, and has always thought of his neurodivergency as a core part of his identity. Outside of his internship here at CIL, he’s a Junior year student at Rollins College, majoring in English and minoring in Writing, with a knack for analytical essay writing. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, videogames, tabletop roleplaying games, and baking.

 

Language:

Hello readers! It’s me, the intern, Matthew LaGassa again! You may know that April is Autism Awareness Month, but to many of my fellow people on the Autism Spectrum, we prefer Autism Acceptance Month. Autism awareness cannot exist on its own, it must be followed up with Autism acceptance. To spread them both, I’m honored to speak through CIL about my experiences regarding life on the spectrum.

Historically, different terms have been used to describe various manifestations of Autism. The ones I knew the most growing up were High Functioning Autism and Low Functioning Autism. These labels were based on differences in exhibited traits and mental capabilities, with my own Autism classifying me as a High Functioning Autistic. Nowadays, these distinctions are decried by the community at large for their failings to notice the intricacies and factors that can influence our capabilities and mental health daily. Similarly, our community also refuses to use the term Asperger’s Syndrome due to its namesake, the late Hans Asperger, having been a member of the Nazi Regime in Germany.

To quote to my previous article “Do you Know how to Refer to Someone with a Disability”, referring to Autism commonly falls under the two most prevalent disability referral languages: person-first language, which “puts a person before their diagnosis,” and identity-first language, which “leads with a person’s diagnosis.” The phrases that best fit for Autism, are “Person with Autism,” and “Autistic.” Personally, I’ve never been shy about embracing identity first language, as “I’ve always considered my Autism a vital part of who I am,” and I know that there are others in the community who feel the same way, but that doesn’t invalidate those in the community who to prefer person-first language.

 

All-Mentality:

Let’s address the All-Mentality regarding Autistic Individuals by shining a light on the varied ways Autism presents itself (and doesn’t). When you think of Autism, what traits come to mind? For the more well-read, I’d assume the images of difficulties socializing, preferring to be alone, restrictive interests, and maybe even meltdowns come to mind. Though such traits are well researched as common symptoms, they certainly don’t manifest the same way for many of us, despite many others’ claims. This is the “All Mentality” at work – the mentality that assumes everyone within a certain group shares the same behaviors, interests, skills, or other aspects that can actually vary greatly between people. We see stereotypes all the time in society, especially ones directed towards racial/ethnics minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and religious denominations. You may have had to confront stereotypes in your own life before because of your position in at least one of these communities, and for Autistics, we certainly have to as well.

One stereotype I had to grow up with, having been diagnoses Autistic very young, was that all autistic individuals were good at math because films like the 1988 comedy-drama Rain Man, propagated this misinformation broadly. I’ve always been a living antithesis of this stereotype; Math is easily my worst subject in school! English has, and always will be, where my proficiencies lie.

Assuming Autistic people all have the same behaviors, difficulties, etc., is never the answer. Autism Spectrum Disorder has the word “Spectrum,” in its name for good reason; there are so many ways Autism can present itself, and we’re all deserving of being treated as equals, free from others’ assumptions of ourselves, and being listened to when we talk about how our Autism impacts our lives.

 

Do you think you’re autistic?

Now that you’ve learned a little about Autism, we want to ask you, “Do you think you’re Autistic?” I am joined by a CIL Case Manager to lay out a path towards diagnosis for all ages and vouch for it and the accommodations it has given us with our own life stories.

If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media as of late, especially Tik Tok, you’ve probably encountered a post or two about traits or behaviors shared by Autistics, such as sensitivity to sound and touch, a need for routine, preference for bland food, etc., and you may even exhibit some of these traits; though having these traits doesn’t automatically make you autistic, identifying such traits can be a good first step on the way to self-diagnosis. If you want to explore your possible autism further, you can look up the latest definitions of Autism from the latest trusted sources like the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM V); take the RAADS-R test which was developed as a starting point to getting a diagnosis-you can take this test online and it produces a 97% accurate result; And you can delve deeper into online communities of Autistic people, such as blogs, social media sites, or forums such Autistic Truth or r/autism. Autism can present itself very differently across the gender spectrum, so make sure to look for resources that best match your gender identity.

Once you’ve solidified your self-diagnosis, you may want to start looking into an official one via trusted medical help, typically a psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, or potentially a pediatrician. The process can vary greatly between children and adults, but if all goes well, you’ll have an official answer one way or another. Once you do have your diagnosis, it’s time to apply for it and get the accommodations you need to succeed in life, such as at school or work. As we can attest to, recognizing our Autism, and being surrounded by those who do as well has done wonders for our experiences in both our work/academic and personal lives.

CIL Case Manager: Technically, I do not have a formal autism diagnosis. When I was in first or second grade, my mom had me tested for ADD (now under the umbrella term ADHD) and I received that diagnosis. In that time, it didn’t do much other than get me a prescription and an understanding that I would be chronically unorganized. When I was 18, I was told no more medication – that’s only for kids – and best of luck in the world! I went from the age of 18 to 35 with no supports, accommodations, or anything besides the occasional “squirrel!” joke. Then I started learning more about what autism is and what it looked like. What it looked like was a lot like me. I took RAADS-R and scored very high and began looking into accommodations that might help me. My biggest accommodation has been a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that I wear every day. I can still hear conversations, but it blocks a lot of the smaller, irritating noises that stress me out. I now understand that when I feel overwhelmed that I’m not being “crazy”, I’m experiencing a meltdown. At this time in my life, I don’t need an official diagnosis as my current work allows my accommodation, but having a diagnosis earlier in life would have made things much easier.

Matthew: As many of our readers should know by now, I was diagnosed when I was very young, and have been fortunate to have received many helpful tutors and accommodations. As tedious and exhausting as psychoeducational testing was for me, it’s been the cornerstone of the accommodations I appreciate to this day. As a Rollins student, I have preferential seating in the back of my classrooms, so that I’m not distracted by any classmates behind me, but the majority of my accommodations manifest when I take exams. I receive additional time on my exams, as well as a separate room to take said exams in order to help me focus on them; I’m also able to schedule my exams for dates and times different from the syllabi, so that I don’t have multiple exams on the same day, or days close to each-other. Outside of my academic life, I do my best to take care of myself, especially when recognizing if I feel overwhelmed and on the verge of a meltdown. I can reach out to people I trust, like my family or therapists to help me through the worst of it, and I wouldn’t trade my Autism for any other way of life.

For this April to truly be Autism Acceptance Month, acceptance must come in many ways, and using the correct language is one. “Listen to the language we use, recognize how the language you use to refer to us makes us feel, and give us our rightful say in how we want to be referred to. Whether we prefer people-first or identity-first language, listening to us is what truly safeguards our personhood.” Whether you’re neuro-divergent yourself, a neurotypical ally, or pondering your own potential Autism, we at CIL hope you’ve learned a lot and hope you continue learning all about Autism beyond this month. Thank you for reading!

 

References:

  • LaGassa, Matthew (March 3, 2023). “Do you know how to refer to someone with a disability?” Retrieved from: https://cilorlando.org/do-you-know-how-to-refer-to-someone-with-a-disability/

 

CSR and CIL: Why we should collaborate

Posted on | by Victoria | Leave a Comment on CSR and CIL: Why we should collaborate

By Victoria Wells   Published February 16, 2023

Reviewed by Matthew LaGassa

and Roshana Rollock-Agarrat

 

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and How it Came to Be

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a term that perhaps ten years ago, you may have never encountered in day-to-day life, however it is now becoming a crucial determining factor regarding the health of a company and is a widely accepted expectation of corporations. The consensus on the origin of the concept of CSR is that it arose from Howard Bowen’s book “Social Responsibilities of the Businessman” published in 1953. According to Mr. Bowen, those responsibilities meant, “the obligations of businessmen to pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to follow those lines of action that are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of our society.”  Investopedia defines CSR as a “self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public (Fernando, 2022).”  Today, many companies have wisely chosen to align their corporate giving and volunteering efforts with their company’s specific mission and values.

What CSR Looks Like

CSR efforts are displayed in various and sometimes creative ways depending on the company’s structure and focus. Some companies have created grants for non-profits and community groups to apply to; have internal funds designated that employees may request for their charity of choice; have committees who vote on the year’s giving and volunteering efforts; give only at the corporate or local level; or give through different budgets such as marketing or HR by decision of only one or two executives. Since its rise, corporate sponsorships have become a crucial part of the operating budgets and yearly planning process for non-profits around the United States.

Why CSR is Important

While doing good for good’s sake is noble and encouraged, executives often require financial justification for any action taken on the company’s behalf.  CSR is becoming increasingly justified by the many studies emerging that shopping has changed. Upcoming generations require companies to display social consciousness in order to justify their purchases and are willing to pay more when they know that the company they are supporting is also supporting their community. Companies like Coca-Cola have switched to 100% recyclable materials, “Wells Fargo donates up to 1.5% of its revenue to charitable causes each year to more than 14,500 nonprofits”, and Patagonia sets the environmental example throughout every step of their production and managing process (Digital Marketing Institute, 2022).” “Community-oriented companies often enjoy a leg up on their competition as well, thanks to superior brand imaging (Murphy, Investopedia, 2022).” In addition to giving, CSR is about the internal health of your company- are your employees treated well and paid fairly; do you try to implement diversity and inclusivity initiatives, do you hold your managers accountable; and many more considerations. The time to be intentional about your company’s corporate social responsibility is now.

CSR’s Impact

“Even the smallest initiative can have an impact on a community (Investopedia, 2022b).” CIL’s Foundations to Freedom program operates on that principle.  Through this program, we help return independence to individuals with disabilities through the provision and installation of equipment such as ramps and shower grab bars into their homes.  Companies partner with us through not only sponsoring but also volunteering to a build ramp at individual’s home in the Central Florida region.  A single ramp can cost thousands of dollars for an individual but through this program, they receive it for free and the result is immediate. These ramps change people’s lives by restoring access once again to their community.

How CIL Provides the Avenue

“One of the reasons that I like to do these builds and to give back is that these are people that until you get to know them, they’re invisible to us, yet they live next door. One of the builds that I did four years ago…is not but two miles from my house.” said Chris from Cuhaci Peterson commenting on partnering with CIL to build a ramp in Sanford, FL (YouTube, 2022).

To put the impact these ramps have in further perspective, AARP reported that if the financial contribution of American’s 50 and up were considered an economy, they would constitute the world’s third largest economy, following the U.S. and China (Terrel, AARP, 2019). CIL serves every age and disability; however, the majority of our ramps are built for seniors. Thus, with every ramp built, your company is not only making a direct impact in the accessibility in someone’s life, but also assisting with that major contribution to local economies.

Why CIL

Our program is a wonderful opportunity for companies to satisfy their corporate social responsibilities while helping make people visible again. Foundations to Freedom builds a path to independence, re-instating access and inclusion for our neighbors to their communities. It provides an excellent team building experience for your companies’ employees and produces an immediate return on investment.

We are actively seeking community partners that want an effective program to put their dollars and their team’s volunteering efforts towards.   This program satisfies every aspect of CSR needed by providing a community-based, team building, diversity, equity, and inclusion focused sponsorship opportunity to help an individual in need.

 

Article Sources

National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Highlight: Employment Program Trains People with Disabilities for Real-World Jobs

Posted on | by cil_admin

March celebrates National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, since it was proclaimed by President Reagan in 1987 with the purpose of “[raising] public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities” and to provide the “encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential.”

Navigating entry into the workforce as a young adult can be a daunting and challenging task, especially during a global pandemic. Having a disability of any sort can make that process even more difficult. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, In 2020, 17.9 percent of persons with a disability were employed, compared to the 61.8 percent of people employed who did not have a disability.

Project SEARCH is working to change that. Developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center as a business-led, one-year work-preparation program for young people, ages 18 to 22 with developmental disabilities, it now has 600 job sites. One of them is Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, where the program is in its fifth year, and boasts a higher placement rate than the national average for Project SEARCH programs.

 

Lakeland Regional Health logo

Participants are enrolled while transitioning from high school to work. The hallmark of Project SEARCH is total workplace immersion, which facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training. Project SEARCH’s primary objective is to secure competitive employment for every program participant.

“Project SEARCH is a transition program that believes in the potential that our young adults have. We strive on focusing all the abilities that they possess instead of pointing out what they don’t.  It provides them with an opportunity to become employed and independent if they desire,” says Mildred Roldan, Employment Specialist with the Center for Independent Living in Central Florida (now known as CIL).

Young lady wearing teal scrubs and hair bet sits at a desk while performing a task with her hands.
Madison Lewis, who started in the Project SEARCH program at Lakeland Regional Health in 2020, finds great joy in having an official position as a Sterile Processing Technician.

Madison Lewis,19, and Tyler Baranowski,18, are two of the 6 current participants in Project SEARCH at Lakeland Regional Health. They both began the program in August of last year and will graduate with their classmates this April. Additionally, both have been offered full-time positions at Lakeland Regional Health as Sterile Processing Technicians- an opportunity that neither Lewis nor Baranowski had expected would happen at this point in their lives.

The hospital setting of Project SEARCH also serves as an opportunity for student participants to grow socially within the workplace setting.

Young man in teal scrubs and hair bet performs task with hands at desk.
Tyler Baranowski, 18, began his Project SEARCH journey alongside Madison and has recently accepted a position of Sterile Processing Technician at Lakeland Regional Health.

“I’m usually the quiet person that just sits and does the job; nothing more, nothing less. But after a little while, knowing the people in the departments I’ve been in, I’ve opened up and made friends and still talk to some of the people in the departments I’m not in anymore,” says Baranowski.

Sandy Perlewitz, Project SEARCH Facilitator, Polk County Public Schools, has been involved with the program at Lakeland Regional Health since its inception and has seen firsthand the impact of the program on participants: “It’s a unique, hands-on job skill training program with total immersion in the workplace environment. Sometimes the students come in with a low level of self-esteem, but they gain confidence and self-advocacy throughout the program. They learn to answer interview questions with self-assurance and learn that they have what it takes to be successful,” Perlewitz describes.

According to the staff at Lakeland Regional Health, Project SEARCH not only benefits the students but also the hospital that had welcomed the students as their own. Tiffany Hanson, Lakeland Regional Health Recruiter and Project SEARCH Coordinator notes that “…several departments value the students and the positive attitudes that they bring. They [the students] display an appreciation for the opportunity and commit to doing their best each day.” 

Six young individuals stand on stage wearing grey caps and gowns smiling and holding diplomas

As graduation approaches, Madison and Tyler reflect on the last seven months in the program, and the opportunities that they never envisioned for themselves:

“This has been life-changing for me,” says Lewis. “I am able to just speak up for myself… I never thought that I would have the chance to actually work a job before applying for it,” says Baranowski.

The personal and professional growth that has occurred during the program is obvious to the parents of both Madison and Tyler as well.

“In the last year I have witnessed a huge change in Madison’s attitude, organization, follow-through, and her sense of responsibility. She has matured significantly over the last several months and I feel she will take the lessons she has learned throughout this program and continue to apply them to many areas of her life, especially in the workforce,” says Laura Lewis, mother of Madison.

“He is feeling more confident about his future. He has discovered career paths that he didn’t know were possible,” adds Tyler’s mother, Lori Baranowski.

CIL currently oversees 2 Project SEARCH sites in Central Florida with plans to expand to a third site by Fall of 2021. As Project SEARCH grows and finds new homes in Florida communities, more young adults like Madison and Tyler will discover their potential in the workforce.

Xiong’s Story

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Xiong had been Deaf since birth. She moved to the United States from China in 2011 and got married. Sadly, soon after her husband passed away. She now needed to become a naturalized citizen. Xiong contacted CIL for help. She did not know English well, did not have transportation to get to CIL, and did not have a computer to help her get through the citizenship process. CIL’s Deaf Voice team stepped into action, printed instructions in Chinese for Xiong and mailed them to her home so she could get started.

Xiong’s family helped her complete the first application form and made an appointment to bring Xiong to CIL to fill out the second form. CIL’s Deaf Voice team discussed the filing fees and reviewed the checklist of steps that Xiong needed to take in order for the application to proceed smoothly. She filled out the paperwork, got a money order for the fees, and mailed them to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Several weeks later, Xiong received a response – her application had been rejected! She scheduled another appointment to meet with CIL’s Deaf Voice team. Fortunately, the Deaf Voice team found that the rejection was only because Xiong had sent in her application on an outdated form, but she could resubmit her application at any time. She obtained another money order and once again mailed the application, this time with the correct form. Just two weeks later she received another reply scheduling her for fingerprinting and telling her she would be scheduled for an in person interview. She was fingerprinted and then waited for her interview to be arranged. While she was waiting, CIL’s Deaf Voice team showed her a video detailing the interview process to prepare her. After nine long months her interview was finally scheduled.

As Xiong was Deaf, this presented a challenge for her as sign language is not a universal language and she was still fairly unfamiliar with English. But that didn’t deter her and she completed practice tests using her phone to translate the questions from English to Chinese. Before the test Xiong prepared by practicing to better understand the questions she would be asked. In addition, CIL’s Deaf Voice team worked to teach her American Sign Language and English vocabulary to assist her in her taking the test.

After the test, Xiong was excited to contact CIL’s Deaf Voice team and let them know that she had passed the test and was now a naturalized U.S. citizen!