Ada tapped for national youth disability confab

A self-advocate representing individuals with developmental disabilities on the board of the CNMI Council on Developmental Disabilities has been selected to travel to Washington, D.C. to attend the 2004 National Youth Leadership Conference scheduled for July 24-27, 2004.

Johanna Ada was selected among a highly talented pool of applicants after showing outstanding leadership abilities in and around the community and who the National Youth Leadership Network, the sponsoring organization, considers as having the potential to expand her leadership efforts on the national level.

“When I got the good news, I was so excited to have learned of my selection. I am excited because I’ve never been to Washington, D.C. I want to thank especially our executive director Tom Camacho for thinking of me and for giving me this opportunity, plus his willingness to write a letter of reference for me. I want to thank also Council on Developmental Disabilities staffs Lillian Bennett and Rosemary Camacho for helping me fill out the forms and faxing them to D.C.” said Ada.

In order to be considered for this conference, Ada had to prepare and submit a signed Application Form, answer three essay questions, secure a letter of reference from someone who is not related to her saying why they believe she should be selected to participate in the Youth Leadership Conference.

“Selection to this conference is an incredible honor and responsibility. You will have the opportunity to meet other youths with disabilities from across the nation and top federal individuals who are important in creating the policies that affect your daily life,” according to the notice of selection from Jennifer Fitz-Roy, Selection Committee chair, and Betsy Valnes, Conference chair. “Your life, your leadership and your power are important to help our network’s mission of leadership development and education, so all youth can achieve their unique and personal potential.”

Council executive director Camacho said he gladly wrote the Letter of Reference for Johanna on behalf of the Council. “During the years I’ve known Ms. Ada, I find her to be a very active member in our community and has been a true self-advocate for people with developmental disabilities. I am so proud of her and I am so glad she has been chosen to represent our islands’ youths with disabilities. She’ll make a good ambassador for the CNMI while there,” said Camacho.

Ada, a young adult with a developmental disability, is a native of Saipan and lives with her grandmother.

In addition to her membership responsibilities in the Council as a policy/decision-making board, she’s also an active student at the Northern Marianas College, treasurer of the CNMI Center for Independent Living Self-Advocacy Group, the first graduate of the Ed Roberts Partners in Policymaking Islandstyle Academy and has received a prestigious award such as the “Advocate of the Year” from the CNMI CDD.

The conference goals are to help prepare the next generation of disability leaders, and to identify ways to improve policies and supports for young people with disabilities. These include discovering how government works and ways to advance leadership in the community; learning leadership and career development skills; sharing ideas to improve the lives of young people with disabilities; network with past and future disability leaders; and inspire participants to work toward their dreams.

Approximately 65 young leaders have been chosen to participate. Most will be between the ages of 18 and 24. However, a small number of youths who are 16 or 17 years old will be chosen as “Emerging Leaders.”

Transportation (air/ground), lodging and meals including Ada’s escort (her mother) will be provided by the NYLN, according to Camacho.

The Governing Board of the NYLN will lead the conference. The group is a youth-led organization consisting of young adult leaders with disabilities. NYLN strives to promote leadership development and education, ensuring that all youth with disabilities have the opportunity to attain their maximum unique and personal potential. The Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. DHHS is one of the federal co-sponsors of this conference.