Speaker: Katie Shelley
Katie Shelley: Hello, my name is Katie Shelley and I am a member of the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council from Toledo Ohio.
What does Independent Living mean to you?
Katie Shelley: To me, independent living goes beyond people with disabilities, being able to live in their communities instead of living in an institutional setting. Independent living is all about personal choice and getting what you want out of your own life. So a person with a disability being able to not only live independently but connect with those in their communities with and without disabilities and participate in activities that they personally want to participate in and really thrive in the life of their choosing.
Why should people be involved in the SILC?
Katie Shelley: It took me a while to get here. But as a person with the disability and myself, I've come to realize that it's important for me to use my experience as a person with a disability to help create change for others with disabilities and make sure that other people with disabilities are able to live in a more accessible and inclusive world. And I think being involved in the Statewide Independent Living Council here in Ohio is one way that I'm able to do that. I'm able to use my status as a member of the Ohio by the Independent Living Council, as well as the co chair of the SILC Education and Outreach Committee, to really think through how we can ensure that people with disabilities in the state of Ohio are able to live and thrive in their communities.
