I’m beyond excited to share this with you all! I’m currently finalizing the process of signing on the be a guest and speaker at the week-long Youth Leadership Forum of Virginia next month.  This is a program for students with disabilities in the Commonwealth to attend as either high school juniors or seniors.  Their disabilities are on a wide range, but their abilities are exponential. While I never attended this event as a student, as I’ve continued my work in disabilities across the state, particularly thanks to Dr. Susan Asselin who was my faculty mentor on an undergraduate research project, I’ve heard so much about it!

To give a little bit of background on the program, I heard about it in, honestly, the weirdest way possible! I was at an event called the  Transition Forum event where Dr. Asselin and I were presenting in late 2011 or early 2012.  I met a lady named Teri, who happened to just be the boyfriend, at-the-time, of one of my very best college friends.  She had seen me in pictures with her son and and my friend together, and approached me at the conference.

She shared her business card with me, and I kept it on my desk in Blacksburg for a while, not really sure where the connection was.  As this summer rolled around, and I wanted to be able to help out with the YLF program, so Teri and I finally had a connection. The rest is history!

The YLF program seeks to empower young people with disabilities to further develop their leadership skills. Students take part in a wide range of activities and learning experiences during the four day Youth Leadership Forum set on a university campus in Richmond.

Let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing like giving back to communities and individuals that not only have given so much to you but that you also know have such potential to be a driving force in this world.

Can’t wait. I hope the host-hotel is pet friendly! :)