Sitting At Eye Level: Sitting At Eye Level: My Life as An Advocate, A Professional, A Woman, A Mom and A Person with A Significant Disability

This book will enlighten the reader as to the challenges encountered of myself, a woman with physical disabilities, specifically cerebral palsy. It describes my life as a child, student, mother, professional and advocate for those with disabilities. In spite of my severe Cerebral Palsy, I have had an extraordinary life. I have had so many great, wild, crazy, happy, and sad experiences that many other people might not have had, disability or not. My hope for the reader of my book is that they look at disabilities in a different way, a fresh way. My hope is that you see all people for who they are and not only for their disability. So often we see people with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities and have preconceived notions about how their lives are supposed to be, and we forget about their humanity.

Santa Elia Perez was born in East Los Angeles, California. She is a 55-year-old Hispanic woman and she has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy (CP). She is a nationally recognized leader in the disability community, sitting on many committees, both State and Federal. In spite of her severe CP, she has had an extraordinary life, with so many great, wild, crazy, happy, and sad experiences that many other people might not have had, disability or not. Santa wants to be a good role model for other people with disabilities and wants to inspire others with disabilities to live their lives as they want. As Santa often says, "My disability is a part of me, but it's not all of me."