“In Our Own Words: Youth Advocacy and PEARLS Ambassadors”

Meet four extraordinary young ambassadors who are changing people’s perspectives about living with disabilities with their honesty, thoughtfulness and humor at the “In Our Own Words: Youth Advocacy and PEARLS Ambassadors” event Friday, March 26, at 1 p.m.

They will discuss their own journeys and share what inspires them to speak out.

Panelists are:

• Andrew Burbank (Cerebral Palsy)
• Kelsey Ferrill (Moebius Syndrome)
• Austin Halls (Moebius Syndrome) 
• Amy Hansen, a.k.a. Titanium Amy (Xeroderma Pigmentosum – XP)

The Youth Ambassadors are part of PEARLS Project, an initiative of the organization Positive Exposure. They and their families are empowered self-advocates, using their unique voices to foster positive change. The project is a creative tool for classrooms, professional development and research, as well as for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding and respect for human diversity.

This event is the third in the Schubert Center series “Celebrating Identity Beyond Diagnosis: Recognition and Representation of Children on Rare Medical Journeys.”

Presented as part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival, campus co-sponsors are the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, Office for Disability Resources, Office of Interprofessional Education Research and Collaborative Practice and The Research Institute for Children’s Health.

Community partners are Achievement Centers for Children, A Special Wish Cleveland, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland – SEGULA, Madvocator: Educational and Health Care Training, Mother to Mother, Positive Education Program, REACH – Resource, Education and Community Help Services, UCP of Greater Cleveland, and The Up Side of Downs of Northeast Ohio.

Register to attend.