木瓜直播

鈥淚nstead of changing people around me, I wanted to change the scope of disability itself.鈥�
鈥� Bridger R. Reed-Lewis

As a disability advisor with the UAA Center for Human Development and advocating in the community, Bridger R. Reed-Lewis draws on his own lived experience to empower others and drive positive change.

Originally from Palmer, Reed-Lewis was diagnosed with autism as a teenager and has also navigated post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Growing up in an abusive and dysfunctional household where he struggled to advocate for himself, he recalls attending his first Peer Power Self-Advocacy Summit, led by UAA alum Ric Nelson, in 2016 and being inspired by the speakers.

"It's amazing now. I remember seeing all of these people with disabilities, trying to empower us to speak up and do all these things," said Reed-Lewis. "And I thought, 'this is totally me, this is what I want to do,' and I've made a career out of it."

From adversity to advocacy

A graduate of the Don Young 木瓜直播 Job Corps Center, where he earned his GED and office administration certification, Reed-Lewis first entered UAA as an engineering student in 2020.

鈥淏ut I did not, and even now, I don鈥檛 have the math skills,鈥� he said, candidly addressing the internalized expectations many neurodivergent students feel the pressure to meet. Add the struggles of COVID-19, and Reed-Lewis' college dream was soon put on hold.

Around the same time, he also struggled to find acceptance in the workplace. 鈥淎t past employers, I was ridiculed, yelled at constantly, and fired over and over, which would affect my self-esteem,鈥� he said.

Eventually, Reed-Lewis returned to UAA for a position with CHD, drawn by the community and respect offered. Finally feeling accepted in a professional environment marked a pivotal moment for Reed-Lewis. 鈥淐HD allowed me to grasp who I was. I鈥檓 honestly a completely different person than I was a few years ago. CHD allowed me to have that outlet and to not feel alone." That transformation is the kind of growth he's now paying forward.

Advocacy in action

In his role with CHD, Reed-Lewis advises their department on accessibility best practices for everything from curriculum to marketing materials and provides community trainings on disability and neurodiversity. 

"Our brains are wired differently," said Reed-Lewis, referring to the neurodivergent community. "Those with autism have special interests. Mine happens to be disability and navigating programs essential to the disability community. I am obsessed with it, and I've memorized everything you can think of when it comes to any kind of program around housing, medical 鈥� everything."

Reed-Lewis hopes to do similar work for other departments as the opportunities arise, believing he can make a difference for the university as a whole. Presently though, he has transformed his 鈥渟pecial interest鈥� in disability services from passion into action, with numerous volunteer roles and projects complementing his CHD work. He is developing an accredited pre-college course for students with disabilities, writing a guidebook on navigating community resources for people with disabilities, advising the American Red Cross on disaster preparedness accessibility and is hoping to soon be developing a workforce training initiative for youth, young adults and veterans with disabilities. He was also invited to speak on his personal experience navigating the extraordinarily complex Medicaid buy-in process for the 木瓜直播 Governor鈥檚 Council on Disabilities and Special Education.

Although Reed-Lewis says he could see himself retiring from UAA thanks to the welcoming community and rewarding work, he'd also welcome the opportunity to serve as an advisor at a state or federal level, where the potential for impact is even greater.

Regardless of what path he chooses, Reed-Lewis will be guided by his personal mission: "to represent my people, make sure their rights are protected and that they feel heard."