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ETB 31:  In this 2nd half of a 2 part episode I continue to talk with former guests Jean and Brianna TenBrink, a dynamic mother/daughter duo about Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse & Harm) a community coalition against educator abuse and mistreatment of children with disabilities in Texas public schools.

Jean,  an advocacy coordinator and mother of 3 daughters, 2 of whom are on different ends of the autistic spectrum  talks about the abuse her youngest daughter Leah was subject to in her self-contained classroom by teachers Jean knew well and trusted.  The abuse was misrepresented and school officials lied about the mistreatment.  It wasn’t until Jean watched video footage of the abuse herself, that she was made fully aware of all that her daughter endured at the hands of those they believed had Leah’s best interest at heart.

Brianna, Jean’s oldest daughter is the Director of Marketing and Sales for Neural Divergence, LLC.  As a Partner in the Texas Partners and Policymaking Program and a very recent MBA graduate, Brianna has been a tireless advocate for individuals with disabilities for the past 13 years, winning the Sibling Scholarship from Knapps and Roberts law firm, the Rose Award from disAbility Connections, Inc., and Advocate of the Year award from the Arc of the Gulf Coast which granted her the opportunity to speak on the experiences of being a sibling at district-wide conferences.

Together Jean and Brianna have co-founded Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse & Harm), an organization that armors parents, families and allies of loved ones of students in the Texas Public School System who have endured restraint, assault or seclusion with educational, legislative advocacy training to foster macro-level change.

Project LEAH is affiliated with The Arc of Texas, Disability Rights Texas, Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint, and Texas Partners in Policymaking.

This is part 2 of a 2 part series.   If you haven’t heard the first half of the Project LEAH interview,  be sure to listen to it in its entirety.  Jean and Brianna share their hearts and vision for ending abuse and harm in schools.

Project LEAH TX
https://linktr.ee/projectleahtx

End #restraint #assault & #seclusion

Project LEAH Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4127855043987645/

Arc of Texas
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/

Disability Rights Texas
https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/en/home/

Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint
https://endseclusion.org/

Texas Partners in Policymaking
https://txpartners.org/

Connect with Brianna:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebriannashley/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briashten

Connect with Jean:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superautismmom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jean.tenbrink

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 30:  In this episode, I talk with former guests Jean and Brianna TenBrink, a dynamic mother/daughter duo about Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse & Harm) a community coalition against educator abuse and mistreatment of children with disabilities in Texas public schools.

Jean,  mother of 3 daughters, 2 of whom are on different ends of the autistic spectrum is an advocacy coordinator who helps build bridges between home and school for families that have a child with a disability.  She talks about the abuse her youngest daughter Leah was subject to in her self-contained classroom by teachers Jean knew well and trusted.  The abuse was misrepresented and school officials lied about the mistreatment.  It wasn’t until Jean watched video footage of the abuse herself, that she was made fully aware of all that her daughter endured at the hands of those they believed had Leah’s best interest at heart.

Brianna, Jean’s oldest daughter is the Director of Marketing and Sales for Neural Divergence, LLC.  As a Partner in the Texas Partners and Policymaking Program and a very recent MBA graduate, Brianna has been a tireless advocate for individuals with disabilities for the past 13 years, winning the Sibling Scholarship from Knapps and Roberts law firm, the Rose Award from disAbility Connections, Inc., and Advocate of the Year award from the Arc of the Gulf Coast which granted her the opportunity to speak on the experiences of being a sibling at district-wide conferences.

Together Jean and Brianna have co-founded Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse & Harm), an organization that armors parents, families and allies of loved ones of students in the Texas Public School System who have endured restraint, assault or seclusion with educational, legislative advocacy training to foster macro-level change.

Project LEAH is affiliated with The Arc of Texas, Disability Rights Texas, Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint, and Texas Partners in Policymaking

Project LEAH TX
https://linktr.ee/projectleahtx

End #restraint #assault & #seclusion

Project LEAH Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4127855043987645/

Arc of Texas
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/

Disability Rights Texas
https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/en/home/

Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint
https://endseclusion.org/

Texas Partners in Policymaking
https://txpartners.org/

Connect with Brianna:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebriannashley/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briashten

Connect with Jean:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superautismmom/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jean.tenbrink

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 29:  In this 2nd half of a 2 part episode I talk with Ricky Broussard, Self-Advocate, Peer Support Leader and all around great guy, who at the age of 10 had to move out of his family’s home and into a large facility for people with disabilities.  Ricky lived in 4 different facilities over the next 29 years.  He went from  having most of his decisions made for him, to surrounding himself with people he knew and trusted to support him as he began to speak up for himself and advocate for changes in his life.

Today, Ricky lives in his own place, has an accessible van, hires his own support staff,  manages his schedule and  works full time at a job he loves.  As a Peer Support Leader, Ricky works for Imagine Enterprises, training others on self-advocacy and self-determination.  He’s traveled all over Texas, sharing his story and teaching others the importance of learning to advocate for themselves.

Ricky sits on various boards, speaks at state conferences, has won numerous awards and  has presented his testimony at legislative sessions in Austin.  He meets monthly with a group of self-advocates and is also a member of Toast Masters.

In 2013, the Ricky Broussard Act was signed into law. The law provides that improved and consistent transition services be available to high schoolers regardless of their school district, thus increasing the likelihood of graduates obtaining post-secondary education and employment opportunities.

Ricky believes anyone who wants to work, should be given every opportunity to do so.   He encourages others with a disability to pursue meaningful employment and says, “All we need is support, an opportunity and a chance!”

This is part 2 of a 2 part series.   If you haven’t heard the first half of Ricky’s  interview,  be sure to listen to it in its entirety.  You won’t want to miss any of his incredible story.

My Life With a Disability
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ewlo1-mDOOlqUmYj3GAig

Arc of Texas
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/

Arc of the Gulf Coast
https://thearc.org/chapter/the-arc-of-the-gulf-coast/

Imagine Enterprises
https://www.imagine-enterprises.org/

Gulf-Coast Self-Advocates
https://www.facebook.com/gulfcoastselfadvocates/

What is Self-Advocacy/Texas Advocates
http://www.texadvocates.org/our-history/

Texas Council for Development Disabilities
https://tcdd.texas.gov/

The Ricky Broussard Act:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.tcase.org/resource/resmgr/Bill_Summaries/HB_617_Bill_Summary.pdf

The Arc of Texas 2021 Virginia Eernisse Legacy Award Winner – Ricky Broussard:
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/get-informed/newsroom/the-arc-of-texas-2021-virginia-eernisse-legacy-award-recipient-announced/

Connect with Ricky:
ricky.broussard@imagine-enterprises.org

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 28:  In this episode I talk with Ricky Broussard, Self-Advocate, Peer Support Leader and all around great guy, who at the age of 10 had to move out of his family’s home and into a large facility for people with disabilities.  Ricky lived in 4 different facilities over the next 29 years.  He went from  having most of his decisions made for him, to surrounding himself with people he knew and trusted to support him as he began to speak up for himself and advocate for changes in his life.

Today, Ricky lives in his own place, has an accessible van, hires his own support staff,  manages his schedule and  works full time at a job he loves.  As a Peer Support Leader, Ricky works for Imagine Enterprises, training others on self-advocacy and self-determination.  He’s traveled all over Texas, sharing his story and teaching others the importance of learning to advocate for themselves.

Ricky sits on various boards, speaks at state conferences, has won numerous awards and  has presented his testimony at legislative sessions in Austin.  He meets monthly with a group of self-advocates and is also a member of Toast Masters.

In 2013, the Ricky Broussard Act was signed into law. The law provides that improved and consistent transition services be available to high schoolers regardless of their school district, thus increasing the likelihood of graduates obtaining post-secondary education and employment opportunities.

Ricky believes anyone who wants to work, should be given every opportunity to do so.   He encourages others with a disability to pursue meaningful employment and says, “All we need is support, an opportunity and a chance!”

This is part 1 of a 2 part series.  Tune in next week for the second half of Ricky’s interview.

Arc of Texas
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/

Arc of the Gulf Coast
https://thearc.org/chapter/the-arc-of-the-gulf-coast/

Imagine Enterprises
https://www.imagine-enterprises.org/

Gulf-Coast Self-Advocates
https://www.facebook.com/gulfcoastselfadvocates/

What is Self-Advocacy/Texas Advocates
http://www.texadvocates.org/our-history/

Texas Council for Development Disabilities
https://tcdd.texas.gov/

The Ricky Broussard Act:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.tcase.org/resource/resmgr/Bill_Summaries/HB_617_Bill_Summary.pdf

The Arc of Texas 2021 Virginia Eernisse Legacy Award Winner – Ricky Broussard:
https://www.thearcoftexas.org/get-informed/newsroom/the-arc-of-texas-2021-virginia-eernisse-legacy-award-recipient-announced/

Connect with Ricky:
ricky.broussard@imagine-enterprises.org

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

Wings for All at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

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What an AMAZING day!

Two months ago Josiah was extremely self injurious, aggressive and destructive.  His quality of life was deplorable. His future at best, looked bleak.

This morning, he boarded a plane.

Josiah checked his baggage, secured a boarding pass, breezed through security, walked a very long way towards the gate, rode an electric cart, waited in the boarding area, walked through the plane, buckled his seat belt, enjoyed a snack on board and even visited briefly with the pilot in the cockpit before deplaning.

Read more…