Myths & Truths Surrounding the Disability Community

At the University of Miami we are fortunate to be part of an incredibly diverse community. Collectively we strive to create a supportive environment where our unique abilities come together to transform lives and create an inclusive culture of belonging.

October is Disabilities in the Workplace Awareness Month. Join your colleagues at a variety of events to learn more about the resources available at the University and how you can support an inclusive environment for people with disabilities.

This session, Myths & Truths Surrounding the Disability Community, will be facilitated by Shelly Baer, LCSW and director of Leadership Training Initiatives at the Mailman Center for Child Development and Jairo Arana, clinical program coordinator.at the Mailman Center for Child Development and LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) self-advocate trainee.

Together they will share their insights, challenge assumptions and guide you through an engaging and thought-provoking discussion.

Shelly Baer, LCSW is director of Leadership Training Initiatives at the Mailman Center for Child Development. She completed her graduate training at Yeshiva University, Wurzweiler School of Social Work in 1991. Ms. Baer is a licensed social worker in Florida, and joined the staff of the Mailman Center in 2011. During her time with the UCEDD and LEND program she served as Associate Training Director. She now coordinates the Emerging Transformational Leadership Program (ETLP), assists in managing key components of the LEND curriculum and coordinates Project Self-Advocate Leadership Training (SALT). She coordinates Student Emerging Leaders Program (SELP) leadership program for high school students with and without disabilities. In 2015, Ms. Baer accepted the role as Co-leader of the Lifespan IPC at Mailman Center. Ms. Baer is an accomplished community leader in the disability community. She participated in the Miami Fellows Initiative, a prestigious leadership program funded by the Knight Foundation. Through this program she created ACCESS Miami, a resource for the disability community. It is now housed under Mailman Center and is on the MCCD website. She is part of the consumer advisory council for the Florida Center for Inclusive Communities and attended the UCEDD National Leadership Institute. She is part of the AUCD persons with disabilities as LEND trainees workgroup. Ms. Baer was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age three, but it has never slowed her down. She pushes boundaries and doesn’t let her disability hold her back. In 2006, through her involvement in Center for Independent Living, Ms. Baer co-founded Bold Beauty Project, a photography exhibit that showcases the beauty, sensuality and empowerment of disabled women. In 2015, Bold Beauty Project incorporated as a nonprofit. Ms. Baer serves as the Director; it is based in Miami.

Jairo Arana began his journey as a self-advocate when, after being diagnosed later in life with ASD, he participated in UM-NSU CARD’s Jobseekers Program. He was recommended to participate in the University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development’s Project SALT (Self-Advocate Leadership Training) Program. After graduating the SALT Program, he became a trainer for Project SALT and a consultant for the UM Mailman Center for Child Development. He was also the UM Mailman Center for Child Development’s first LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) Self-advocate trainee. He has written for the UM Mailman Center’s Newsletter, traveled to Washington D.C. for the AUCD Conference and AUCD Disability Policy Seminar, where he has met with policymakers to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities. He graduated from UM Mailman Center’s ETLP (Emerging Transformational Leadership Program, under LEND) in June, 2018, and is participating in the Florida DD Network Collaborative Leadership Program. He was one of seven panelists invited to speak at the 26th Annual CARD Conference. He holds Bachelor’s Degrees of Arts and Science in Communication in Motion Pictures and English, Creative Writing, from University of Miami and works full-time at the UM Mailman Center as a clinical program coordinator.