Our 2024 Youth Equity Ambassadors have been selected and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to them! The Youth Equity Ambassadors are tasked with helping steer the direction of The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality by identifying and addressing key issues facing youth with disabilities for a one year term. In an effort to get to know this team better and their passion for social justice, check out their answers to the following questions we asked:
– If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
– What advocacy issues are you most passionate about?
I would go to the Philippines to visit my family and spend time with my elders. It’s a privilege that most of my family lives in the U.S. However, I would like to connect with the rest of my family, hear more stories about my Lola and Mom from my elders as well as learn more about the different cultures and languages there.
Currently, the extreme violence and genocide in Gaza has been heartbreaking for myself and my community to bear witness to via social media. It’s difficult seeing videos and images of innocent people, especially young children experiencing the unimaginable and then seeing people going on with their lives. No business as usual. So, I try to learn about what is happening in Gaza and speak up about Free Palestine as much as I can. I am reminded by Alice Wong, one of the disabled activists that I admire, why Palestinian Liberation is Disability Justice and how cross-movement solidarity is necessary for our collective liberation.
Similar to the creative resistance demonstrated by the 504 Sit-In, I believe disabled people have a lot to offer to act in solidarity with the people of Palestine (if going to protests are not accessible) such as providing Alt-Text to images from Gaza, ASL translations for videos, creating art honoring Palestinians from bed, calling politicians to demand a ceasefire, supporting the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement, to donating to “Crips for eSims for Gaza,” and so much more!
If I could go anywhere, I would chose to go to France or Quebec Canada so i can use the French I have learned at school.
I am passionate about lots of topics! In particular, I really enjoy advocating for a Ceasefire In Palestine, LGBTQIA+ youth, Alternatives To Guardianship, Common Sense Gun Control, Intersectionality, Neurodivergent youth, Employment for disabled youth and Disabled People Of Color.
You can find Corissa’s vlog on the history of pride month here.
If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to France, especially somewhere on the coast. I would love to go see those gorgeous clear blue waters!
I am most passionate about disability representation in the arts, especially in film and theatre. I will be majoring in Media and Cinema Studies in college with the hope that I will help create diverse stories with disabled folks. I am also really passionate about LGBTQIA+ issues and being an ally for BIPOC folks.
As one of the most accessible countries, I would love to go to Germany if I could. Access and equitable treatment of disabled people are my advocacy priorities. I am passionate about affordable and equitable preventative health care for people with disabilities. Additionally, travel should not be a barrier. This includes public transit, taxis, ride-hailing, trains, and flights. I want to go without worrying about accessible services or my wheelchair breaking. On a personal note, my favorite comfort food is anything chocolate. And, a movie I never get tired of is Beaches.
I would like to visit the Great National Parks of the Southwest (Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon)
I am passionate about reducing healthcare inequities for patients with disabilities, especially in the digital healthcare sphere.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be Italy- because I have family over there, I want to learn about my Italian heritage and see where my ancestors are from, eat some good Italian food, and see the sights and the monuments from history. Just the Trevi Fountain in mountain de Pompeii. I hope to do this in the future because I think it would be a really cool opportunity for me. The advocacy issues that are most important to me are lgbtqia rights because I am a gay man who advocates for equality and fair rights. Another issue that is important to me is disability housing because I have had multiple housing issues over the past few years and I want to advocate for people with disabilities to have the opportunity to live as an independent as possible and be successful in their community.
Check out one of Tylor’s blogs: On Being Gay and Disabled
