My Buddy Andrew

My Buddy Andrew

Day 50—

We just got a new guy in the office—somehow someone up front wrote for some grant monies and got it. It’s Andrew, you will remember Andrew, I had a snippet about Andrew last summer. Actually, I just posted his image but now Andrew is contract labor for our office and that is good.

Andrew, and I think it will always BE Andrew, never Andy but Andrew, is a serious minded post graduate student just wanting to make a difference. Andrew is bright lad, with a keen insight at how systems and bureaucracies work. He reminds me a great deal of “Little Big Man” a “ little person” who headed up the State’s SILC at one time who was basically driven out of town because his think was too independent and was not your typical PWD (person with a disability). Little Big Man was a guy who really believed in the independent living movement and PWD should, must direct their own lives. I will develop the story further about Little big Man, further at another point in time-but suffice it to say Andrew is another true believer.

Andrew, like me, is a devout believer in the Independent Living movement. Andrew is what is termed seriously disabled. He uses a power wheelchair and a host of PCA(personal Care Attendants)s to make it through his day. Andrew lives downtown, uses public transportation superbly and tends to be the master of his own life. He drives an aging Invacare Storm but gets by. Get this guy is so cool he figured out a way to see “art” films at no cost. He works as a docent at the local “film Society” a couple times a week getting him a pass to all movies ever being shown by the Society. One of the most impressive items about this guy is that he holds a master’s degree in educational counseling! The fact that his masters is in Ed Counseling is not so amazing as in the fact that he HAS a masters degree. Secondly, I am amazed that Andrew is working here as “Contract Labor”.

When I first met Andrew, he was visiting every state agency and private-non-profit in the State looking for employment i.e. validation. No body was going to hire Andrew—though no one said it, it would be illegal to say it—he was too disabled. Not a single manager could figure out what to do with him. People are so stupid. This guy is a gold mine! He just wants a place to sit and produce and that is what he does. He had been doing volunteer work at “Tissues” a local private non-profit “systems change” think tank. They wanted Andrew if he was free and if they could chase down some grant money they would consider putting the lad on staff. Luckily for us and unluckily for Andrew “Tissues” never “chased down” a grant to hire Andrew. In fact word on the street is that “Tissues” is folding as a paid staff operation. This is weird, Tissue is a local landmark, intuition. So, somewhere along the line I introduced Andrew to some of the staff here they were impressed and one staff member in particular saw asset Andrew is and found the dollars to hire the lad on as Contact.

So Andrew is in the office at least 20 hires a week, making calls, thinking with top end staff and acting and being employed. His task is to bring to pass and end to the humongous waiting list that people with developmental disabilities are being forced to endure. If anyone can do this it’s Andrew he just has to dodge the bullets.