Youth Ability Summit Participants

Allie

My name is Allie; I am 18 years old and am an incoming freshman of the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, DC. After attending the Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities in 2009, I became the Youth Advocate Intern at the Marin Center for Independent Living. There, I co-founded a youth group for people with and without disabilities. I also was a campaign leader for the statewide Californa Disability History Week campaign and ran the first ever Disability Awareness Week at my high school where we promoted disability acceptance and understanding.

I hope to take away from the summit new ways to promote disability awareness while creating connections with the people there. I am excited to experience a new culture and I would like to learn about life in Syria, specifically from someone with a disability. I hope to contribute what I have learned from my own advocacy experience and share some personal experiences and accounts that will help us to target all different types of people.

Sarah

My name is Sarah and I am attending College of San Mateo. I am 19 years old and currently working on the California Health Incentives Improvement Project Youth Advisory Board.

By attending the summit, I want to take away the experience and knowledge I learn to help me better advocate for others and myself. I hope to contribute my unique and diverse perspective to the dialogue on issues that youth with disabilities face both in the United States and internationally.

Aubrie

Creative writing, fine arts, graphic design, and video production are just some of the artistic aptitudes that I plan to continue expanding as a member of Stanford University's Class of 2014. I have been a part of a variety of projects, including ROCK (Reach Out, Care, Know: being a trained peer mentor in response to a string of student suicides), Stories of Service (constructing miniature documentaries of war veterans), Youth Health Advocates (promoting healthy lifestyles through PSAs to combat the childhood obesity epidemic), Youth Advisory Council (directing studio shows to voice teen perspective on local TV channels), and Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (studying disability history and bringing issues to the attention of California state senators).

I hope to add one more "Youth" in the form of the Youth Ability Summit, where I look forward to not only sharing my perspective as a youth with a disability but also learning about others' views at the international level.

Stephen

I am 20 years old. I just finished my second year at the University of Illinois as a Recreation, Sport, and Tourism student. I am the team manager for the men's and women's wheelchair basketball team at the university. I try to advocate for youth to make sure that they and their parents know the services available to them. I have done work with youth in the public school system by helping them obtain the aid that they should receive. I also help in letting them and their families know about the recreational programs that exist for youths with disabilities.

I hope that I will leave the summit with a better understanding of the challenges and legal rights of disabled people around the world. In addition, I hope to discuss the importance of disabled youth getting involved in different activities as they grow up. Disabled youth need to know that having a disability does not mean that they cannot do things and be involved.

Shafeka

I am 17 and a rising senior at the Bergen County Academies in New Jersey. I serve as captain of the mock trial team, a chair for Academy Model United Nations, a member of the National and Tri-M Honor societies, and take part in several community service activities in my school and throughout my community. I am an active member of the National Federation of the Blind. In this organization I serve as the Vice President of the New Jersey Association of Blind Students, and speaker for both Parents of Blind Children and at NFB state conventions about the importance of braille literacy, cane travel, and the necessity for independence. I have been able to travel to Washington D.C. in order to advocate and speak to Congressmen regarding issues facing the blind, such as the development of quiet cars.

This summit has given me the opportunity to enhance these advocacy skills to create an impact on a global level. By learning and teaching with Syrian advocates, I hope to help change any preconceptions people may have of disabled people's capabilities. In being a Palestinian American I will share the experiences I have had both in the US and abroad to show those in less developed nations the capabilities of people with disabilities, and that the lives of those with a physical impairment are not limited.

John

I attend Grossmont High School's Transition Program. I'm 18 years old and just graduated high school. My activism began with participation in the Best Buddies Club at my school for 4 years; I was involved in organizing the first dance for Best Buddies this year. In 2008, I attended the Youth Leadership Forum to learn about my civil rights, the ADA, and that I am "Disabled and Proud." Since then, I have gone to YLF activities. I am also on YO!YAC, the Youth Organizing, Youth Advisory Council, which is part of YLF out of Sacramento. I have gone to Sacramento as part of the Disability Capital Action Day in 2009 and 2010. During my visit in 2009, I spoke on the steps of the capital building and met with the assistants to 3 state senators to support the bill on Disability History Week. I recently went to Camp LEAD, a 3 day social justice camp put on by my school district.

I hope the summit will help to decrease teasing and bullying. I want to say there is always something you can do. I want people to stop using violence, whether it is mental or physical. Instead, we should use theater, stage combat, dancing, music, and art to express any tension inside of us. Show how you feel. Then other people can learn how you feel. People can learn to stand together as one. We can hold hands and put our hearts together and help each other.

Hamza

I am currently preparing to head to college at the University of California, Berkeley this fall. I enjoy reading, studying, learning languages, and working. I work as an advisory Board Member and co-chair of the Kids as Self Advocates (KASA), one of the only nationwide youth run disability rights groups in the country and the only one with a state and national presence and chapters. I have also worked and presented on disability issues in Pakistan by speaking about the needs of people with disabilities to teachers, friends, and families of people with disabilities. I'm currently working on forming my own non-profit to bring assistive technology and information to people with disabilities in developing countries.

Since I'm 17, there are still plenty of things to learn. I want to learn more about disability in Syria and globally, how to work with people of different cultures, and how to become a better facilitator. I want to bring my previous experience to the global disability scene and help show that hard work and determination do make a difference.

Melissa

I am 18 years old. For all of my life, I had lived in Plainfield, New Jersey, but when the time came for me to choose a college, I decided that I needed a change of scenery. Presently, I attend the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and, in the fall, I will be a sophomore. Pursuing an English Literature major, English Writing minor, and secondary education certificate, I aspire to become a high school English teacher. Because I was born with a visual impairment, I feel that it is important for me to help others that are going through similar situations. For over seven years, I have been active in the National Federation of the Blind. I speak at state conventions, participate in my local chapter and student division, and attend youth events.

During the youth ability summit, I hope to learn about issues facing people of other disabilities, get to know great individuals, offer my opinions in the hopes that they may help, and assist with finding the best way to share information with people all across the world.

Alison

I'm 16 years old and am currently a student at Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind. Regarding my activism with disabilities, my biggest achievement would have been raising nearly two thousand dollars as Student Body Government President for the rebuilding of a school for the deaf, blind, and deaf-blind in Haiti after the earthquake. Smaller activities include leading tours of non-deaf American Sign Language (ASL) students around my school, exposing them to deaf culture and what we go through on a day-to-day basis.

From this summit I hope to take away a better understanding of Syrian culture and of other disabilities. I also hope to come back with some new friends and memories that will last a lifetime. I believe I can contribute greatly to the global dialogue on youth and disabilities because, as the only deaf person attending from the United States, I have a completely different viewpoint that others do not have.

Noah

A 15-year-old tenth grader at Palatine High School, Noah is a twice-exceptional young man. Noah excels in creative writing, performance and visual arts, and community service. His hobbies are running, basketball, playing guitar, public speaking, drawing, traveling, and being somewhat of a stand-up comedian.

Noah has won several awards including the Smart Kids with LD Award, Carol Morreale Award for Excellence in Language Arts, and the Clay Aiken Community Service Grant/Award. Noah has presented at national and international conferences, including the National Federation of Families, International Children's Film Festival, and Cinema of the Deaf. He is a firm believer that there is more than one way to accomplish a task, a philosophy that has always proven correct throughout his life.

Siham

My name is Siham. I’m 19 years old, just graduated from high school in July 2010, and am currently preparing to register in the university.

Rahaf

My name is Rahaf. I'm 20 years old and am currently a student at Alrajaa School. I like painting, and making hand crafts.

Abdel Rahman

My name is Abdel Rahman. I'm 20 years old. I’m currently a student in Damascus University- Faculty of Library and Information.

Walaa

My name is Walaa. I'm 20 years old and I like computers. I want to be a computer teacher in the future.

Zinab

My name is Zinab. I’m 17 years old, just finished the basic education stage (9th grade) and I like painting.

Lilian

My name is Marwa. I’m 16 years old, just finished the basic education stage (9th grade), and I play the electronic organ and sing.

Muhand

My name is Muhand. I’m 18 years old, I like sports and I have participated in the special Olympic in Damascus in 2005. I obtained many medals in running, karate and basketball. I also like music and drama.

Ginwa

My name is Ginwa. I’m 18 years old. I like computers and painting.

Hiba

My name is Hiba. I'm 16 years old and I like computer sciences.

Salim

My name is Salim. I'm 21 years old. I like drawing and playing rhythmic instruments. I have been working in Al-Safina workshops for the last four years in making paper and I'm very happy with my work.

Nada

My name is Nada. I'm 24 years old. I like sports especially swimming, as well as dancing and drawing. I have been working in Al-Safina workshops for the last year and half.

Tarek

I'm Tarek. I'm 15 years old. I work in Al-Safina workshop making cards. I like participating in the community's different celebrations. My hobbies are drawing and handicrafts.