She used to wonder if anyone would listen. Now, she’s the one holding the microphone.
“We need people to help us—people who care about us and want to work with us,” says Brandi, her voice steady and assured. “But they also need to treat us like human beings. We shouldn’t be treated differently just because we have disabilities. We are people, just like everybody else.”
It’s a simple truth, but when Brandi says it, it resonates. Brandi has been part of Aspire of WNY for years—as someone receiving support, learning, growing, and discovering her independence. But now, in her new role as Self-Advocacy Ambassador, the first position of its kind at the agency, Brandi is standing before groups of new employees at the training academy, teaching them something no handbook can offer: how to truly see the people they support, through the lens of compassion, empathy, and respect.
In just a short time in her new role, she’s already made an impact. She sees her role not only as a personal achievement, but as an opportunity to speak up for others who haven’t yet found their voice. “I want to be a vessel for all people with disabilities,” she says. “Even though we all have different disabilities, we’re still the same—we just live life in different ways.”
Brandi’s journey to self-advocacy didn’t begin with confidence, it began with courage. She vividly remembers the nerves before her first orientation talk—the doubt, the flutter in her chest, and the question lingering in her mind: Can I really do this?
What made the difference were the people who believed in her. Supportive agency staff, such as Paul and Lisa from Workforce Development, who Brandi now calls her second family—stood by her side, helping her tap into the courage she didn’t know she had, recognizing the strength in her own voice.
She also leans on her closest friends, whose belief in her has been a constant source of motivation. She even jokes that they were more excited than she was when she stepped into her new role. Her best friend, a fellow advocate, continues to inspire her everyday. “She speaks so well,” Brandi says. “I hope one day I get to where she is.”
While she’s still growing, learning, and finding her rhythm, she knows that she is becoming more confident in her voice each time she steps in front of an audience. She admits that the hardest part is knowing what she wants to say, and how she wants to say it.
“I want people to really understand me, relate to me, and hear me,” she explains. “I’ve learned that the more I practice, the easier it gets. Now, I just speak from my heart.”
And when asked what advice she’d give to others who are still searching for their own voice, she doesn’t hesitate: “Be strong, believe in yourself, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. You can—you just have to find your own unique way.”
Brandi’s work as a Self-Advocacy Ambassador is only a small piece of her journey. Looking ahead, she’s excited about continuing to grow, possibly moving into her own apartment, becoming more independent, and spending more time with friends. She’s motivated to live her life fully and happily, as a woman with a disability who is proud of where she’s been and where she’s going.
“Aspire of WNY has helped me become more confident and independent,” she says. “They believed in me and saw the potential I didn’t see in myself.”
Describing herself as motivated, caring, and outspoken, Brandi is always looking for ways to brighten someone’s day. Through her advocacy, she hopes to inspire others to do the same—to speak up, stand tall, and remember that everyone, regardless of ability, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.