Her Story
About Valerie
I've been working in disability advocacy for 8 years, starting in 2016-2017 when I was hired as an AccessRide advocate at BCID (Brooklyn Center for the Independent), where I worked for 4 years. After that, I moved to the Drivers Cooperative, a taxi company, where I've been for about 4 years now doing the same sort of work. As an AccessRide advocate for people with disabilities at the Drivers Cooperative, I also handle onboarding, so I do both. My key responsibilities include onboarding for the taxi company and handling complaints by filling out complaint forms. Basically, I'm dealing with the ins and outs, meaning on the driver's side and on the passenger side, so I'm all over. I wanted to see both sides, having previously been an AccessRide advocate for passengers. My main areas of expertise are administration and advocacy. Through BCID, I branched out to other networks, and I'm involved with Caring Majority Rising, an organization strictly focused on disability advocacy where we're currently working on Medicaid. I'm all over, it's not just one spot. My expertise comes from hands-on experience and my own lived experience, as I'm born with a disability and have been a self-advocate all my life. I don't have any formal training, just myself and living through the system, seeing what I go through with my friends and speaking about it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Valerie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to just knowing what I do best. I'm passionate about it, and my education comes from lived experience. No one can say I don't know what I'm talking about because I've lived it myself.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to go for it and don't stop yourself. Just continue on and don't limit yourself.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Put your heart in it, don't just think about it. Just do it, like the Nike ad. And if you don't know something, don't say it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is because you're a woman. It's competitive, that's all. They give you a hard time or treat you differently. You just want your seat at the table.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is most important to me, along with being able to work with others. I value trust and being truthful, especially in what I do with disability advocacy and onboarding, where you want things to be a smooth transition and you have to have trust involved.
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