I am writing to share my experience with Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY) and my journey toward independent decision-making as I beginn to make plans and create pathways. Working with Associate Director Joan Cornachio, I identified support needs across work, relationships, healthcare, and finances, and assembled a team of 15 family members and friends to assist me.
Supported Decision-Making allows individuals with disabilities to maintain control over their lives through legally recognized agreements, providing a vital alternative to guardianship. This process ensures rights are preserved while clarifying exactly how supporters will help.
I also recently recorded a podcast with SDM expert Jonathan Martinis to discuss obstacles to this process. I encourage you to listen to his insightful responses. I am honored to call him a friend and am grateful for his commitment to making supported decision-making a reality for us all.
Happy International Day of People with Disabilities 2025!!
This year’s theme is fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress!
This International Day of People with Disabilities, here are 12 days of my reflections on inclusion and how inclusion advances social progress for me.
Day One: I Can Do It All – Including Musicals
Did you know that a person who uses a wheelchair and speaks with augmentative and alternative communication like me can perform in a school musical? In fact I was in my high school musical, Mary Poppins last year! And this year I’m performing in our school’s production of Footloose!
Day Two: Inclusion In Everyday Activities
Including people with disabilities makes us all successful! My church is great at including me and letting me show what I’m capable of! I was nervous at first to read in front of everyone! But I did it! And I love it now!
Day Three: Support in the Community
We all need support in life! How do you support people in your community? Receive support? Any of us can map out our life plans. In fact I did this! With my friends and family, I mapped out my life and advocacy plans for being a part of my community!
Day Four: Going Out to Dinner
Going to dinner with someone who uses a wheelchair? Check the restaurant before going. I raise awareness of the need for accessibility in my community and when I travel.
Day Five: Let’s Talk About Ramps
Not all ramps are safe and accessible for all wheelchairs! The ADA in the US has helped standardize ramps for safety, making public places more accessible. The ramp in this image was pretty steep and scary
Day Six: Beach Time
Also did you know anybody can go to the beach, disability or not? With a little assist from this awesome water wheelchair, I can hang out in the surf with everyone else!
Day Seven: Riding Buses
Did you know the bus is for everyone? Not every kind of transportation is accessible for people with wheelchairs. But when you design with me in mind it can make trips a lot easier like this sweet bus ride in France!
Day Eight: Renting Vans
Did you know that renting an accessible wheelchair van when I travel to a new city is super expensive and difficult? If you rent a normal van it is a lot CHEAPER than what you would pay for a wheelchair van. I want it to be free and easy! I think it’s really really ridiculous to have to pay a lot more money for a rental car because I need accessibility. If I were President of the United States, I would demand that rental wheelchair vans cost a lot less money and that they’re available at the airport!
Day Nine: Jobs
Did you know that teens with disabilities can get jobs if someone awesome gives them a shot? I had my first job in the summer! I had a blast working to help the summer camp function smoothly.
Day Ten: Other’s Achievements
Achievements of people with disabilities. Did you know that Mr Stephan Farffler invented the first self- propelled wheelchair in the 1600’s? He became paraplegic after he fell as a young man. He was a watchmaker and he used his skills to create a wheelchair he could move on his own.
Day Eleven: Climbing Rocks
Did you know that almost anybody can go rock climbing? With a little help from adaptive tools like this harness and a good team, rock climbing can be accessible for a lot more people!
Day Twelve: Cheering on Your Fave Team
Sometimes people forget that part of the fun of sports is cheering on your fave team! My friend Jason Bennetti has CP, too, and he’s a celebrated sports announcer! We were visiting him at work in Chicago in this picture, taken on Mother’s Day!
About Leo
Leo True-Frost is an 11th grade student at JD High School in Jamesville, NY. He was born with cerebral palsy which affects his mobility (uses a wheelchair), speech (communicates with a speech generating device), and digestion (has a g-tube.) Leo’s poetry has been published in Unique Magazine and in Wordgathering and he loves to read and write. Leo enjoys adaptive sports like rock climbing, skiing, and biking. He has traveled a lot, and he is a big fan of Broadway musicals.
Read Leo True-Frost’s review of We Move Together in Wordgathering.