Emily Ladau
AUCD Projects Intern
As a recent recipient of my B.A. in English from Adelphi
University in Long Island, New York, I am quite new to the community of early
career professionals. Yet, as an intern
at AUCD, I realize every day the power of a skill I have been developing
practically since I first learned to talk: self-advocacy. As a young woman with a physical disability,
I must constantly advocate on my own behalf.
In the disability community, self-advocacy is considered one of the most
valuable skills necessary to achieve your goals. And while it has always been especially
crucial for people with disabilities to master this, I believe that learning to
advocate for yourself is a valuable tool that can and should be used by all
emerging young professionals. I have
found that the same skill set I have developed to advocate for my rights as a
person with a disability in my personal life also happens to benefit me
professionally. The ability to
self-advocate can serve you well both inside and outside the workplace as you
move forward in your career.
The key to being a successful self-advocate is to develop
your sense of self-confidence and self-worth.
This may sound like advice from your middle school guidance counselor,
but it’s true! Being confident and sure
of your abilities will help you convey to others what you are capable of doing. I used to find myself leaning towards making
self-deprecating comments so as not to come across as conceited or pretentious,
but I’ve come to realize that as a young person pursuing a career, it is not
only acceptable, but also essential to learn how to sell yourself by sharing
your major accomplishments. In my case,
doing this allows me to showcase my skill sets and passions to potential
employers when networking. Modesty has
its place, but in my experience, the only way to garner any notice when making
new connections is to highlight your abilities, interests, and achievements.
Furthermore, once you are employed – even if it is temporary
employment, such as an internship – and begin to establish yourself in your
career path, having the confidence to advocate for yourself and note your
achievements can open many doors for advancement. Granted, I have learned from many role model
self-advocates in the disability community that being a great self-advocate most
certainly did not lead any of them straight to a position as a president or
director of an organization. Therefore,
though I have big goals, I understand that making progress in my career
progress requires an incremental approach.
As an intern at AUCD, I have advocated for myself by
speaking up in meetings, telling my supervisors that I can take on many
projects, and demonstrating that I have new ideas to bring to the table. This has made for a rewarding internship experience,
because I feel that when you truly believe in yourself, it shows, and others
will come to believe in your abilities as well.
For instance, I take pride in the writing and communication skills I gained
by working as a writing tutor and majoring in English. I have thus made it a point to speak up specifically
about these skills, which has provided me with chances to work on many great
projects. That being said, a good
self-advocate always delivers on their promises. If you advertise that you have a particular
skill or ability and are subsequently assigned tasks that require these skills,
make sure your final product is one you’re proud of sharing!
Of course, there is a flip side to self-advocacy. While advocating for what you can do is
important, it is equally imperative to know how to advocate for yourself when
you need help. I mean this in two
ways. First, should you have any kind of
disability that necessitates accommodations, it is crucial to speak up for
yourself to receive those accommodations in the workplace. The need for proper accommodations should
never be swept under the rug, because getting help is a huge part of achieving
career success. Even if you do not
identify as having a disability, be willing to advocate for yourself if you
need help in the workplace! Asking for
assistance when you truly need it is respectable and acceptable regardless of
ability!
The second facet of asking for help is advocating for your
needs by requesting to be taught a new skill.
I often do this in order to capitalize on a project as a learning
opportunity. This does not mean I’m less
self-confident by admitting that I do not know something, but rather it shows
that I am honest and willing to engage in new things. I’ve been taught that this type of self-advocacy
is mutually beneficial: I gain knowledge that I can use to accomplish future
goals, but I also get to use this new knowledge to complete more assignments
for my job. One such example of this
occurred when one of my coworkers asked me to update information on a website
publishing program. Having never used it
before, I spoke up and explained that although I was unfamiliar with the
system, I wanted to learn so I could help.
Now, I have an understanding of how to use it and I can take part in website
related projects. In this way, self-advocacy
can create career stepping-stones, allowing you to expand your skill sets and
build up your resume.
Above all else, take pride in yourself, and embrace chances
to be a self-advocate. You never know when
advocating for yourself may lead you to an incredible opportunity. Had it not been for the amazing people in the
disability community who have taught me the value of self-advocacy in all
aspects of life, and those who have modeled how to be an effective
self-advocate (thanks, Mom!), I never would have reached where I am today with
a budding career in disability rights activism.
I’m incredibly grateful to have spent my summer advocating not just for
myself, but also for the disability community that I’m so proud to be a part
of. Whether you are also part of the
disability community, or you are a supportive ally working to change the lives
of people with disabilities, self-advocacy is truly a gateway to limitless career
opportunities.
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