Finding His Voice: How Advocacy Transformed My Son’s Life

By: Susie Turrey

Advocacy is powerful. It transformed not just my life but my son’s as well. As a parent of a child with autism, I spent years navigating systems, advocating for his needs, and ensuring he received the support he deserved. Yet, the most significant change came when I realized that true advocacy isn’t just about speaking up for someone—it’s about empowering them to find and use their own voice.

As parents, we often step in as our children’s advocates, becoming their voice when they can’t yet express their needs. It’s a role filled with love, determination, and responsibility. But one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that advocacy also means teaching our children to stand up for themselves. It’s about knowing when to step back and support their journey toward self-empowerment.

For my son, this journey began when he joined an advocacy training program called Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) with Diverse Ability Incorporated. The program wasn’t just about teaching him how to communicate his needs—it was about helping him understand that his voice matters. It started with a person-centered plan that focused on his goals and dreams.

Letting someone else guide my son through this process was nerve-wracking. As parents, we often feel the need to take control. But Diverse Ability Incorporated didn’t just support my son; they also valued the role my husband and I played in his life. They created an environment where we felt appreciated. In fact, after his first training he thanked us for all that we did for him as parents.

The program taught my son that his story mattered. It gave him a safe space to share his goals, struggles, and aspirations. They helped him communicate his needs with confidence and clarity, and he began to see his voice as a tool for creating change—not just for himself, but for others in the community.

One of the most inspiring moments for him was hearing the stories of other self-advocates. Their journeys of overcoming challenges and creating change showed him what was possible.

Diverse Ability Incorporated didn’t just teach my son skills; they gave him hope. They helped him see himself as more than a diagnosis and showed him his potential.

The person-centered plan he initially created in the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) through the Diverse Ability program included a goal to attend college. Today, he is in his second year of college and he serves as a youth ambassador with the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC), an organization that empowers youth with alternatives to guardianship. This is something we never expected, but I couldn’t be prouder of him. Watching him find his voice has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and it all started with the support of Diverse Ability Incorporated program AZYLF. You can watch his Showcase for CYVYC on YouTube.

This journey didn’t just transform my son; it transformed me too. I realized that I needed to strengthen my own voice and share our story. That realization led me to platforms like DebX, where I had the opportunity to talk about the power of finding your voice. You can watch my talk on YouTube.

For any parent feeling overwhelmed or unsure of how to support their child, I encourage you to join the programs at Diverse Ability Incorporated. These programs empower individuals with disabilities to take charge of their own lives while respecting the critical role of family support.

Advocacy is a journey, and sometimes the best thing we can do as parents is step back, listen, and guide our children as they learn to stand on their own. When we empower them to speak up, we’re giving them more than just a voice—we’re helping them build a future full of possibilities. And when they have their own voice, they gain not only confidence but also a level of safety, as they can advocate for themselves in situations that require support and protection.