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“My name is Sarah Bray, and I am somebody. I make an impact! 

Sarah Bray works for The Kennedy Collective as a member of our HUD team (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development). The team works in the Albany, New York HUD Financial Operations Center, providing administrative support, servicing premiums and claims for more than 25 years.

Sarah traveled to Washington DC in September 2024 as The Kennedy Collective representative to the annual Source America Grassroots Advocacy Conference. The conference provides a platform where policy experts, nonprofit leaders, employees with disabilities, and their families discuss the issues that affect employment for people with disabilities. Sarah and the other self-advocates also spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with policymakers and their staff to advocate for more and better employment opportunities.

I really enjoyed our trip to Washington, D.C. I am proud of the work I do, and I am proud to have been The Kennedy Collective’s representative at the SourceAmerica conference.

Sarah Bray

During her time at the conference, Sarah shared her story in her own words. Here is what she had to say:

“God has blessed me in many ways. I am blessed to have my husband, our beloved family, our two kitties, and my dream job. My hobbies include walking, reading, swimming, and watching TV and movies. My disability has impacted my life because I have difficulty processing information. At work, I scan emails and documents for HUD staff working from home, and I lock up documents to ensure they are secure. I love my job because I enjoy the work I do, and because we are family.

In Washington, I enjoyed interacting with other people, getting to know them, and learning how to advocate for others and myself. Everyone had a really awesome story to share. It was a great learning experience. I learned that we all have something to contribute and that we are all somebody.

When we visited Capitol Hill, I met Representative Paul Tonko, our representative in Albany. He came to our work picnic years ago, and I reminded him about that. He’s a very nice man, and I know he truly cares about people with disabilities and the issues we face.

I really enjoyed our trip to Washington, D.C. I am proud of the work I do, and I am proud to have been The Kennedy Collective’s representative at the SourceAmerica conference.

I am somebody, and I made an impact!

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