ACC's Assistive Technology Coordinator, Tamarr, helped one of our consumers to get a wheelchair ramp for her front door. Since she moved into her house about 3 months ago, she has been unable to leave and has relied on the support of friends and family due to access issues. Check out the video below to learn more about how this ramp has changed Monique's life!
Voices & Stories ACC's AT Coordinator assists a consumer in obtaining a wheelchair ramp
By Anonymous • Posted on February 1, 2021
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[id] => 17
[date] => 2021-02-03
[status] => Active
[new] =>
[title] => ACC's Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response services bring peace and security
[author] => Anonymous
[article] => How has the Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program changed your life?
Ever since the Thomas Fire this has been in the back of my mind being worried about the electricity going off and all of a sudden PG&E referred me to you and there was an overwhelming amount of peace. It gives you a deep peace to know you’re not subject to the whims of the weather. You can never tell about the unknown factors. You can watch the weather all you want but the reality is you need to be prepared.
How do you feel about how ACC has helped you prepare for disasters and emergencies? How did you feel before?
It's like a miracle happened to me. That's the way I feel. In the beginning I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it for the first week or so. It's wonderful, I don't know how to describe it, it's beyond words at times. Before planning with ACC there was nothing and I explored everything to find assistance. Unless I had $5,000 to buy a battery there was nothing for me and I felt frustration that the winds could make them turn the power off. It's nice to be able to do something about it. Before planning it made me feel powerless. It gave me power in this situation to get the planning.
What is different now that you have the backup battery and disaster plan?
It's peace of mind I guess. It's being proactive instead of waiting for the situation to happen and seeing what help you can find. This program is safety and gives you a nice warm fuzzy feeling.
"ACC isn't like a government agency it's like people helping people. It's real help by real people."
-Michele, Consumer of Lauren Utterback- Independent Living Advocate
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[1] => Array
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[id] => 6
[date] => 2022-10-12
[status] => Active
[new] =>
[title] => What Disability Pride Means to Me
[author] => Emily Bridges
[article] => 
With the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990, the month of July is Disability Pride Month. It's hard to imagine sometimes, but that was 32 years ago! Each ADA Anniversary allows self-advocates to reflect on how their conditions bring them strength. It also allows for calls to action in improving accessibility across the country and the world.
The first word I thought of while writing this piece is "intergenerational." This word means relating to people in different age categories. Whether you are Gen Z or a Baby Boomer, everyone will probably experience disabilities in one way or another. The chance of getting a disability increases as we age. So, people in each generation should learn lessons from those before and after theirs.
An event with valuable insights was when Judy Heumann spoke at the University of Georgia (UGA) a few years ago at the 2019 Georgia Disability History Symposium. The discussion happened while I attended UGA. As someone who lives in both pre-and post-ADA worlds, Judy highlighted the benefits it brought when signed while also recognizing the struggles that still exist long after. This is particularly the case for people with disabilities in other minority groups (race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+, etc.). One final thing that Judy discussed is switching words like "special needs" or "different abilities" in favor of using "disability" to help erase the stigma of having a condition. It's a natural part of living that should be embraced, not feared.
Judy Heumann may not remember me from everyone she has met at all her public speaking events, but I certainly will remember the lessons I've learned from her and so many powerhouses that have come before. I will also work to pay it forward to future generations of self-advocates by both sharing views and learning about new perspectives. We all travel this road called life, and it's wonderful sharing it with others. Community connectedness is a huge part of Disability Pride. It is something to celebrate each July and always!
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[2] => Array
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[id] => 7
[date] => 2022-10-19
[status] => Active
[new] =>
[title] => Opening a New Chapter at ACC
[author] => Emily Bridges
[article] => These past couple of years at the Access Central Coast have been a journey of community networking and consumer services. Some readers may know I started working at ACC in July 2020 as a Community Living Advocate (CLA) in Santa Barbara, working with people in Santa Barbara County who have disabilities of all ages to achieve their independence goals. Before that, I graduated with a Master of Public Health and Disability Studies Certificate, moved to California from the Southeast United States to start a newly married life as a California citizen, and spent several months Airbnb hopping. All the while, my husband and I were navigating the beginning stages of Covid and isolation. Talk about an eventful set of months!
After a few months as a CLA, I moved on to working as the Focused Population Case Manager in ACC’s Ventura office in November 2020. Through this role, I assisted people with or at risk of a dementia diagnosis and their live-in caregivers (i.e., spouses and family members) with case management and education about the various types of dementia. One of the key services was caregiver respite through a partnership with Channel Islands Social Services. However, I also have assisted with connecting to other services at ACC and within their communities. I would also help raise dementia awareness and acceptance throughout Ventura County.
While I enjoyed the roles at ACC that I’ve had for the last couple of years, I am thrilled to start as the Public Health Advocate in October (next month)! This will merge my passion for health equity and access and my educational background into an exciting opportunity. I will help build disability representation on a State and Local level when responding to current and future public health issues. More details will come throughout my time in this position, and I would be happy to hear input from folks. All that to say, I look forward to what this next phase of the journey will hold!
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