Craig Blackburn - A Home of My Own
So excited can barely blog!
It's been a year since we met Craig Blackburn during our graduation from the Partners in Policymaking Program, an initiative of the LA Developmental Disabilities Council. Mr. Blackburn came with his mother, a trailblazing Partners Grad, too!
Getting reaved up just thinking about all that positive energy Craig Blackburn exudes! That firecracker just moves towards you nestled in an 'I gotcha' smile.
Craig reminds us of a sparkling firecracker! You know the kind that spins real fast once it gets going. Then, it let's off a mesmerizing spectrum of spirals of brightly-colored flairs that fascinate you at first glance... and keeps you watching for more. Once you've lit one of these firecrackers, you anxiously grab for another! Yep, tha'st how Craig makes you feel when you are experiencing one of his inspiring speeches about living life to the fullest, even when you have a developmental disability. That's right, Craig leaves you craving for another firecracker of advocacy. AND, he encourages us to light up the world with our own display of eclectic, bold, productive, and highly sought-after firecrackers! 
Tearing up recalling how several of us Parents shared how Mr. Blackburn encouraged us to see that our kids with developmental disabilities can achieve their dreams, can reach their goals, and can inspire someone with their lives.
If we hadn't realized it before, we did now... Graduating after 6 months of training is just the beginning. The saying is 'Partners will change your life.' So true! Having Mr. Craig Blackburn as our Graduation Speaker was the rocket booster that launched us into our future disability advocacy endeavors! Just got a visual... rocket boosters let off massive firecracker-like huge flairs!
So glad to hear more good things are happening in the life of someone who inspires so many. Craig Blackburn has proven again that '"Success Comes in Trying".
A Home of My Own program helps Craig Blackburn live Independently
Thanking fellow Partner in Policymaking C/O 2011 Grad Stephanie G. for pointing out this article! We agree, Craig Blackburn is one of the best motivational speakers we have ever heard!
ENJOY!
References & Resources
Craig Blackburn -Self Advocate & Motivational Speaker
Craig’s Mission: To promote self-advocacy through demonstration of what each person is capable of through inclusion, self-determination, a belief ...
craigblackburn.net
Sheila Stroup's column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday in Living. Contact her at sstroup@timespicayune.com or 985.898.4831.
A Home of My Own, which started in the early ’90s, has helped around 40 developmentally disabled people buy a home in Jefferson Parish. Across the U.S., only about one percent of developmentally disabled people own a home. A Home of My Own, a collaborative effort between Jefferson Parish Community Development and the Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, helps people with developmental disabilities buy their first home. Through HUD, the program provides financial assistance of up to $50,000 for the down payment and closing costs on a house and reduces the mortgage to make home ownership affordable for people with special needs. [Liz Ruth 504-736-6267]
Stephanie Guidry - wife, mom, special needs inclusion advocate, entrepreneur and blogger:
 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hi-5! Thank you for caring. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy & ENJOY! Join us on Google Buzz, Yahoo, Twitter and Facebook.