Visionary Voices Interview
Larry Kubey
July 26, 2013
13:01:13:23 – 13:01:57:20
Q. My name is Lisa Sonneborn and I’m interviewing Larry Kubey at the Double Tree Hotel in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 26th 2013, and also present is our videographer, Ginger Jolly.
And Larry, do I have your permission to begin our interview?
A. Yes you do.
Q. Thank you. Can you please tell me your name and your occupation?
A. My name is Larry Kubey; I work with Self-Advocates United as 1 and am an assistant trainer.
CHAPTER ONE: EARLY LIFE
13:01:58:25 – 13:02:13:25
Q. Thank you. And can you tell me Larry, when and where you were born?
A. I was born September 20, 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Montefiore Hospital.
13:02:15:05 – 13:03:02:25
Q. Can you tell me a little bit about your family, Larry, starting with your dad?
A. My dad originally came from Paterson, New Jersey, went to Western High School around the
time Abbott and Costello was there. And he studied bassoon, then in 1940...1940’s, 1949 to be
exact, he got the job with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
13:03:04:15 – 13:03:31:10
Q. What is your dad’s name?
A. Arthur Kubey.
Q. Can you describe what he looked like?
A. Well let’s see, a...he looked like... I always use to describe him as the Robert Young in the
family.
13:03:33:15 – 13:03:46:25
Q. And can you tell me a little bit about your mom?
A. My mom is from Germany, she can to the States in 1927.
13:03:50:05 – 13:03:55:05
Q. And what was your mom’s name?
A. Ericka spelled with a ‘k’.
13:03:57:05 – 13:04:08:00
Q. And tell me a little bit about your mom, what did she look like or what was her profession?
A. She played bassoon also with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
13:04:10:15 – 13:04:37:00
Q. You described your father as looking like Robert Young?
A. Yes.
Q. What about your mom?
A. Uhm I’d say...let’s see... I think a...if I was going to pick a celebrity I’d say Joan Crawford look.
13:04:40:00 – 13:04:58:05
Q. Larry, did you have any brothers and sisters?
A. One sister living in New York.
Q. And what is her name?
A. Phyllis.
Q. And is she your older sister or your younger sister?
A. Older.
13:05:00:20 – 13:05:30:25
Q. And Larry, uhm, can you tell me what is your disability....or how do people describe your
disability?
A. Borderline.
Q. And can you tell me a little more what borderline means?
A. Half normal and half...a... “MR”.
13:05:31:10 – 13:05:50:10
Q. Thank you. I’m wondering Larry, if you know when your parents found out that you had a
disability?
A. After I was born.
Q. You were born as you said, in 1959?
A. Yes.
13:05:50:20 – 13:06:25:10
Q. And that was a time when a lot of doctors and other professionals told parents when they
had a child with a disability that they should place them in an institution, and I wonder if
doctors every told your parents that they should place you in an institution?
A. They may have... I’m not sure if they did or not.
Q. But, you grew up at home with your family?
A. Yes.
13:06:25:25 – 13:06:44:15
Q. How would you describe your childhood?
A. Pretty cool.
Q. What was pretty cool about it?
A. I use to watch TV as a kid.
Q. Did you have favorite programs?
A. “The Mickey Mouse Club” with Annette Funicello.
13:06:48:00 – 13:07:09:00
Q. You mentioned that both of your parents were musicians, was there music in your house?
A. Yes. In fact, they married in 1944, August 29th, the same day as the Osmond’s parents.
13:07:13:00 – 13:07:27:00
Q. Did you get to hear your parents play music in the house?
A. Yes.
Q. And what was it like to listen to them make music?
A. It was nice.
13:07:29:25 – 13:07:44:00
Q. Did you and your sister also learn to play instruments?
A. Yes she did, she played piano and sang.
Q. And you?
A. And I’ve...and I’ve done theater.
13:08:05:25 – 13:08:35:15
Q. Did you listen to popular music, and if you did, what were some of your favorite musicians?
A. Uhm let’s see, the Andrew Sisters, Count Basie, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, I always
enjoyed the British bands, and a...any American ones.
13:08:39:15 – 13:08:53:00
Q. What other kind of things did you enjoy doing as a family?
A. Going to Kennywood.
Q. What is Kennywood?
A. An amusement park in West Mifflin.
13:08:55:20 – 13:09:12:20
Q. I know musicians often traveled a lot, did your parents travel?
A. Yes they did.
Q. Did you ever get to go with them on their trips?
A. On occasions.
Q. Where would you travel together?
A. Detroit was one.
13:09:16:25 – 13:09:36:10
Q. Larry, were your parents involved in any of the advocacy groups that supported people with
disabilities in the area?
A. They supported everything that had...anything to do with... those with disabilities.
CHAPTER TWO: SCHOOL AND FRIENDSHIPS
13:10:25:10 – 13:10:56:25
Q. Larry, did you have friends in the neighborhood growing up?
A. Uhm...yes I did.
Q. And what kind of things would you and your neighborhood friends do together?
A. Ride bikes with training wheels...and a watching TV...one of the shows I used to love
watching was Paul Shannon’s “Adventure Time”.
13:11:00:10 – 13:11:08:05
Q. Did you ever feel different from the kids you grew up with?
A. I didn’t feel... see any.
13:11:10:20 – 13:11:30:05
Q. Did kids ever tease you for being different?
A. Sometimes.
Q. Can you share with me what they would say when they teased you?
A. Uhm, used the “M” “R” letters a lot...every kid did that in those days.
13:11:32:05 – 13:11:45:10
Q. And how did you respond in those instances when people would tease?
A. I just said to them, “Hey, you are what you’re calling me.”
13:11:57:20 – 13:12:17:05
Q. Larry, in the mid ‘60s when you were old enough to start school - as you know, not all kids
with disabilities had a chance to go to school, uhm...were you able to go?
A. Yes.
Q. Where did you got to school?
A. St. Anthony’s For Exceptional Children in Oakmont.
13:12:21:00 - 13:12:36:15
Q. What was the experience like at school- did you enjoy your classes there?
A. Yes I did.
Q. What where some of your favorite classes?
A. Reading, writing...arithmetic.
13:12:38:25 – 13:12:47:20
Q. Can you describe your class?
A. They were pretty nice.
13:12:50:20 – 13:12:59:15
Q. How long did you stay in school?
A. Until I was 21 and that was in 1981.
13:13:01:15 – 13:13:23:15
Q. While you were in school did you participate in some of the outside activities that schools
offer?
A. Yes, I did school plays.
Q. Tell me about that experience.
A. They did “Jesus Christ Superstar” and I had the lead as Jesus.
13:13:25:10 – 13:13:40:20
Q. Did you like acting?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you get cast in other school plays?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you have a favorite role?
A. I think my favorite was Peter Pan.
13:13:52:00 – 13:13:55:25
Q. Was it easy to make friends in school?
A. Sure.
13:14:02:10 – 13:14:17:25
Q. I think...you were saying that you stayed in school till you were 21?
A. Yes.
Q. Not all kids did stay in school till they were 21.
A. That’s true, at that time they didn’t.
13:14:18:10 – 13:14:35:10
Q. Why did you decide to stay?
A. I decided to stay because a... I wanted to complete everything there was to learn before I
graduated.
CHAPTER THREE: WORK AND LIFE IN COMMUNITY
13:14:38:10 – 13:14:52:10
Q. What did you hope to do after you graduated, what did you want to be?
A. An actor.
Q, And were you able to become an actor after school?
A. Yes.
13:14:53:00 – 13:15:25:12
Q. Oh, tell me what that was like.
A. I’ve done Community Theater with experimental theater.
I’ve been to...yeah, I’ve been to camps...and did shows there, and one of them was Camp
Sunshine and that was when I saw Bob Nelkin.
13:15:29:00 – 13:15:37:00
Q. How did you know Bob Nelkin, what was he doing at the camp, how did you get to know
him?
A. He was one of the main counselors.
13:15:39:05 - 13:16:08:25
Q. And when was that, how old would have been when you went to Camp Sunshine?
A. I think I was around ten or eleven then.
Q. And what did you do at camp?
A. Uh...theater productions, singing and a...tie-dyeing.
13:16:13:05 – 13:16:39:10
Q. Were you interested in finding...well, most actors I know have two jobs, they act and they
usually have another job on the side, was that true for you?
A. It didn’t happen that way for me.
Q. How did it happen for you?
A. Every time an opportunity came up I went for it.
13:16:43:10 – 13:16:49:25
Q. And so, are you still acting?
A. On occasions.
13:16:53:05 – 13:17:16:10
Q. Were you interested in doing other kind of work apart from acting?
A. I was once offered a chance to do a commercial for Giant Eagle, but they kept moving the
shooting date.
13:17:31:25 – 13:17:55:00
Q. I’m wondering what kind of work you’re doing currently.
A. I...a...my main work is with advocacy with “Self-Advocates United as 1” as associate assistant
trainer.
13:17:59:20 – 13:18:21:15
Q. Like all young people there come a time they feel ready to leave the nest, leave their parents
house, and I’m wondering when you felt it was like time to live out on your own?
A. That was back when my dad died in 2002.
13:18:24:15 – 13:19:27:05
Q. Can you tell me did you discuss [moving] before your father passed?
A. Yes.
Q. How did you plan for your life outside of the house?
A. I had to pack up all my clothes in boxes and things; it was nice moving out, they...my dad use
to say that I’d be on my own now, once I moved out. And I said that’s ok and when I got the
place through Community Endeavors, I always thought I’d be living on my own. When I
got...when I finally moved in... there were roommates already.
13:19:38:00 – 13:20:27:25
Q. Had you met your roommates before you moved to your new house?
A. No I didn’t.
Q. Had you wished for the opportunity to pick the people that you wanted to live with?
A. No I didn’t... Even though a lot of the Partnership trainings...ah...clearly states that a... each
individual has the right to choose who they want to live with, and yet it’s...yet it’s amazing how
ACHIEVA has all those trainings and yet they don’t practice what they preach, you know, during
the screening process for roommates.
13:20:31:20 – 13:20:54:05
Q. Were you able to choose the house that you lived in?
A. Yes, I’ve seen other places, but I chose the one on Ludwick.
Q. And how long have you lived there, Larry?
A. Since 2002.
13:20:56:00 – 13:21:25:05
Q. Before your father passed was he and was your sister supportive of you in your desire to
move to the community?
A. Yes.
Q. And were they happy to see you in your own home?
A. Yes...they would always come and...my dad came in every once-in-awhile before he passed
away and see how I was doing.
13:21:30:05 – 13:22:00:05
Q. Did you like the neighborhood you lived in?
A. Yes.
Q. And tell me a little bit about your neighborhood.
A. My neighborhood is pretty bustling, like cars going by, which is nice...
Met some of the neighbors...that were pretty nice.
13:22:01:15 – 13:22:21:20
Q. Have you been able to develop friendships with some of your neighbors?
A. Not really, but I also have worked at Sandcastle.
Q. What is that?
A. That’s a water park - theme park.
CHAPTER FOUR: SELF-ADVOCACY AND ADVOCATING FOR OTHERS
13:22:33:20 – 13:23:02:10
Q. Do you remember when you first became aware of idea of Self-Advocacy?
A. I... When I first started with Self-Advocacy...uhm, I was still doing trainings through the
Partnership with Denise Shultz, she’s a really nice lady and she really knows her stuff.
13:23:14:10 – 13:23:39:15
Q. Maybe you could start by telling me what the Partnership is?
A. The Partnership is a...an organization that does training with...materials that are for families
that have sons and daughters...uhm, with disabilities.
13:23:40:25 – 13:24:10:15
Q. And what kind of training do you provide?
A. Like how to understand the workings of the images of MH/MR department...I mean, system.
Uhm...how the PUNS work, and the waiver system, the waiting...the process of the waiting list.
13:24:12:25 – 13:24:31:15
Q. I imagine those topics those systems are very complicated and hard for families to
understand, how do you help them to understand those complicated systems?
A. The more you give them the knowledge the easier it will be to remember.
13:24:34:05 – 13:25:19:20
Q. How did you begin to work with the Partnership, who recruited you to do the training?
A. I was in the sheltered workshop in Wilkinsburg, and then uhm...what happen was I said,
“There’s got to be something I can do to get out of here”...I mean there. And uh, I found out
about this thing called the Partnership and I thought this ought to be fun thing to get involved
in.
13:25:21:25 – 13:26:03:05
Q. I want to go back to something you just said that was so interesting.
You said you were working in a workshop, but you wanted to get out there.
Can you describe, for people who don’t know what a workshop, is what your workshop was like
and why you wanted to leave?
A. What a sheltered workshop is it’s like...uhm...they do various subcontracts...and the volume
of contract work was very low...and even today it’s getting lower and lower.
13:26:05:10 – 13:26:26:15
Q. So, for folks who are working at a workshop and the volume of work is low, what do they do
with their days?
A. They have a thing called “supports” where individuals can read, write and mingle.
13:26:31:00 – 13:26:58:20
Q. Are people well paid for working in the workshops?
A. When they’re working, yes... But, the pay is very low.
Some of the contracts are every two weeks you get like $2 or $3 every two weeks.
13:27:02:15 – 13:28:21:15
Q. That’s certainly not a living wage.
A. That’s true.
Q. So, why did you want to leave the workshop, particularly?
A. When I was Wilkinsburg I felt that things weren’t going as well as it should...and the more I
said anything about it they were ready to get rid...to let me go anyway, so I gave them a head
start...myself a head start so they wouldn’t have to.
I wanted to be at another sheltered workshop at the strip district, but know I’m in the process
of getting out of there...taking baby-steps to do so.
13:28:26:25 – 13:29:19:24
Q. What do you think it will take for you to leave that workshop?
A. I don’t think it would take long...the more I speak up and speak my mind, miracles do
happen, and besides now that the people are getting off the waiting list and coming into the
sheltered workshops it’s going to cause over crowding...just some of the clients might have to
be pulled out, and I hope to be the first.
13:29:22:05 – 13:30:00:20
Q. When you’re pulled out what will you do next?
A. I’ll still be doing my work with Advocacy and the Partnership, and still keep making...there’s
many ways to make money, you can freelance, you can stay with the Partnership and...
ACHIEVA and get a fresh start in life.
13:30:33:05 – 13:31:11:00
Q. So Larry, I want to go back to what you were telling us about working for the partnership,
uhm, you talked about being invited to do training, what was it like the first time you stood-up
in front of a room and had to train people about this very complicated service system?
A. I loved it.
Q. What did you love about it?
A. Having all the people asking questions and being able to answer them right away...I did real
well.
13:31:13:25 – 13:31:40:00
Q. So, tell me when you first became involved with the self-advocate organization and what the
first organization was that you became involved with?
A. The first was “Speaking for Ourselves”...that was a group downtown on Smithfield Street.
13:31:40:20 – 13:32:04:05
Q. And how did you learn about the group?
A. Through ACHIEVA...and when it was still Arc Allegheny.
Q. Do you remember when that was?
A. That was...early in the ‘90s.
13:32:06:15 – 13:32:35:05
Q. Had you ever met a self-advocate before you went to that group?
A. I think I have.
Q. Can you tell me about the first self-advocacy meeting that you attended?
A. Uh...one was...there were so many...I would say that everyone was my favorite.
13:32:37:00 – 13:32:58:15
Q. Can you tell me about some of the people you met there?
A. Uhm...people with disabilities mingling with them finding out how they...live their lives...and
learned a lot.
13:33:00:05 - 13:33:25:10
Q. Did you hear stories from people that lived very different lives than the life you led?
A. Yes.
Q. Were there any stories that come to mind that made it particular impression on you?
A. I think stories about the history of the movement got me interested even more.
13:33:28:15 – 13:34:07:25
Q. Speaking for Ourselves, uhm...did a lot of advocacy around lots of different issues, and I’m
wondering when you were a part of the group what issues were important to the group at that
time?
A. I would think that a...the people that...the people that I’ve met and knowing that I’m...and
let them know that I’m there...if they have any questions.
13:34:42:05 – 13:35:12:10
Q. I know that in the ‘80s and in ‘90s when you were part of “Speaking for Ourselves” one of
the big issues was their “Close the Doors” campaign.
A. Yes.
Q. Can you tell me what that campaign was?
A. Uh...that was when people were being taken out of institutions and brought out into the
community.
13:35:15:00 – 13:35:33:20
Q. Did you meet people through “Speaking for Ourselves” that had been in institutions?
A. Yes.
Q. What was it like for you to hear those stories?
A. They were heartwarming and interesting.
13:36:28:25 – 13:36:56:00
Q. How did it feel for you to be advocating not only for the issues that were important to you,
but also for issues that affected other people with disabilities?
A. I think the work that I do makes them know they are not alone in the world, and have them
feel better about themselves.
13:36:59:10 – 13:37:19:10
Q. What did your family think about your work as a self-advocate?
A. They loved it.
Q. Was there a time when they came to hear you present or speak?
A. Yes.
Q. What was that like for you?
A. It was nice.
13:37:22:05 – 13:38:05:20
Q. I know you started your self-advocacy work as a member of “Speaking for Ourselves” are you
still a member of that organization?
A. I was with “Speaking for Ourselves” until uhm... I think it was around the early ‘90s when I
started with the Partnership...I’m on my either 7th or 8th year with the Partnership, and I’m
enjoying the ride.
13:38:07:25 – 13:38:38:00
Q. Are you still a member of “Speaking for Ourselves”?
A. No I’m not...right now I’m an assistant trainer for “Self-Advocates United as 1” and I’m also a
member of their board, and I still do Partnership trainings.
13:38:50:28 – 13:39:25:20
Q. What are some of the issues that “Self-Advocates United as 1” have been working on?
A. Trying to secure a good future...either financially or personally.
Q. And, how do you think people with disabilities can do that?
A. With a lot of knowledge and a lot of support.
CHAPTER FIVE: SAU1, BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
13:39:28:25 – 13:40:18:05
Q. You said that you were a board member for “Self-Advocates United as 1”?
A. Yes and still am.
Q. How did you become part of the board?
A. Somebody told me that a...that they thought I would make a great asset as a board member
they had me shadow a bit , and a... let’s see how everything’s all done....and then I had...then
shadowed over the phone...when they had board calls, and...I got in.
13:40:26:25 – 13:40:46:10
Q. Why did you want to be on the board?
A. To contin...to continue training...spreading the word...letting people with disabilities know
there is somebody out there that cares.
13:40:54:10 – 13:41:33:15
Q. As a board member do you get to bring new issues to the table for “Self-Advocates United as
1” to work on?
A. Yes.
Q. So, what kind of issues do you...have you brought to the table or would you like to bring to
the table?
A. Uhm, I think we’ve come a long way since a...we’ve been started, which was back in 1982
and...I’m grateful for the work that they do and I’m glad to be part of it.
13:41:35:05 – 13:42:12:25
Q. Is there an issue you’d like to see the group work on for the future?
A. Uhm, I would say that a...who knows what’s gone to happen in the future? But a...if I took a
guess as long as we keep getting grants to keep going...we’ll do our best to reach as many
people with disabilities statewide as we can.
13:42:17:25 – 13:43:55:15
Q. Larry, you were talking earlier about the very small wages that are paid to people who work
in workshops, I believe you said sometimes people can work and receive only $2 or $3 a week
or a couple of weeks for their efforts. What do you think about that and how can it be changed?
A. Maybe an increase like give them a regular salary, I mean, like a...no wonder half the people
are leaving the [work]shops...if things aren’t working out the way they want, the way the way
they’re told...when they’re told one thing and then you entered a sheltered workshop to find
out your not making what everybody tells them they’re going to be making.
That happened to me...and I’ll do whatever I can to keep spreading the word to...try to put a
change and a stop to the terrible tyranny.
13:44:14:12 – 13:45:00:05
Q. You’ve traveled to state centers and talked to residents there about living in the community;
is that correct?
A. Yes.
Q. I wonder if you can tell me what it’s like in those centers, when you visit, what is it like?
A. They’re really learning a lot in the state centers about what we do...and they enjoy it, their
eyes are opened up to new things...and every time we finish a training I get a lot of thank-yous.
13:45:04:00 – 13:45:26:25
Q. What do residents think about community life, is it something they want for themselves do
you think?
A. It seems like it...and I hope they a... they get a chance to see what it would be like.
13:45:30:10 – 13:45:52:10
Q. How can they be helped in their efforts to have a home of their own or their desires to have
a home of their own?
A. First talk with the supports coordinator that cares enough to help them through it.
13:46:06:25 – 13:46:56:20
Q. Several years ago you became a member of the “Provider Profiles Group” is that right?
A. Yes.
Q. Can you tell me what that was, or is?
A. Uhm...it’s a...it was under the name of “Operation Book Report” with Celia Feinstein and
some of the things we did was...was coming up with a...policies for the ODP trying to make
things better for people with disabilities.
13:47:04:03 – 13:47:28:20
Q. Can you tell me what policies you were able to put in place due to your work?
A. Uhm, one which has been for a long time now is to escape from the word...the letters “MR”
and just call them individuals with intellectual disabilities.
13:47:30:25 – 13:48:05:00
Q. What is that important?
A. ‘Cause a...you live your life as individuals not the way you think.
Q. You’re, I believe, Larry, a board member as well, of the Disability Rights Network”?
A. Yes.
13:48:50:10 – 13:49:28:10
Q. What is the “Disability Rights Network”?
A. Their abbreviation is DRN and they’re a group that foresees current and past policies, they
look at making things a bit better for people with disabilities, so they have a better life and
hope for a better future.
13:49:29:25 – 13:50:06:00
Q. How did you become part of their board?
Q. I became part of the board because I was told that they thought that I would make a good
asset for them...because of all the things that I’ve done for people with disabilities through the
Partnership and they thought it was time to elect me.
13:50:11:20 – 13:50:34:00
A. Why is working for a disability rights organization as part of the board important to you?
Q. I believe everything in life is of great importance to me, especially the rights of people with
disabilities.
CHAPTER SIX: ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND INSPIRATIONS
13:50:39:10 – 13:52:47:15
A. Larry, what do you feel when you look back over your life and your work and your advocacy,
what do you feel your greatest accomplishment has been?
Q. Uhm... I think the greatest accomplishment was well they always use to have....every year
they have a staffing report for people with disabilities and they use to...they always use to say
a...tell a person’s name...and I...and when they described the person...they say an individual
with a disability, but at that time they used the work “MR” so, I...went in and wrote a letter to
the head of...the “MR” meets department, to Mark Chernoff.
And said that I felt it was time to make some changes because it can really hurt people’s
feelings who have disabilities, and still have to go through...uhm...being called “MR” when they
can be called individuals, as we all are.
13:52:51:10 - 13:53:33:10
Q. What do feel that you would still like to accomplish through your work that maybe you
haven’t accomplished yet?
A. Uhm... I hope to accomplish as much as I can... to help in the rights...help people with
disabilities...have their...day in the sun, so that uhm...their future will be brighter and happier.
13:53:38:20 – 13:54:16:25
Q. What do you hope to accomplish for yourself personally, is there something that you would
like to accomplish in your own life that you have yet to do?
A. Even though I’m already a better person I think I can be a little more, but uhm...I’ve come a
long way since I was born, and I’m sure everybody...all others like me are trying to do the
same...but let them know that they’re not alone.
13:54:20:05 – 13:54:57:00
Q. Who or what inspires you in your work particularly in your self-advocacy work?
A. A lot of people inspire me a...in the work that I do in advocacy, Kay, for one...I’m thankful
that the organization has someone with great knowledge and wisdom that she has, and she
does a great job.
13:55:00:10 – 13:55:39:05
Q. Are there any other inspirations in your life?
A. I think a...my biggest influence is Kristin Ahrens from Temple University...for getting the
movement started...for people with disabilities...and I’m really proud of her accomplishments.
13:55:42:15 - 13:56:51:00
Q. What do you think people without disabilities know about people with disabilities?
A. Yes, in fact they should...I believe they should mainstream.
Q. What does that mean?
A. I mean take...instead of...I mean, why have just people with disabilities living amongst
themselves in a group home when they could have people without disabilities.
Let’s say a...let’s say you get a girlfriend and...you want to move the person in...that should be a
right because it’s in all the Partnership material...that everybody has the right to choose...who
they want to live with.
13:56:58:10 – 13:57:18:10
Q. So, people with...people who don’t have disabilities should, if I understand what you’re
saying correctly, people without disabilities should know that people with disabilities should
have the same rights as they?
A.Yes.
13:57:18:25 – 13:57:35:00
Q. Is there anything else they should know? What should they know about people with
disabilities as people?
A. That we all are the same...we’re all equal...and should be treated that way.
13:57:38:10 – 13:58:52:05
Q. Thank you.
Larry, those are all of the questions I had for you today, but I was wondering if there is anything
that you would like to add?
A. Let’s see, what I could add would be uhm... The future can be how you want it.
Like my mom use to say before she passed, that my future is... hasn’t been written yet...and
that I’m the one who has to write it...not the outside world...not...not organizations, but it has
to come from me...that the work for everybody...with disabilities...and those without
disabilities...because we are just as equal...as anybody else.