October is Disability Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of inclusion, equity, and understanding for people with visible disabilities as well as those with more hidden disabilities such as autism, dyslexia, and mental health disorders.
IFCS is committed to promoting inclusivity and accessibility for all in our community, so this month we’d like to highlight the story of one of our program participants. Last winter, LaToya wrote us to share her story. Seven or eight years prior, she and her children moved to Colorado, and she visited IFCS to participate in the Ready, Set, School! program that provided her children with backpacks and school supplies. She wrote us, “Since then, my son has become a great student, a delegate of future physicians of America, a member of the National honors society and has joined the military.” He graduated basic training in November of 2024. LaToya also shared that her daughter was doing incredibly well, and expressed her gratitude: “Thanks for the love and support you gave us when we had no one else to turn to.”
October holds a special place in LaToya’s heart, because when she was just six years old, her mother became disabled. Growing up, she witnessed both the struggles and the strength her mother displayed during her stays in nursing homes. In 2009, LaToya had the opportunity to bring her mother home and care for her—an experience that profoundly changed her life. It deepened her passion for caregiving, filled a void in her heart, and allowed her to feel a true sense of love for family. Having grown up in foster care without the support of a family, she chose to focus not on the challenges of that upbringing, but on the rewards it brought her.
Disability also shaped LaToya’s journey as a mother. At the age of two, her son was diagnosed with autism and a learning disability. The path was not always easy, but she watched him grow, thrive, and overcome obstacles in ways that inspired her every day. She watched him heal and today, her son is proudly serving in the United States Army as a 25U Signal Operations Specialist. While his disability didn’t define him, LaToya is grateful that he is no longer living with that disability and is pursuing a career that engages his unique skills.
To LaToya, Disability Awareness Month is not just about acknowledging struggles—it’s about honoring the resilience, courage, and beauty that shine through adversity. It’s about recognizing those who have paved the way for inclusion and accessibility, and amplifying the voices of those still fighting to be heard. In her eyes, disability never defines a person. “My mom is more than her disability. My son is more than his diagnosis,” she says. “And every individual deserves respect, dignity, and the chance to live fully and freely.”
Thanks to LaToya for sharing her personal story with us, and for returning to IFCS as a supporter after all these years. We’re grateful to hear that the generosity of IFCS donors and student sponsors were able to uplift her and her children as part of the Ready, Set, School! program. We’re grateful too, that she is celebrating the journey, the victories, and the love that disability has brought into her life. As IFCS continues to build inclusivity and accessibility features into our programs, building, and online resources, we are grateful for LaToya’s commitment to learning, advocating, and building a world where all abilities are embraced.
