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A Letter from the Executive Director
By Betsy
Valnes
Welcome
to the first newsletter of a new year from an organization with a new mission
statement, new staff members, new board members, new committees, and new
energy!
New Mission
Statement
As
NYLN grows, our Governing Board also thought we needed to update our mission
statement. It now reads: NYLN's
mission is to promote youth leadership and education. We teach youth how to advocate. Our goal is to make sure that youth with
disabilities have the chance to set and reach their own goals.
New Staff Members
o
Laura Hoffman, NYLN Development Specialist: Laura will focus on
community participation and grassroots outreach. She will help recruit new members and train
emerging leaders. She will support the
goals of the Network. But she will
also reach out to young leaders in local, state and national
communities.
o
Travis Hoffman,
NYLN Technical Support Specialist: Travis will help the Network with technical support [computer and
internet tasks]. He will be sure that
the web site remains up-to-date and accessible.
o
Elizabeth Guerrero, NYIC Linguistic Support Specialist:
Elizabeth will increase the Network’s diversity.
She will translate our public documents into Spanish. These documents
will also follow our Accessibility Guidelines.
New Board Members
NYLN
has 13 new leaders on our Governing Board.
We also elected three new officers.
Their personal information is included later in the newsletter. They are from all over the country. And the skills and ideas they bring will
make our organization that much stronger.
New Committees
NYLN
also changed our committee design. We
now have the following committees:
o
Accessibility Committee: This committee creates public
documents. These documents empower
young people. And they will be used
for public trainings all over the country.
o
Advocacy Committee: This committee hosts teleconferences
(webcasts). Young people from around
the country can participate. They just
call a toll-free number. Our first one
will be held April 15,
2008.
o
Public Outreach Committee: This committee is in charge of
making these newsletters. The
newsletters are sent to young people around the country. There are four newsletters each year. This team also works with other Youth
Information Centers.
New Energy
New
energy is important for an organization.
That is what allows us to serve you better. NYLN finds new energy through members,
mentors, professional partners, and community allies. Energy brings about change!
We
are excited to continue working with you.
We want to find ways to include and empower all young people. And we are ready to move forward with YOUTH
POWER to make it happen!
A Letter From the President
By Stacey Milbern
Dear
NYLN Members,
My
name is Stacey Milbern, and I was elected
to serve as president of NYLN. I am 20 years old, Asian-American, and from Fayetteville, NC.
 I went to my first NYLN conference during my
junior year of high school. My parents went with me and I was nervous to
speak because of my young age and inexperience, especially compared to the
older members who were doing all kinds of amazing things. Since then, I have
gotten very involved in the disability community and have grown in many
ways. But I laugh when I think that
I’m serving as president because I’m still a bit shy. And I am humbled by other NYLN members
every day. However, in the words of the great activist, Audre Lorde, “When we
speak, we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are
silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.”
As
young people, we are silenced by people who think we do not have
experience. These same people
sometimes think that we should not be included. When we hear this, we start
to think that we don’t need to be included either. However, we must remember
our history. We cannot allow ourselves
to be quieted. The Rolling Quads (a group of young disability activists)
started the Independent Living Movement.
They organized it on their campus. The Stonewall Riots (they are seen
as those who started the GLBT/Queer Rights Movement) were led by young
people. The boycotts, marches, and sit-ins of the Civil Rights movement were
led by students who wanted change. Youth have played a huge part in the
struggle for freedom and we always will.
We will do it through politics, advocacy, and grassroots activism.
The
Network has changed. And right now we
have waves of energy in every part of our work. Young people are working
together to tap into our power. I am proud to call myself a member of NYLN.
Please
contact me any time at stacey.milbern@gmail.com. In the words of Justin Dart: “Lead
on, lead on, lead on!”
In
solidarity,
Stacey Milbern
New Officers,
Committee Chairs,
and Governing Board
Members!
President
o
Stacey
Milbern: Stacey is from North Carolina.
Her disability is a weak muscle tone. She is studying Political Science
at Methodist University. She worked with
youth to host the first Youth Leadership Forum in her state. She also serves
on the State Independent Living Council (SILC). She has filled this
role for the last 4 years. Her favorite areas are disability culture,
media, and activism.
Vice President
o
Josie
Badger: Josie is 24 years
old. She grew up in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
She has muscular dystrophy. Josie is going to graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh. Josie
helped create a state Youth Leadership Network. This network is for young people in Pennsylvania. She is
also a member of the Governor’s Council. This council is for people
with disabilities. She really enjoys things that apply to transition.
Secretary/Treasurer
o
Claire
Stanley: Claire goes to the
University of California Davis. She is studying
political science and wants to go to law school. Claire has been a member of
the National Youth Leadership network since the summer of 2005 and is now a
member of the governing board. Claire has been in many committees in NYLN.
She has also been the chair of the Membership Committee. She is a member of
the American Council of the Blind. She is a member of the ACB’s student group,
the national Alliance of Blind Students. Claire is also a part of the
California Youth Leadership Forum. She is also a part of many clubs at school
including Relay for Life, model United Nations, and Davis College
Republicans. She is a leader in many of these clubs.
Accessibility
Committee Chair
o
Hillary Jorgenson: Hillary got her
law degree from the University
of Colorado in
2005. She is now going to law school at Seattle University.
She will get her law degree in May of 2008. She wants to use her law
degree to help make things more accessible. She is happy to be working
with NYLN. She is also happy to be working with young people with
disabilities.
Advocacy Committee
Chair
o
Eleanor Canter: Eleanor Canter is
a person with a disability. She lives in Washington, D.C.
She works at the National Council on Independent Living. She is an editor and designer. She
has a Degree in philosophy. She worked for two years at a Center for
Independent Living. She was a Community Organizer. Eleanor likes
writing about disability rights. She is into bioethics (the study of
morals in medicine). She is into disability law and the future of the
Independent Living Movement. She likes to take pictures. She also
likes Russian novels and collects snow globes.
Public Outreach
Committee Chair
o
Everett Deibler: Everett is a 23-year-old
senior at Millersville
University. He is majoring in psychology. And he lives in Lebanon, PA.
Everett has
been an NYLN committee member for the last two years. He is currently the
chair of the Public Outreach Committee.
This makes him the one in charge of the NYLN newsletter.
Everett’s main passion is
transition. In Pennsylvania he has worked with the State
Department of Education. He also serves
as a board member for the Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network. They put
together presentations and plan conferences for youth and their families. He
also works for a center for independent living and has presented at the
Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council.
Governing Board
Members
o
Alan Chase: Alan is a senior
at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He is studying education for students with
special needs. Alan is on a panel for
a disability group at his college. He
is also on the Governing Board of the North Carolina Youth Leadership
Network. Alan is a member of a Board
of Directors for his past school. He
also works as a tutor. Alan likes
helping people with disabilities. He
enjoys disability law and public policy.
He also likes to get involved in mentoring programs. He likes activities in planning for crisis.
o
Jennifer Conrad: Jennifer grew up
in Southern California. She went to San Diego State University.
She got her Bachelor's Degree there. Then she went to law school at Syracuse University. She was also in
their Master's program for Education and Disability Studies.
Now
Jennifer works in Washington
D.C. She works for the Equal Rights Center.
She is the program manager. And she focuses on disability rights.
In the past, she worked for:
· The Office of
Disability Employment Policy,
· The Protection and
Advocacy Agency of California,
· The Protection and
Advocacy Agency of New York,
and
· The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
o
Jillian Kaiser: Jillian is from Minnesota.
She went to school and studied human services. She earned her associate’s
degree in this. Now she is working on her bachelor’s degree. She specializes
in disability advocacy. Jillian took part in an advocacy program called
Partners in Policymaking. She likes to be active in the community. And her
interests are:
· Self-advocacy,
· Transition,
· Education,
· Autism, and
· Photography.
o
John
Lemus: John Lemus
is 23 years old. He is from Spokane, Washington. He works for The Arc of Spokane. At work, he is a self-advocacy coordinator. He serves on
the Developmental Disability Council for Washington. He also helps with People First and the
SAIL Coalition. He focuses on healthy
sexuality and relationships. He also
spends time finding ways for young people to learn about self-advocacy and
freedom of choice. In his free time,
John likes to be with friends. He also
likes music, animals, and public speaking.
o
Amy Litzinger: Amy is going to
school at Southwestern
University. This is in Texas.
She is a sophomore. Her majors
are English, political science and religion. Going to graduate school
is one of her goals. She is a former
vice chair of the Youth Advisory Committee for the National Council on
Disability. In the past, she was the
chair of NYLN’s Mentorship Committee.
She likes advocacy, transportation, and assistive technology.
She serves on the state Children’s Policy
Council in Texas. She also helps with the Youth Leadership
Forum. On campus Amy participates in Theatre for Social Justice.
Last year they worked with high school students. Together they wrote a play about racial
issues. Amy also serves on Student
Congress and on the Faculty Affairs Committee. She is a member of Sigma
Phi Lambda sorority.
o
Jennifer Mitchell: Jennifer Mitchell
is 25 years old and she was born with arthrogryposis. She has been in a wheelchair since the age
of 5. She graduated summa cum laude
from San José State in 2005 with a degree in
Computer Science. Jennifer worked in a
high-tech job for a year and a half, but she now enjoys multiple part-time
jobs, including teaching. She also
plays power soccer for the San Jose Steamrollers. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay
Area.
o
Ric Nelson: Ric lives in Anchorage, Alaska. He has lived there for ten years. Now he is going to school at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
He is working on his degree in business administration. And he is specializing in business
management. He serves on four boards to make a difference for people
with disabilities. Some day he wants to work for a business that
focuses on improving the lives of those with disabilities. He goes out
of his way to help others help themselves.
o
Alicia
Payne: Alicia Payne
is a 27-year-old from Wellston,
Oklahoma. Ms. Payne has lived
through a left/right brain injury. In the last 10 years, she has tried
to overcome any challenge she has faced. She is involved in many
activities. Ms. Payne is director of a volunteer service, member of two
state committees, and helps at a dance studio. She is also member of
the emergency management team where she lives. Ms. Payne works to show
youth with disabilities that their voices do matter and they can make a
difference.
o
Lacy
Pittman: Lacy was raised in Memphis, Tennessee
and she goes to the University
of Tennessee. Her major is marketing, and her minor is
international business. Last summer,
she worked for the Department of Agriculture where she learned a lot about
foreign policy. At school, she is in
many clubs like my sorority, a marketing club, and an alumni club. She serves on the U.S. Business Leadership
Network, Community Advisory Council, and Diversity Services Career
Committee. She knows French and
understands Spanish. Now, she works at
SunTrust Bank and babysits. In her free time, she likes to play tennis and
golf, watch movies, and watch CNN. She is a funny person and loves to
laugh. Also, she loves to hang out
with her family and travel.
o
Chelsea
Tobin: Chelsea Tobin
grew up on a farm in South Dakota. This is why she
loves the outdoors. While she is a
Governing Board member, she will also be in school. She goes to college at Augustana College
in Sioux
Falls, South
Dakota. She is a full-time student. And she
is majoring in Deaf Education and Elementary Education.
o
Nathan Turner: Nathan is
majoring in political science. And he goes to Wright State
University. He is
a leader for youth with disabilities.
He served on The Mayor's Commission on Disability. He also took
part in Partners in Policymaking. Now
he serves on a national youth advisory committee. It's through the
National Council on Disability. He also serves on the Ohio State
Independent Living Council. He will
become a civil rights lawyer. And he hopes to inspire others.
NYLN’s New Staff
o
Laura Hoffman, Development Specialist:
Laura has a degree in government with
honors from the University of Notre Dame.
She also has a law degree from Ave Maria School of Law. She was given an award by her law school at
her graduation in 2007. Her award was
for helping the poor. Her job is with
the Office of the Law Director for the City of Parma, Ohio. She works as a
law clerk. And she works with NYLN at
the same time.
Laura has been a volunteer at the Ohio
Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). This has
helped youth with disabilities in the State of Ohio.
Ms. Hoffman did many activities to help people with disabilities in
college. She was given an award by her
college in 2003. Her award was for
helping people with disabilities. As a
law student, she worked to improve laws for people with autism.
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