Meet Emily. This active young woman loves being busy. Whether it’s she’s rock climbing, water skiing, snow skiing, traveling, or volunteering at her church, she can’t sit still. As an Independent Living Coordinator at an Independent Living Center, she shows her consumers how to use self-determination to be independent. We’re so fortunate to have her as a member of the Network!

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

Emily is 27 years old living with spastic quadruple cerebral palsy. She has a passion for advocating  for the disability community. She shares that her goal is to assist and support individuals with disabilities. “There has been a lot of individuals and a lot of programs that have helped me get to where I am today and I would like to give that support to other individuals with disabilities as well,” she tells us. She never sits still, and she’s always trying new things and going on adventures.

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

Emily works as an Independent Living Coordinator at Independence First in Milwaukee. She explains that showing her consumers that they have self-determination and can be independent is the main part of her job. She joined the Network because she feels that the more connections she can make within the disability community, the better resource she’ll be for someone else.

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

Emily doesn’t want to give too much away, but she has been looking into making the next step in her career which is going back to school and getting her masters degree.

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

Emily explains that as an adult, having self-determination isn’t as scary as it was as a kid. She encourages people to have goals and to start small. “Work on your goals a little every day and ask for help from your support system if you need it,” she says.

What are some of your hobbies?

Emily enjoys being active. She loves waters skiing in the summer and snow skiing in the winter. Recently, she has been trying adaptive rockclimbing and she really likes that too. “Anything to keep active,” she says. She loves to travel (preferably to the beach, and she’s also very involved in my church. 

***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.

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