Meet Melanie. This young lady is determined not to let her limitations stop her from living a successful life. She has many goals and she’s determined to meet them. She encourages people not to give up even when life seems unfair. We’re so fortunate to have her as a member of the Network!

What's your story?  Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Melanie shares that she was born with her disability. As a kid, she says she had a decent life. She explains that during college is when it really started to hit her how many barriers adults with disabilities face to be able to be self-sufficient, contributing adults in society. She’s currently still working through trying to find resources to get employed enough to cover her healthcare needs and find affordable accessible housing.

How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?

Melanie first heard the term self-determination during the pandemic after joining the Wisconsin Disability Connections Facebook group. She was looking for support and resources and was very interested in learning more about what all self-determination all entails. “I joined the Self-Determination Network to gain a greater sense of community and belonging with other people with disabilities,” she says. 

Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms of self-determination?

Some exciting news for Melanie is that she’s working towards getting employed for the first time. She has an associate degree in accounting, and she explains that now that she knows how to advocate better, she’s working with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in hopes to find employment. She’s looking for something in the Administrative Assistant field she thinks. 

What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?

Melanie encourages people not to give up! She tells us that she has gotten really down on herself as an adult when life milestones such as getting a drivers license, graduating college, and now getting a job, and moving out all seemed to come at a slower later pace in life than her peers without disabilities. “But I am determined to make those goals happen for myself,” she exclaims!

What are some of your hobbies?

Melanie loves being an aunt to my niece and nephew. In her free time, she enjoys Diamond Painting.

***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.