In Part 1 of this special episode of The Advocacy Life Podcast, host Kevin G. Núñez welcomes public speaker, podcast host, and certified life coach Bryce Wooden to the show. Bryce brings humor, honesty, and deep wisdom as he shares his accidental entry into the disability advocacy space—from training as an Ironman triathlete to finding his voice through Toastmasters.
Tune in as Kevin and Bryce tackle some of the most pressing conversations in the community today, including:
Navigating life with Cerebral Palsy and the reality that disability is a shared human experience.
Breaking down the “disability hierarchy” and moving past the misconception that everyone’s needs are identical.
Defining true independence: finding freedom, leisure, and community connection both inside and outside the disability space.
Overcoming imposter syndrome and advocating for legislative changes in employment and accessibility.
Hi friends, welcome back to another community blog post. I apologize that this one is a day late—we were busy celebrating my grandmother’s 84th birthday! She had more energy than I did, so God bless her.
Today, I want to dive into a topic that is always front and center in our community: disability and language.When we refer to our population, there are generally two primary frameworks: Person-First Language and Disability-First (Identity-First) Language.Person-First Language puts the individual before the condition (e.g., a person with Down syndrome, a person with autism). The core philosophy here is that the individual is a human being first, and their disability is just one aspect of who they are.
Disability-First (Identity-First) Language places the disability attribute upfront (e.g., an autistic person, a blind person). Proponents often argue that separating the person from the disability can feel like minimizing or denying a fundamental part of their identity, viewing strict person-first language as a form of ableism.
Where Do I Stand?
This is a deeply personal and often controversial debate within the disability space. My personal stance is simple: To each their own. If you look at my writing, you will notice that I tend to mix both approaches. Personally, I lean toward person-first language in most aspects of life because I believe Kevin the person is separate from my cerebral palsy. Disability is just a part of who I am. At the same time, I certainly don’t think disability-first language is wrong. But for me personally, identifying solely by my disability first feels a bit uncomfortable. Language is powerful, and it acts as a tool—just like a hammer or a knife, it can be used to build something wonderful or to tear it down. We have to use our words with grace and intentionality.
If you want to dive deeper into why language matters and how different advocacy groups approach it, check out these trusted resources:
American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guidelines on Disability – Offers comprehensive guidance on how to write and speak about people with disabilities with neutrality and respect.
National Center on Disability and Journalism (NCDJ) Style Guide – An incredible tool for journalists, creators, and advocates looking up specific terms, preferred language, and the history behind various disability descriptors.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) – A great resource for understanding why many self-advocates within the autistic community strongly prefer identity-first language (autistic person).
The Arc – Preferred Language Guide – One of the oldest and largest community organizations providing clear breakdowns on why language choice matters in public policy and daily life.
This is a rich, ongoing conversation, and there is no single “right” answer for every individual. What are your thoughts? Do you prefer person-first or disability-first language in your daily life? Let me know in the comments below! Thank you guys, and as always—keep on rolling, keep on living!
Have you heard of the HCBS Relief and Stabilization Act? Probably not.
For this week’s community blog, I want to focus on a specific piece of legislation—or rather, a resolution—that offers a big-picture view of the disability movement and examines where we truly rank in America.
For those unfamiliar, HCBS stands for Home and Community-Based Services. To oversimplify it, HCBS is a waiver care system funded by Medicaid and Medicare dollars that allows people with disabilities to stay in their homes and local neighborhoods. Regardless of age or level of need, it is always cheaper, more beneficial, and more humane for a person to thrive and function directly within their local community.
This resolution seeks to uphold and expand Home and Community-Based Services while establishing more significant safeguards for our direct support professionals (DSPs). It directly responds to legal uncertainties following filings like Texas v. Kennedy, which left critical disability care frameworks at a stalemate.
Through this resolution, members of Congress are attempting to signal to disabled voters and our population as a whole just how much we mean to them.
While this bipartisan effort is a welcome sight—notably supported by primary sponsors like New Jersey’s own Congressman Tom Kean Jr.—we cannot allow ourselves to be misled.
It is no coincidence that a resolution like this gains momentum right around election time, or that key co-sponsors are currently running for re-election. So, to politicians on both sides of the political aisle asking for our votes: prove it.
Show us that we matter. Show us that disabled Americans are a priority. Show us that we are a vital, indispensable part of this nation.
Lately, there has been a massive push in legislative halls for data centers, infrastructure developments, and commercial housing initiatives. While infrastructure is important, people come first in America. America is funded and run by the people, and people with disabilities are people first.
To Congressman Kean and all leaders stepping up: thank you for your leadership on this resolution. But to the rest of Congress: it’s time to put your priorities in order and prove that disabled America is a permanent priority, not a seasonal campaign slogan.
What happens when you’ve given everything you have to an advocacy role, but you feel yourself stalling?
In Season 4, Episode 17 of The Advocacy Life, host Kevin Nunez takes us through his decade-long journey as a disability advocate. He discusses the realities of working within day programs, the challenge of institutional transitions, dealing with advocacy burnout, and his transition to national board leadership with the NACDD.
Key Topics:
Where We’ve Been: Reflections on entering the advocacy space in 2016.
Day Program Dynamics: Supporting individuals leaving institutions and training DSP staff.
Navigating Burnout: Recognizing when you’ve reached your limit and need a new challenge.
Council Service: Serving nearly a decade on the NJCDD and expanding to national work.
The Future: Building positive male representation in disability
This week, I’m sharing something close to my heart. It’s an initiative I’m deeply proud of, but I can’t take full credit for it—it was truly a collective effort. I want to talk about the New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus, which we launched in December 2020.
Think back to December 2020. The nation was locked in relentless political debate—red vs. blue, election arguments, constant noise. But while politicians argued, people with disabilities still needed services, healthcare, and baseline access to live healthy, productive lives.
I’ve often said the biggest flaw in our political system is that elected leaders don’t talk to each other. So, alongside dedicated partners—most notably the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities—we built a space to fix that.
The New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus was created as a bipartisan effort to shape proactive policy. Our goal was simple: get lawmakers at the same table before legislation is written, ensuring disability is never treated as an afterthought. The reality is that disability touches every single family at some point. When we design laws proactively with accessibility in mind, we create a country that works better for everyone.
Since we started, this state initiative has driven meaningful policy forward across New Jersey:
Employment First: Incentivizing competitive, meaningful employment for disabled individuals.
Health & Safety: Policy targeted at preventing abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
Transportation Accountability: Legislation to improve safety and accountability on school buses.
Transition Planning: Dedicated sessions helping young adults with disabilities transition out of the school system into independent adulthood.
Because we launched during the pandemic, the Caucus started on Zoom—and that virtual format remains one of its greatest strengths. Quarterly sessions are archived online so constituents can watch their elected officials work in real time.
I encourage you to look into your own state leadership. Other states have caucuses like this too, so search for your local legislative disability caucus and get involved. Keep on rolling, keep on living!
As the crisp autumn air settles in and fall officially arrives, pumpkin spice lattes are everywhere, and leaves slowly change colors. On a chilly evening, as I enjoyed my first bowl of homemade chicken soup and zipped up my jacket, a quiet, sobering reality struck me. For many people, this time of year isn’t just about cozy evenings or family gatherings—it marks the beginning of what I call “Lonely Season.”
While the world gets ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, many individuals with disabilities—particularly those living in local group homes—are left watching from the sidelines. There is plenty of liberty out there, but far too often, nowhere to go. Many do not have family nearby, leading to a quiet holiday season without invitations, without someone to share a meal with, or without a midnight kiss on New Year’s Eve.
In America, we pride ourselves on being community-minded. Yet, an entire class of people right down the street remains largely invisible—not out of malice or pity, but out of simple inconvenience. Group home facilities sit right in our residential neighborhoods, surrounded by houses, but few neighbors ever drop by to build genuine relationships with the residents inside.
What does it truly mean to be a good neighbor?
Share the Warmth: The next time you grab a pumpkin spice latte or a coffee for a coworker, consider dropping off a couple at your local group home. Do it not out of pity, but out of basic neighborly courtesy.
Extend the Table: When baking bread or prepping meals for the holidays, make an extra loaf or dish and drop it off for the residents. A small gesture of connection can transform someone’s entire week.
Practice Genuine Inclusion: Across our nation, thousands of houses of worship open their doors weekly. Yet, individuals with more significant behavioral or physical needs are sometimes subtly discouraged from attending because they might make noise during a service. True worship and community shouldn’t come with strict rules of quiet compliance—everyone deserves a seat at the table.
Disabilities do not exclude someone from being a friend, a peer, or a neighbor. As the season turns cold, let’s make sure our communities stay warm. Be a neighbor. Be a friend.
In this deeply personal and special episode of The Advocacy Life Podcast, host Kevin Nunez shares his personal testimony as a follower of Jesus Christ. Living with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, Kevin opens up about his journey—from navigating life’s physical limitations and isolation to the pivotal moment in 2020 when God met him right where he was.
This isn’t about preaching or converting anyone; it’s an honest, judgment-free story about surrender, finding purpose through grace, and realizing that God’s plans are always bigger than our own. Whether you are a person of faith or simply looking for an encouraging perspective on overcoming life’s struggles, this story is for you.
