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By Kathleen Barajas, President, Project AIR
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM) was established in 1987. Each year, it gives the disability community an opportunity to share their personal stories, and to educate others about individuals with disabilities. It is especially important because at any time in a person’s life, they can become a member of our disability community. Disability touches everyone’s life in one way or another and should not be seen as negative or hopeless.
In honor of DDAM, I am sharing my story. I want to thank The Arc of California for allowing me the space to share and inspire others to do the same.
Hi! I am Kathleen Barajas, and I am a Disability Rights Advocate in Los Angeles. I am an individual with severe cerebral palsy, which not only affects my mobility and coordination, but my speech as well. I very often say that it is not my disability that is difficult, but the way that some people view and interact with me based on how my disability makes me appear.
In 2016, I competed for and won the title of Ms. Wheelchair California. Although I knew that I would be at a slight disadvantage because of my speech, I felt that I had a good advocacy background that would provide the boost I might need. For the interview session, I was able to have my cousin with me as my revoicer, however the judges understood me fairly well and only asked a few times to have something I said revoiced. Much of the same occurred when I participated in the Ms. Wheelchair America 2017 Competition in Michigan, and I was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2020, I founded Project AIR, a nonprofit organization whose mission is “To educate communities in the appropriate treatment and accommodation of individuals with speech impairments and more severe disabilities.” Our board consists of prominent leaders in the disability community who are adamant about educating about individuals with disabilities. We have created pamphlets/booklets on various disability-related topics, and we have given presentations to organizations in our community on those topics. It is crucial that all individuals be treated with respect and dignity, and it is through education that this will be achieved. Please visit our website at https:// project-air.net/ to learn more.
We encourage others in the disability community to share their story with us at [email protected].