Join GlobalMindED in celebrating the achievements of individuals with disabilities and those who support them. We're highlighting inspiring stories from education, business, and advocacy.
Empowering Students with Disabilities:
Meet Reem Hamoodi
Reem Hamoodi is the Assistant Director of the Office of Disability and Equity/Diversity at the Community College of Aurora. She is passionate about creating inclusive and equitable environments for all individuals.
What is your personal/professional story?
I was born completely blind and grew up without any support services. When my mother and I went to a secondary school, the director refused to admit me due to my disability. My mother was my advocate, and she contacted a social worker in order to resolve this issue. In the end, the director had to accept me because denying a student was against the law. At that time, I felt isolated because this was the first time I went to a regular school, and the director used to call me “blind” instead of calling my name.
In addition to encountering discrimination, I did not receive any accommodations while being at school, and my mother used to record all of the materials for me. Because it took me longer to study, most days, I would sleep for three hours or less, and my mother would stay with me to help me with the materials. I started using my talents and strengths to convey the message that disability does not define who we are. I am talented with music, and I used to play the national anthem every morning in addition to reading powerful poems to students to encourage them to be determined.
The director of the school was very impressed, and I got the highest score toward the end of the school term. I used to have this dream of a future where I could be fully independent, and Since then, I had this dream of helping and supporting students who had disabilities, but I didn’t know how to make this dream a reality. One of the happiest days in my life was when we arrived in the United States! Being in this country has opened the door for me to be fully independent and serve others.
I started my journey by going to the Colorado Center for the Blind where I learned how to use assistive technology. I had never used a computer before I arrived here, and I was astonished when I started going to college because that was the first time I found out there was a disability services office. I didn’t even know what the word accommodation meant. In my country, blind people are exempt from taking math classes, and because I was majoring in psychology, I had to take College Algebra. I was about to give up since I never took math classes before, but my mother was my main support, and she created some techniques that helped me tremendously. Working with my mother and the Office of Disability and Equity at the Community College of Aurora was the main reason for my success. After receiving my bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado Denver, I applied for many jobs. I felt very overwhelmed since finding a job is not easy, especially for people with disabilities.
There were many instances when I was not able to even finish my applications since they were not accessible. I was astonished when I learned the Office of Disability and Equity at the Community College of Aurora was looking to hire a Disability Coordinator. I made it through the second interview, and one of the happiest days in my life was when I received a call from my former supervisor, William Flowers on Friday at 6 pm to offer me this position! Since then, my dream has become a reality and I started providing support to students with disabilities. Three years ago, I started working part-time at the University of Colorado Boulder as a Senior Accessibility Tester where I test different websites to ensure they are accessible and usable by all individuals including people with disabilities. This year, my current supervisor, Sheriff Rasheed advocated for me to get an internal promotion to become the Assistant Director for the Office of Disability and Equity.
What key moments in your life led you to where you are today?
One of the first key moments was arriving in the United States when I started my journey to achieve my dream of working with students with disabilities. Receiving a Master’s degree in Disability Services in Higher Education has opened the door for me to learn more about techniques to provide services to students with disabilities. Another huge milestone was getting the internal promotion to become the Assistant Director of the Office of Disability and Equity.
Where does your passion to serve come from?
When I grew up, my parents were my role models. They always would go above and beyond serving others who were in need even if no one asked them to help. In addition, I consider myself to be a religious person, and I have found many verses from the Quran that ask people to even compete in doing good and serving others, saving people’s lives since whoever saves a life it is as if they have saved all of humanity, and becoming benevolent. So, when I find a person who needs help, I always like to be the first person to provide support. One of the most rewarding opportunities I have had is volunteering at the Crisis Text Line because I have the opportunity to encourage people to think about their strengths and save people’s lives.
How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals?
I have researched extensively and found that students with disabilities face a high risk of dropping out due to academic and emotional challenges in college-level classes. I envision collaborating with GlobalMindED to implement programs that provide comprehensive support for these students, addressing both academic and emotional needs. Additionally, I aim to create initiatives that prepare students with disabilities for the workforce, equipping them with essential advocacy skills to navigate their careers successfully.
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