Despite an inherent connection between disability policy and educational policy, I rarely came across disability issues within my general education studies. Through the Sonoran Center’s Disability Policy Fellowship, I had the opportunity to examine some of the most pressing issues at the intersection of disability and education.

For this month’s Sonoran Center Staff Spotlight, we are meeting with JS Torres.
Torres is a Student Project Aide for the Sonoran Center’s Native Initiatives.
We discuss their work with the Native Center Disabilities, what Native American Heritage month means for them, how to bring communities together, upcoming projects, and more!

Much like how my Native American heritage and culture influences my own identity, the lived experiences of tribal members who have a disability are also impacted by their own set of unique intersecting identities that require culturally relevant support specific to their needs.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In observance, we want to highlight the great steps forward that are being made in the field of disability employment. Here, we highlight a success story from the Summer Work Program: Alexis 'Lexi' Dibbern

In summer of 2023, the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities facilitated a series of online training sessions for professionals in the disability field in Uganda as part of a virtual outbound experience.

During spring semester of 2021, I was able to participate in a paid internship with United Cerebral Palsy of Southern Arizona (UCPSA)/WorkAbility as a Job Coach. The internship provided me the insight that can only be found through hands-on experience.

On Monday, October 2, the Sonoran Center’s Gabriel “Gabe” Martinez visited the White House for a celebration and summit commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act and 33rd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For this month’s Sonoran Center Staff Spotlight, we are meeting with Danielle Hallahan.
Hallahan is the Sonoran Center’s Program Manager for Administrative Operations. Since starting at the Center in Fall of 2023, she has become an integral part of the Sonoran Center. 
We discuss her passion for disability accessibility and inclusion, the importance of always learning, upcoming projects, diving with sharks, and more!

During Spring 2023, I had the opportunity to work with SAAVI (Southern Arizona Association for the Visually Impaired) Services for the Blind, a non-visual training service program to establish independent life skills. My experience with SAAVI has brought me to a broader understanding of disability and allowed me to practice working with students on a case-by-case basis.