See Me Spotlight:
Elizabeth Zuniga
One of Elizabeth’s earliest, and favorite, memories is going to the Officer Club for dinner with her father, a member of the U.S. Air Force, on a military base in the Philippines.
“My dad would say, ‘where do you want to go to dinner?’, and I would say, ‘the Officer Club.’ They let us in even though my dad wasn’t an officer," said Elizabeth.
Because her father was in the military, Elizabeth spent most of her childhood in Southern California, but also lived in Japan and the Philippines. While living abroad, she and her family enjoyed countless trips around different countries and cities. Her favorite country to live in was the Philippines.
Elizabeth feels her best qualities come from her father. “He was kind, caring and supportive. He taught me how to be clear about my needs and how to advocate for myself,” said Elizabeth. Her
father passed away when she was a senior in high school, and his presence has stayed with her.
“He taught me to be proud of my last name, Zuniga. I am proud of being Mexican," said Elizabeth. "It makes me frustrated when people make comments about people from Mexico. We’re just regular people. Don’t be afraid of our skin color.”
Elizabeth’s Mexican culture is important to her. One of her favorite thing to do is eat Mexican food. It helps her stay connected to her heritage and, most of all, her father.
Self-advocacy
Elizabeth is a powerful self-advocate who has a clear vision for what she would like to experience in her life. Even though she has experienced many hardships, like childhood cancer and the loss of her father, she is determined to live a full, meaningful life. For Elizabeth, the key to doing so is setting goals.
“Self-advocacy means trying to reach your goals," said Elizabeth. "That means putting it all down on paper to know what you need to achieve to reach your goals."
Currently, Elizabeth lives in Evergreen. Right now, she is working with Arc Advocates and other care providers to relocate to the Lakewood area. “I want to make choices throughout my day. Living in the city would allow me the freedom to see my partner, friends, and enjoy all that’s going on in the city," said Elizabeth.
Elizabeth is an experienced self-advocate who works hard everyday to express her needs, concerns and hopes for her future. Experiencing joy, having community and speaking up for herself and others with I/DD are some of her top priorities.
“I’ve always stood up for myself as a person with an I/DD," said Elizabeth. "I never wanted to, nor do I want to, be treated like a child. I deserve the same respect as everybody else. We aren’t different, we just have different challenges. I have a voice for a reason. I am capable.”
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