Project SALT and the Value of Self Advocacy
- Sam Shepherd
- Jul 17, 2024
- 4 min read
By Sam Shepherd
The Self Advocate Leadership Training (SALT) Program is a three day intensive curriculum that is offered through the Mailman Center at the University of Miami. This program is for individuals with disabilities over the age of 18 to learn the importance and practice of self advocacy. I had the opportunity to interview Shelly Baer and Jairo Arana to learn even further about the program and what self advocacy means to each of them. Shelly is the Director of SALT. Jairo is a Project SALT Graduate, and now Trainer.
What does self advocacy mean in your own words?
Jairo: Self-advocacy is advocating for yourself for things that you need and want. It’s mostly about your rights. You’re not only advocating for yourself, but you're advocating for others by default. For example, if I advocate - for myself - for the availability of closed-captioning, I’m not only benefiting myself; my self-advocacy can benefit others who have the same need or want. By speaking up for yourself, you’re also speaking up for others who may not be ready to advocate for themselves.
Shelly: I practice self advocacy for myself. My disability is medical; doctors growing up would only talk to my parents. In my 20’s, I had a breakthrough, where I started advocating for myself.
Jairo: It’s important, in self-advocacy, to keep in mind the concept of interdependence. It’s important to learn communication skills. When I first began my self-advocacy journey, by doing Project SALT, I was focused on my autism. Then I became aware of other people’s autism. And, immediately from there, started thinking about others; people in wheelchairs, etc.
What is your story that led you to Project SALT?
Jairo: Late diagnosis. I was referred to SALT by the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities. I went there [Center for Autism and Related Disabilities], got a specialist that would send me information. One day, I got an email about Project SALT. I responded to the email, called, then came in person to be interviewed. It was when I did SALT in 2016 that I had my moment of clarity. I’m coping with my late diagnosis and I see others coping with their diagnoses and other disabilities.
Shelly: I created the program and curriculum about 12 years ago. We knew there was a gap in need for self advocacy. We applied for a grant through the [Florida] DD Council. After the grant ended, we became part of LEND. We’re on the adult and teenage side, not the early intervention side. Kids get a lot of services, but there’s a ‘cliff’ - in terms of access to free of cost services - once they grow up. There were 2 cohorts a year of 8-10 people, now we do 1 per year. In February, someone came from Nebraska and is now replicating it in Nebraska. We never had it replicated before.
How would you best describe Project SALT?
Jairo: 3 day intensive training leadership program. Day 1, learn to advocate for yourself. Day 2, learn to advocate for others. Day 3, learn to advocate for the community. We learn the disturbing history of kids with disabilities being segregated from schools, ableism, communication, advocacy. At the University of Miami Mailman Center, we see children grow up and go off that ‘cliff.’ So we see disability from a lifespan perspective; or as we like to say it, the lifespan approach. People with disabilities didn’t live long before. Medicine and healthcare allows for a longer life nowadays.
Shelly: In Project SALT we do problem solving, team building. It’s activity based. We go over system level change, knowing your civil rights, legislation, and policy.
Jairo: We have 8-10 people per cohort. We keep it small to connect and learn from one another.
Shelly: We cover both intellectual and physical disability.
Jairo: We’re always revamping the curriculum for SALT. We find out about resources. We work towards making the program more accessible by having general knowledge provided for them.
What would be your message for any individual or family looking to learn more about self advocacy?
Jairo: It’s never too late to start. What are the does and don'ts? How do I do it effectively?
Shelly: It’s also never too early to start. More so for parents, let them make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, and develop decision-making skills. Try to make them as independent as possible. Parents aren’t going to be around forever, so the more independent children with disabilities can learn to be as adults, the better.
Jairo: Employment for people with disabilities can also be difficult; whether it’s dealing with being unemployed or underemployed, many in our community struggle with this.
Shelly: Self advocacy is important when working, with relationships; it covers all areas of your life. Improve on system level, or to your Doctor about your meds. I had to advocate for accessible parking here.
Jairo: We have to be better at self advocacy everyday by constantly learning and improving our skills. It all started with parents advocating for their kids to be included in school and sports, and not to be segregated. But, then, when kids grow up, those adults with disabilities must learn to advocate for themselves.
For more information on Project SALT, you can visit their website by clicking the link below. They have a very powerful video about their program that I would encourage everyone to watch.
