What is READY?  READY is Real Educated Active Disabled Youth!  We are a new youth-led network of young people with disabilities living in Illinois and working for disability rights change! 

Each month, we are hosting a conference call with guest speakers on topics important to young people with disabilities in Illinois.  This month, our topic is:

Becoming Independent with Michelle and Ramon

Call in to hear our guest speakers talk about their personal journeys to being independent adults with disabilities.  We will have question and answer time, so be ready to ask some questions!

Time: 2 pm to 3:30 pm, Wednesday, July 22, 2009

If you are in Chicago: join our guest speakers and other young people at Access Living, 115 W. Chicago Avenue.  We are easily reached by public transportation, but parking is hard.  A personal assistant and ASL interpreter will be present.

If you live outside Chicago, call in by dialing toll free 800-351-3440.

When you hear the prompt, dial the ID number 549542.

Guest Speaker Michelle Robbins is from El Paso, Texas and currently lives in Chicago in her own home.  Ms. Robbins has cerebral palsy and has been an activist in the disability community since 2003 through ADAPT.  She has a degree as a Language Interpreter/Translator.  Ms. Robbins worked at VOLAR CIL in El Paso as the Spanish/English Interpreter and for Access Living as the Housing Policy Coordinator.  She is now the Latino Outreach Coordinator for Access Living.   

Guest Speaker Ramon Canellada has been the Accessibility Program Coordinator at Schwab Rehab Hospital in Chicago for the past 8 years.  He contributes to the community as the president of the board of Progress Center for Independent Living, as well as serving on the following: United Way of Metropolitan Chicago's Latino community outreach committee, the Chicago 2016 Paralympic committee, the Chicago Park District advisory committee, MOPD/CDOT curb cut advisory committee, Sinai Community Institute Latino advisory board, the League of United Latin American Citizens' (LULAC) first disability council, and the Committee for the Integration of Latinos with Disabilities (CILD). Mr. Canellada has a physical disability and believes that education and knowledge about the rights and responsibilities of people with disabilities are our most important entitlements.

To RSVP and for more information, contact Access Living staff Carleda Johnson at (312) 640-2159, or Amber Smock at (312) 957-4843 or asmock@accessliving.org, or AYLP members Damian Ellis at (773) 684-9160 or Vernell Dorsey at (773) 237-2995.