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I am a Native Tucsonan; this is my community. I have been married to my grade school sweetheart, Kevin, for almost thirty-five years; time sure flies when you’re having fun! We have three amazing children; Brandon, Adam and Kelly. My journey in this field began about twenty-five years ago with the birth of our daughter Kelly. Early on, I realized I would need to help her find her voice, and most times, be her voice. I supported and guided Kelly as she bravely paved the way for fully inclusive education for students with disabilities in the state of Arizona; going to the same school with her big brothers and neighborhood friends. She is my “Shero!”. Soon after Kelly’s birth, I co-founded a Down syndrome support group. With all the new additions to our group, I soon found myself supporting these young families on their journey; helping them find their voices and empowering them to be a voice for their child. For about ten years, I was able to do this through my work with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). One of my key roles was to gather our local community of families, providers and DDD to work toward common goals. I helped initiate the statewide program “Partners in Policymaking” for families and people with disabilities. This advocacy program is still going strong today with the support of Pilot Parents of Southern Arizona. Besides helping my daughter with her accomplishments, something I am most proud of was my creation of “Dream Catchers.” It was an honor to be a part of gathering communities to celebrate all people within their neighborhoods, to help inspire and challenge them to dream and advocate for their children and adults with disabilities. I have worked for non-profit and for-profit agencies, primarily in the fields of developmental disabilities and behavioral health. I was invited to train nationally on the Wraparound Process; educating and supporting Native American, as well as other communities. Most recently, I was the Central Pima County Regional Coordinator for the First Things First project that is new to Arizona. I have always LOVED my work! The fire in my belly comes from seeing the tears in people’s eyes; from the discrimination and injustices that many of our families, friends and neighbors with disabilities experience on a daily basis. The smiles on people’s faces (including my daughter’s) are what keep me going. I am thrilled that my professional and personal experiences speak directly to promoting the value of including and bringing together people with and without disabilities in our communities, as well as promoting the ability and right of all individuals in pursuing their own dreams. Together, we need to continually and passionately strive for equity and equality for people with disabilities. I look forward to working with and hearing from you.
Let’s keep dreaming, |
Hello, my name is Cathy Sweeney. This is a photo of my daughter Kelly and myself. Kelly
has gorgeous blue eyes and a smile that lights up any room. She also has Down syndrome with
significant medical challenges. Her job is to help the sun rise and shine each and every day
for the rest of us! My job, working currently as Advocacy Coordinator for Metro Care Services,
is to assist with the networking of our communities to build a strong, united voice; a
collaborative voice to better advocate for all people with developmental disabilities.
Strength in numbers!