At the age of 18, Ciara was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disorder. In 2006, an inflammation on her spine caused by lupus resulted in her becoming paraplegic. However, these obstacles did not stop Ciara from excelling academically and professionally. In 2008, Ciara graduated from California State University of Long Beach with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Communication Studies.
In 2010, Ciara became the Long Beach ambassador for Access Career Quest (also known as GRADS Without Limits). AccessCQ provides resources including education of Social Security’s Work Incentives programs for individuals with disabilities who are seeking employment. As an ambassador, Ciara’s role is to serve as a peer-to-peer counselor to assist students transitioning from college to career.
Ciara is also active among other organizations within the disabled community. Not only is she the incentive and employment development specialist for A.C.E., Ciara also serves as a board member for the DisABLED Professional Association (DPA). DPA is an organization striving to support persons with disabilities on their path to professional success. Through varies advocacy involvement, Ciara hopes to “encourage and educate individuals with disabilities toward quality employment and to furthering their education.”
Ciara will be one of our storytellers for this month’s Happy Friday. If you would like to learn more about Ciara or have questions for her, join us this Friday!
About Happy Friday
Happy Friday is an event held every other month, with the intention of promoting disability awareness, while at the same time, serving as an environment to foster lasting, empowering connections in the Long Beach community.October's Happy Friday will be held on October 18th, from 6-8pm.
Location: 1406 Obispo Ave Long Beach, CA 90804
View the event page for Happy Friday on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment