Highlights, Volume 11, Number 2, June/July 1993 Page: 3
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Last Tuesday... By Edward Willard
5:45 a.m. - My alarm goes off
with the sound of a Texan's wake-
up call, Country Music. By 7:45,
I'm in my car on the way to work
as Director of Housing for a com-
munity program. By 9 o'clock I am
taking part in a state-wide tele-
phone conference hosted by Justin
Dart, meaning the results of the call
will end up on Mr. Bill's desk.
I spend the rest of the work day
meeting with state reviewers, biting
my nails along with the Director
and other co-workers, hoping we
will be certified. After sweating
some bullets, the reviewers give us
the stamp of approval.
After a full day's work, I stop by
my almost completed new home,
to check on some finishing touch-
es. To unwind from the stressful
day, I do some laps at the pool.
Next, I go home, play with my cat,
eat dinner, read my mail, make
some phone calls, watch some
news and then go to bed, feeling
tired but good about another full,
productive day.
At the age of six months, my
mother was told by our family doc-tor, "Lorraine, this child will
amount to nothing more than a
vegetable. Brandon state school
will take good care of him. You
have three other kids who would
benefit from your giving this
crippled child up to the state."
Thankfully, both my parents told
the almighty doctor where to put
that advice.
At of age of 17, I started serving
time in a jail called Bob Hope High
for Crippled Children. Besides
living in a setting that most people
wouldn't allow their pets to live in,
my parents were informed by a
team of "experts" that I was
Retarded, and that they should look
for a nursing home that offered
outings once a week. If seven
years ago you told me what my life
would be like last Tuesday, I would
have asked you what drugs you
were on.
I want to give all of you a gift.
This gift is something that all
Partners have. Please close your
eyes and put out a hand... Ok,
close your hand.
In each of our hands, we holdReady to Change the World: Partners from across the nation share
their enthusiasm and determination to end segregation. One hundred forty-
seven people from 34 states and one territory attended the 1993 National
Academy on Partners in Policymaking, May 20-22, in Austin. They came to
share their experiences and to continue spreading the leadership training
program for adults with disabilities and parents of young children with
developmental disabilities. Participants represented 18 states which already
have Partners in Policymaking and 16 states and one territory which recently
started or plan to start it. Texas also hosted an academy last year in Dallas.
June/Julv 1993Edwari (Tad) Willard
two keys. The first key unlocks the
doors of tI-1e ins-itutions of all sizes
that imprison our brothers and
sis:e s. The next key we share.
T-is key opens loors for people in
the community, :o live, to work,
and :o play. Why did I say we
share this key? Because many
times advocates forget one :hing.
We forcet to practice what we
preach. If alorc the way of helping
others Cain a better quality o- life,
we a so look o-t for our own needs
aric wants, that s ok. Our efforts
anc devotion to this cause will not
be any less for it. So take time to
erjo , life for yourself sometrnes.
Once aHl people are living
where, with whcm and how they
choose, and participating in their
community to their maximum po-
tential, we can take out that first
key and lock up :hose institutions
for good.
GO USE THEM
KEYS, PARTNERS!
Edward Wil.'; rd graduated
in May 1993 frcm the third class
of Partners in Policymaking in
Texas. He presented these
thoaohts at the National Acad-
err, on Partners in Policymaking.
3
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Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities. Highlights, Volume 11, Number 2, June/July 1993, periodical, June 1993; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth903471/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.