My name is Cheryl Powell and I was born and raised in Wilmington, NC. I have a developmental disability called cerebral palsy. I never allowed that fact to stop me from pursuing my dreams though. For example, I graduated from UNC-Wilmington with a degree in social work in 2003. I previously worked as a direct support professional for seven years for Easter Seals UCP NC/VA ending in 2012. I continue to work as a direct support professional for Community Based Care-Lindley-Wilmington when needed.

Most recently I have been working as the Co-chairperson of the Lived Experience Network Speaks (LENS) group.

In 2015, I was appointed by the Governor to the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities and was elected twice as vice-chairperson during my eight years of service. I am a member of the following organizations

Work Together NC

LAND/Registry Advisory Council

Meet the Need NC (an initiative of the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities).

Advocacy Zone is a podcast that I chose to create as a way to speak freely with my fellow members of the disability community.

According to the article linked below, North Carolina ranked 41st in the country among all states in efforts to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

https://patch.com/north-carolina/charlotte/how-well-nc-supports-people-developmental-disabilities

This fact is completely unacceptable! Most topics discussed in my podcast will have a focus on NC and the way it serves individuals with disabilities. However, this will not be my sole focus,6 as many topics will transcend the state of North Carolina. Many topics will be universal to the experience of disability.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy my Advocacy Zone podcast!