Today we’d like to introduce you to Judy Blake.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Judy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am the single parent of an amazing son who is 24 years old! He is bright, kind, funny and loves movies, restaurants and computer games. All parents need to advocate for their child and my son is no different. It’s also very important to teach advocacy skills to our kids. Parents will not always be around and we want our kids to be able to speak up for themselves.
I am very fortunate to have two amazing jobs! My primary job is being the Leadership and Advocacy Coordinator for an incredible non-profit in Houston – Family to Family Network – www.familytofamilynetwork.org. I have the honor of empowering families with education, resources and support. Families who have children and young adults with disabilities can be overwhelmed trying to navigate the complicated school process, social service agencies while securing the best medical care for their loved ones.
We believe in success for ALL children regardless of their disability! It is wonderful that I partner with all communities including Hispanic, Asian, Ethiopian, Muslim, African American, Caucasian and welcome the opportunity to collaborate with schools, social service agencies, non-profit organizations and corporations.
My second job is serving on the faculty of LoneStar LEND – https://med.uth.edu/pediatrics/neurology/pediatric-neurology-fellowship-programs/lonestar-lend-fellowship/. It is a fabulous program that trains future leaders in the field of advocacy for people with autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities. I serve as Family Faculty educating the trainees about the joys and challenges of raising my son who is impacted by autism and other co-occurring disabilities. The trainees are our future and sharing my personal journey and experiences paves the way for them to further develop their desire to support people with disabilities.
Has it been a smooth road?
I believe it is very rare for anyone in this world to go through life on a free ride. We all have ups and downs, joys and challenges. It’s important to be resilient during adverse times and to know that this, too, shall pass.
I do not recommend the decisions I have made in my life for anyone. I’ve been a single parent for 20 years and it is not an easy road. There have been so many bumps in the road both financially, professionally and personally. It is up to each woman to evaluate THEIR set of circumstances and determine the best course for them.
I have never been one to take the easy way out. I thank G-d that I had a mother who believed in me and knew that one way or the other – I would make it in this world. While it won’t be easy, she knew I would survive. This is where my resiliency kicks in. Yes – I’ve had many months of feeling sad and depressed about my life. But I eventually bounce back and strive to always see my glass as half full vs. half empty.
It’s important to always keep a circle of support for yourself. This was especially true when my son was born. Once I found out that he had disabilities, I relied on my friends to be my sounding board and to love me and my son unconditionally. My son is now 24 and my circle of support continues to be a major part of my life and my son’s.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Family to Family Network and LoneStar LEND – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
The two organizations I work for personify the true meaning of empowerment and paying it forward. Educating families and the community at Family to Family Network is the gift that keeps on giving. Our training classes, annual conference and resource fair, legislative advocacy — they lay the foundation for others to share the knowledge and believe that we should presume competence for everyone and children with disabilities are no different.
LoneStar LEND is about training future leaders and sharing that knowledge in their workplace, organization and community. People with disabilities do not want pity. They want to be understood and believed in and the training this program provides allows the trainees to empower others with this knowledge.
I am a true extrovert and love meeting people from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter to me if we speak the same language, have the same heritage or differ in age. Smiles are universal and the warmth I exude is sincere and genuine. No child asked to be brought into this world and it is up to all of us to help children with disabilities and their families lead meaningful lives. I live by these beliefs every day. It’s not that it sets me apart from others or makes me better in any way. I have several extraordinary mentors that I credit so much to as I have grown through the years and the knowledge I’ve gained coupled with my outgoing personality allows me to serve every community with every chance that is given to me.
Who have you been inspired by?
I have so many women that have inspired me and am honored to share this with you!
It begins with my mother. A rare gem who always had a smile despite the many challenges life threw her way. She taught me so much and when she passed away 19 months ago – it was a very sad day. She raised me to be honorable and true to myself. She always said that I will never be wrong for trying to do the right thing and that two wrongs don’t make a right. As much as I disliked hearing those words sometimes, I knew she was the one who was right. She has had so much loss including a miscarriage, losing her son when he was only 4 years old, becoming widowed in her late 20’s and again in her early 40’s. She was the queen of resiliency, married again and then widowed in her late 60’s. When she was 84 – she became an amputee, another huge setback. She wore a prosthesis sometimes during the last 3 1/2 years of her life and did it with grace. Like me, she never met a stranger and loved meeting new people. She was truly one in a million!
Mary Jane Williams is a HUGE mentor in my life! She is the Executive Director of Family to Family Network. Words could never express how grateful I am for all that she has taught me in my professional work. I always had a passion to serve others. She took that passion and parlayed it into the most meaningful work I could ever hope for. She is truly brilliant and understands the very complex world of raising children with disabilities more than anyone I have ever met. I always tell her that if I can remember even half of what she knows, I will be in great shape. She is sought after by so many organizations both in Houston and around the state and as an expert in education and empowerment. I love the work I do and thank G-d every day!
Pricing:
- Family to Family Network is in desperate need of donations since quite a bit of what we do is done for free and not grant-funded.
- If you want to make an impact, please donate! http://bit.ly/F2FGive
Contact Info:
- Website: www.familytofamilynetwork.org
- Phone: 713-466-6304
- Email: judy@familytofamilynetwork.org
- Facebook: @familytofamilynetwork
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
