Good Evening,
My name is Rachel Loria.
I am from the City of Richmond.
My Delegate is Jennifer McClellan, and my Senator is Donald
McEachin.
I come to you tonight as a Self Advocate.
While it seems relatively easy to say most days, I guarantee
you the journey has been far from easy.
My parents fought for 10 years to try to get an appropriate
diagnosis… a correct diagnosis. After 10 years, Doctors continued stating
characteristics that I portrayed that reminded them of traits associated with
multiple different disabilities. With no
diagnosis in sight, my parents and therapists taught me to compensate for the
weaknesses I have and to work to overcome them. I still work on this every day.
Each milestone that professionals questioned if I would make,
I did.
In high school, I was rejected from one private school due
to disability and graduated from a different one with honors. While several
teachers told me to go to a community college because they thought a four year
degree would be too difficult, I graduated in four years while working and continued towards my
Masters in Education (also while working), which I walked with last May. I was
told to go to DARS because I would only find supported employment. Today, I am
working part time and doing a job I love.
I’m not here tonight to tell you what I have accomplished.
I’m here tonight to say that if I hadn’t been given the
chances that people gave me, I would not
have gotten here. This is more a testament to them than to myself.
With that said, people who have disabilities need to be
given equal chances towards all of their goals, specifically tonight,
independent living.
I say equal chances because if you ask an individual who
does not have a disability if they want to live as independently as possible or
in an institution, they will, more chances than not, choose independent living.
Independent living is something I am still working towards,
and I know I will need support.
I am not just here for myself tonight though. I work with
self advocates and parents on a daily basis, and I am fighting for others who
also want to live independently and may or may not need support. I come to you tonight to
encourage you to follow through with the DOJ agreement and give individuals
with disabilities a chance to live as independently as possible. DO NOT let
their diagnosis or labels or traits define their futures.
I thank you for your time and for giving me the opportunity
to speak with you tonight.
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