Disability Employment Awareness Month: Advocacy, Innovation, and Legacy with Valyncia M. Wilson

Hi, I'm Zaakirah, and I am the host of the See Life Different podcast. This podcast is perfect for you if you are a Black, Indigenous, woman of color ready to step outside of your comfort zone. This podcast will inspire you, empower you, and educate you on how to see life differently, whether it's in your business or in your personal life. I am a cancer survivor, brand cultivating strategist, author, and world traveler. Let's get into it. Hello, I am Zaakirah and I am the host of the See Life Different podcast. And welcome back to the See Life Different podcast. The podcast has been in a slight hiatus. It has been a little bit of work just to get the word out there. And what I wanted to do was just give you a little overview of what's going on before we dive into today's episode. This episode is being recorded during Disability Employment Awareness Month. And I am also no longer living in the state of Oklahoma at the time of this. There could be a whole blog or video about that. But for the time being, I am just simply letting you know what this episode is going to be about. During my time in Oklahoma, I had the honor to do a lot of amazing things, one of it being having my chance to be on the radio. I was the host of my own show, which was an extension of the See Life Different podcast, which you'll hear me say, and I was able to have the Black Women's Health Show. And so I had that on a Black woman-owned and operated radio station that was in the heart of One of the historic Black communities called Greenwood. It was in the middle of Tulsa. It was originally known as the original Black Wall Street. And so while I was there, I had maybe about 7 good episodes with women who were in the Tulsa area. They may or may not be descendants or natives of Oklahoma, but they're doing amazing things. And so I was able to get them on the podcast/radio show. That was a year ago. I'm gonna slowly start rolling those episodes out. So in a way, there— some information might be outdated, but I strive to make sure that there was evergreen conversation, so you'll be able to hear that. And then, yeah, basically there'd be a whole separate episode. I'm no longer living in Oklahoma. Life has happened a lot since the last podcast. I think the biggest thing was the last podcast episode that I did was to tell you what it was like being a TEDx speaker, and it was just a bonus episode. Like, I wasn't coming back, I would just Let me make sure that there's a source for those who are looking to become TEDx speakers, who are looking to improve their thought leadership. So I was making sure that that information was out there while it was fresh in my brain. And now that I'm in this new season of my life where I am really, ever since the TEDx talk, I'm even more so a disability advocate, I am having those kind of conversations. So those are the conversations that you're going to be hearing in this chapter. I wouldn't say it's necessarily a podcast season because I don't know if I'm going to keep it for what you would know as a season. Things are changing in the digital and branding and marketing and mental health and wellness space, and I'm changing as well. You're pretty much going to be seeing these pivots and changes happen in real time because that's really all I've been. I've been a believer in transparency. Yeah, basically I am bringing this podcast back For a, like a limited series. A limited series where predominantly most of the episodes are going to be with others who are hard of hearing, who are disability advocates, and who are just doing amazing things in the tech industry. Also, my time has been split because I have also completed, not completed, it's about a year-long contract I have the option to renew whenever, but I've also become a correspondent with NPR Oklahoma. So that took my time a bit to get to have interviews that are solely for my specific segment, which I'll be sure to link those in the comments and description if you want to check those out. I've had about, I think, almost 7 of those as well too. 7 is my favorite number. And yeah, I've been storytelling, but I think just not on the podcasting platform. Things are changing and so am I. And I did want to make sure that we come— I come back during Disability Employment Awareness Month to show some more conversations. Yeah, that's all I can say right now. And I hope that gives you a good insight into what this conversation will be about. So be sure to— Be sure to share this video for sure. Not only just listen to it attentively and take notes if you find any aha moments, But be sure to share because the work that I'm doing is not just to empower and inspire you, but it's also to educate while I'm advocating for not just myself, but for those who look like me or aspire to be thought leaders as well. So I think that summarizes it. So be sure to check everything else out at zaakirahnayar.com. Z-A-A-K-I-R-A-H-N-A-Y-A-R. And I will see you on the other side.

On here, the goal of See Life Different is to empower you to see life differently and empower you to really raise the bar in your own health and wellness as well. And throughout the show, it's actually going to be guests, and I'm really excited about being able to bring Oklahoma to you. So there's a lot of innovation happening here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. So a lot of people who did move here because of the tech ecosystem, there's a lot of people who are leaving those big metropolitan cities from New York, California, Texas, and coming here. And there's actually a positive side of coming here. Now, of course, some people would move for the lower cost of living. That was a great perk, but that's not it. I am big on storytelling, and everywhere that I go, I interact with others who have either been caregivers, who have been survivors of those who either, if not cancer or fibroids or things of that sort, they are actually in the tech industry and making that difference. So we're also going to be raising awareness for those who are in the tech industry and making a difference by having a startup. We are big on supporting entrepreneurship here. And they're also descendants of the 1921 race massacre. So being able to have those stories and have those stories be told and just continue to have the conversation is really what the show is going to be about. And so I have a passion for journalism. Although you're probably listening and wondering, where are you from? I hear an accent of some kind. I get that a lot. But the blessing is that I am truly multicultural. So I am a woman of faith, but I also am also from the East Coast. I love to say that I'm from the East Coast. Because I'm so used to living in multiple metropolitan cities. My dad is also a descendant of Native American, one of the Native American tribes. So on my paternal side, there's Native American heritage. On the maternal side, there's also Caribbean heritage. So being able to bring all of literally the diaspora together into one is an honor. And so my passion for journalism really started as a young girl. Having gone through so much trauma, sure, there are moments where I may not have wanted to talk to anyone about anything. And so my mom really introduced me to the world of journalism, journaling, and eventually that would lead to a type of journalism. I went to what we have as technical schools, the schools that are really passionate about making sure that you have some kind of entry-level certification, not just WABC, W123, but how can you get a certification that would take you into where you want to go next. College may not be for everyone, right? Being able to then also be a part of the yearbook club, and then also my first job, believe it or not, was partially a summer camp counselor, but I was a summer camp counselor for those who were visually impaired or completely blind. They cannot see or they have very low vision. And while I was there, I was actually the newsletter editor. It's the best job. So storytelling has truly always been a part of my life, my story, no matter where I go. And even here, moving to the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, it's a continuation of being able to tell stories, both writing and audio and video. If you are enjoying this so far and you really are looking forward to seeing what we have going on next and what's happening next, but also if you are listening to this and you feel empowered to Share your story. Be sure to connect with me on social media at See Life Different. It's on various places. So we have See Life Different on Facebook, See Life Different Pod, since this is an extension in a way of the podcast, or just See Life Different on Twitter, formerly known as Twitter, on X. And I'm definitely social. And so be sure to let me know what part of this Or any one of the episodes, any editions inspired you. And also look forward to seeing you on— let's see, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. I still call it Twitter. Even if you weren't on Twitter that often, I still call it Twitter. That's what we knew it for 2 decades, so we're still gonna call it Twitter. Be sure to interact on social media. And there's actually another feature that we have, which you actually don't want to type anything, but you want to leave a voice note. You can leave a voice note, and as long as we get the voice note in enough time, we may feature it on the next edition of the show. You can go to speakpipe.com/clifedifferent, and you can also leave an audio note as well. And so that pretty much summarizes the— this episode. This is just to really welcome you to me, get to know who I am, and really understand Why this show is happening. We can also continue to listen as well because we're going to be talking about a lot of things because this is being recorded in October for World Blindness Awareness Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and as well as continuing to talk a little bit more about the other disparities that I have, such as being hard of hearing, such as having PCOS, such as really just— Dealing with adversity and how can we overcome it? How can we truly become free in this life while we still live this life? Because life is truly short. Everything that we have going on can really— here we are, it's already almost the end of the year and time truly does fly by. But we'll be raising the bar on how can you continue to be able to powerfully tell your stories as well. So it's not just— It's not your typical health and medical show. This is also raising awareness for tech, for innovation, and for communities. Welcome to the Black Women's Health Show.

So I am Zaakirah, and this is an extension of the See Life Different podcast. So we have the Black Women's Health Show, and we are talking about medical disparities. So I am your host, Zaakirah, and I am a brand cultivating strategist and author, and I raise awareness for medical disparities because I'm also an indigenous Black woman who is marginalized and checked off all of the diversity So today we are celebrating a lot of anniversaries, a lot of firsts, one of it being National Disability Employment Awareness Month. And according to the U.S. Department of Labor, they are honoring the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by choosing to advance access and equity. Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, also known abbreviated on social media as OKDRS. On July 1st, 1993, had been mandating that they educate students who are blind, deaf, helping adults with disabilities to make sure that they find employment and understand that they are eligible for medical resources and even to receive Social Security disability benefits. So today's special guest is Valencia M. Williams— Wilson, who has been employed with the state of Oklahoma for 15 years. For the past 13 years, she has served as a vocational rehabilitation specialist And now for the last 2 years has been the program manager for the Oklahoma State Department of Rehabilitation Services, OKDRS. She also holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and a graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling from Langston University. In addition to her full-time role at OKDRS, she is also a licensed professional counselor and a supervisor for the Community Mental Health Agency. So she's very passionate about advocating for individuals. especially with diversity and disabilities. And she was going to talk about why she enjoys doing what she's doing when she's not working and spending time with her husband and 3 children. Valencia, thank you so much for being here. How are you today?

Good afternoon, Ms. Zaakirah. Thank you so much. I'm feeling great today. Thank you again for this platform to be able to discuss with you why we are here in the community, the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Services. And what the resources are for individuals with various types of disabilities, health, mental health, physical health, blindness, deafness of the sorts. We are just so excited to be able to bring to you in on Historic Greenwood the information to help the community today.

And thank you also for your advocacy, and you're very passionate about it. You've been— you've studied it, you do it on the side, but why are you so passionate about it?

Hi, my why, really I fell into it, I would say over 20 years ago. I have a family member, as we all do, we are all diverse individuals and all have individuals in our families that we assist. This particular family member has a mental health illness and just assisted her with finding employment. When things went wrong on that employment, I was her advocate. I'm trying to assist her with sustaining that employment and just for years I've was doing it and I didn't know it. And so it was just so befitting that I, when I decided to further my education at Langston University, that I connected with individuals who assisted with leading me down the right path to be able to earn my undergraduate in the sociology field as well as the master's in rehabilitation counseling. And I can honestly tell you, Zaakirah, that every single day that I walk into that building, my passion is fulfilled. I am truly doing what I believe God has called me to do.

Absolutely. And that's what matters the most. When you're walking in your purpose, you will definitely be aligned with people who will take you there. And I think, I feel that's the missing piece when it comes to making sure that there's less discrimination in the disability employment awareness. So I have a personal story. Although I am an entrepreneur now, I have had my fair share of working jobs. But I remember before applying for the job, I would hide my disability, my different ability, because I'm not sure how would they actually handle it. So I would tell them once they get Once I get hired, but I was like, let me not say anything until I get hired just to see what they would do. So what are some resources that people who may be wanting to apply for jobs, but they don't even know that they have resources out there, what are some tips and resources that you have for people?

So the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, as I stated, we assist individuals with various types of disabilities. And you would start with an application. You can reach us on the website at www.okdrs.gov. Or our free hotline at 1-800-845-8476 in our Oklahoma City corporate office, and they will connect you with the right individuals and offices throughout the state. We're all— we have offices all throughout the state of Oklahoma, and we go follow according to the zip codes. So here in Tulsa, we have all of our territories split by the zip codes, and you just call into the office or to the hotline, and they'll connect you right to who you need. And every case that we have is individualized. So we have no cookie-cutter plans. We're really trying to connect with that individual to meet their individual needs for a successful employment outcome.

Yes.

And I definitely hear that because that's what I hear makes a difference, especially for those applying for schools, right? It's needing that cookie-cutter, that hands-on, that here's how you can—

we can help you get there.

Voc rehab, I know, is super important, especially for those who get different abilities and become disabled later on in life. What resources or maybe mental health tips do you have for those who really did become disabled later in life and they feel like there's no hope for them?

Okay. All of our vocational rehabilitation counselors are master-level counselors. So we have studied and we've been trained to deal with our clients in that individual way. Whether it's they're newly disabled, we are— we provide adjustment training. for that individual to help them along in life. They may not be ready for that employment just yet. So there's some counseling, some— there's some adjustment training that needs to happen first. For individuals who have had a disability, maybe it was congenital or through childhood, we are trained just all along the steps of life, the lifespan of the person, to be able to accommodate their needs.

Okay.

And speaking of having Specific people to accommodate their needs. I think it's super important. I remember when I was getting into, I was in high school. And for me, I've always been prepared for the worst, right? I can see you now, but I'm always prepared for not being able to see you. I can hear you now, but I'm always prepared for not to. But I had not been, had I not had services, I probably wouldn't have known that. What are your tips for the parents? Let's flip it to the other side. What about the parents who are ready to just, you know, they know they wanna support their child some way or another because they're about to almost be empty nesters, Mm-hmm. But it's not a difficult— it's not an easy transition. So what are your tips for parents?

You're exactly right, Zaakirah. Our department has what we call transition services, and that's probably what you're speaking of, for our youth starting at age 16. And it does exactly that. It prepares them for that transition. What is their next step after high school? Is it going to be vocational training? Is it going to be college training? Is it going to be job placement? And so we work closely with our parents because Yes, they maybe not, they don't want to let go so soon. They don't want individuals, they don't want their child to be discriminated against. They want them to be treated fairly. They want them to be able to go into employment and to apply the regular or the normal way. And by the way, we keep the words normal and regular out of our vocabularies. So anyway, we want to give that parent the assurance that they are in good hands with our most able staff. our master's level professional staff and to be able to walk them down the aisle to move them towards employment with courteous and professional services.

Okay, got it.

And one of the other aspects as well is Social Security disability benefits. Maybe talk about that process, because I think what's happening is people read the headlines about all the changes that's going on, but maybe they really have no idea what OKDHS actually does to really assist them in that aspect.

Yes, our clients who are on Social Security benefits, our department has a specific department for that, which is called our Benefit Planning Department. And those individuals are also master-level clinicians, and they have a certificate in their Social Security curriculum and services that they can offer to our clients. They are allowing that individual to be independent They are providing clients' rights and clients' choices, clients' consent as to how much money that they can earn that may coincide with their benefits so that they are able to keep their medical benefits and/or if they have a cash benefit. Now, DRS is in the business of assisting individuals, those individuals who can and want to come off of those Social Security rolls. So we are, we're trying to get them to that skill or to that educational level where they are able to earn a livable wage, gain full employment. But we do have a whole department dedicated to just professional education to our clients about their Social Security benefits as it relates to their housing, possibly their SNAP benefits, or any other type of public benefits. So they can be well taken care of at our department and would not have to worry and receive open and honest communication about their Social Security benefits.

Absolutely. And just from hearing you share that, it sounds like everyone's really in good hands with all the resources that OKDRS provides. And we are almost done with the conversation. And so I want to— I think I want to ask one interesting question I love to ask all my guests is, what do you want your legacy to be?

Oh wow, my legacy. I would say that I would want to be remembered as ethical, I would want to be remembered as exemplary. Not exemplary in the form of perfection. None of us are perfect. But I want to make sure that I've done my best every single day, day by day, hour by hour, of good service, the best service that I can give first to God, to my husband, to my children, to my community, and to my work. Zaakirah, we can be located on the website at www.okdrs.gov. You can call us at 1-800-845-8476. That's 1-800-845-8476. Locally, you can reach myself at our office at the Sun Building. That's at 907 South Detroit, Suite 910. Again, my name is Valencia Wilson. I am the Programs Manager for the Adult Unit for the VR Services. I really appreciate your time today.

Thank you, Ms. Valencia Wilson. And be sure to tune in and tag us on social media. Tag us @SeeLifeDifferent on social media or @SeeLifeDifferentPod and let us know your favorite parts about the episode.