Just like anyone else, Vivian McIntosh has the right to make her own decisions and be independent. For decades, she’s been involved with Wildwood, an organization that supports people with special needs. She was hired by Wildwood several years ago to be a self advocate in their rights education program, helping other people with disabilities learn what rights they have.

“People with disabilities have the exact same rights that anybody else does," says Wildwood Coordinator for Integration and Advocacy Michelle Brown.

This includes the rights to free speech, marriage and fair employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year, 22.5% of people with a disability were employed, like McIntosh. She and Brown go to people’s homes for these education sessions. 

“Of course, the history of people with disabilities is very different. People used to be institutionalized where they had literally no rights. It's really important to remember that history is cyclical, and if people don't understand their rights, they could possibly go back to those types of living conditions," Brown says.