Independent Living Begins with Self-Advocacy

Tree skyline background image with a read white and blue shield interstate sign with text on top that says, "NEXT EXIT ADVOCACY," with a smaller blue rectangular sign on the pole with a white arrow pointing right on the left of the image. On the right of the image is a diamond shaped yellow sign with black line border and text that says "INDEPENDENT LIVING." On the top middle of the image is the YLA logo.

When Sam* arrived at the opening session of the Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) – a collaborative program funded and coordinated by Empower Tennessee, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, and TNSTEP – they were quiet and pretty much kept to themselves. That first day, they heard a presentation on “Finding Your Empowered Voice: Learning to… Read more Independent Living Begins with Self-Advocacy