Wendi Wood: Thanks. I want to introduce you to Larry Cooper who is a good friend of mine. Larry: Hi Wendy: I think it was about a year after I came to North Carolina. I was doing a presentation at a state conference for the ARC. And I was talking for the Rehab. Act. and how it had recently been written into the Rehab Act. that individuals with disabilities now could make their choices and Larry's arm went up in the back of the room. And we've been good friends ever since. Larry: That's right Wendy: So what I'd like to do first, Larry is just have you tell a little bit about yourself. Where you’re from, how old you are... Larry: 42. I came from Spain. Wendy: Came from Spain originally, and this is kind of a unique story because you are the Larry: Only one Wendy: You're the first infant Larry: First American adopted Wendy: From Spain Larry: Yeah, a record Wendy: He holds that record, uh...for the record books. But you've moved around a little bit. You were in other states? Larry: Yes, Texas, Ohio and now here in North Carolina. Wendy: North Carolina. What kind of work do you do Larry? Larry: Uh...I used to work at uh… Wendy: Where do you work now? Larry: Harris Teeter Wendy: Harris Teeter, what do you do there? Larry: Bag and check out dates. Wendy: Bag groceries and check out of dates. Do you work at just one store? Larry: huh uh Wendy: How many? Larry: Two Wendy: What other kind of work do you do? Larry: Volunteer work Wendy: Where do you volunteer? Larry: At a hospital Wendy: Uh huh and that's...how many days a week do you do that? Larry: Every Thursday or my day off. Wendy: And you just decided you wanted to do that, right? You were already working? Larry: Uh huh Wendy: Yeah, ok. And you do some other work pretty recently, what's that? Larry: Yeah. Uh...doing circles. Wendy: What are you doing with circles? Larry: Talking to them. How to get circles started and stuff like that. Wendy: You do some training? Larry: Uh huh. With Paula McNeil. Wendy: In fact we have to rush you to the airport right after this broadcast to Wilmington. He's going to be doing some training around circles and with Paula Boland in Wilmington. Larry: Uh Huh, Yep. Wendy: So...uh...lets see you have some interest in something other than Harris Teeter, right. Larry: Yes Wendy: What are you thinking about for the future? Larry: Owning my own business. Wendy: Owning your own business, and do you have some areas that you are interested in? Larry: With kids, a daycare maybe. Wendy: A daycare Larry: Uh huh Wendy: And you've thought of some other things too. You are also quite active with email you might...we might have to give your email address out later for people that may need some advise. Larry's all over the place. Larry: Yep Setnet05 Wendy: Did you...have you ever had any help on your job when you started out? Larry: Nope Wendy: No. But you had a job coach right? Larry: Yeah Wendy: But you didn't need any help? Larry: Huh uh. Wendy: Yeah. But you and your job coach...what does your job coach still come to visit you every once in a while? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: And what do you guys talk about? Larry: Maybe being in management. Wendy: Uh huh, or your own business. Larry: Yeah, or my own business. Wendy: So maybe moving up, so career changes are in the works and you and your job coach are discussing those, right? Larry: Yes. Wendy: Where did you work before Harris Teeter? Larry: Burger King Wendy: Burger King? And what happened at that job? Larry: My job coach talked behind my back. Wendy: And what did you do about that? Larry: I didn't like it. Wendy: You didn’t like it. What happened? Is that job coach still with you? Larry: No Wendy: No. Did you...said you wanted a different service provider? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: And you had that happen. You made that happen. So, I think that’s going to be challenging for us but it’s a healthy challenge. What did you do before Burger King? Larry: Worked in the workshop. Wendy: Worked in the workshop. How come you are not in the workshop anymore? Larry: Because I got out of it. Wendy: Why did you leave the workshop? Larry: Because I called everybody first in Mecklenburg county. Wendy: You called everybody in Mecklenburg County to get out? (laughing), But, why didn't you want to work there? Larry: Because they boss me around. Wendy: They bossed you around. You said you didn't like it. Larry: I didn't like it. Wendy: Because they bossed you around? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Did the workshop help you get a job? I know there is a supported employment program there. Did they help you get a job in the community? Larry: No. Wendy: No. Why not? Larry: Because they said I couldn't do it. Wendy: They said you couldn’t do it? Well how did you get out of the workshop then? Larry: I have a circle. Wendy: You got a circle. How did you get a circle? Larry: I called your office. Wendy: You called the ARC. Ok. We have to go through this process, so how did you know to call the ARC? Larry: It's on the bulletin board. Wendy: It's on the bulletin board. Did you know that that number would get you a circle? How did you call the ARC? How did you know to pick that number? Larry: Pause Wendy: Then you called everybody. Larry: Yeah, I called everybody. Wendy: These are the answers that... Larry: I called everybody up. Wendy: He called everybody until he got somebody that would help him. And do you remember calling a lot of people about getting a job? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: And what did they say to you when you...the first wave of people that you called to try to help you get a job. What did they say? Larry: “No.” Wendy: They said no. And do you remember what they told you? Larry: You can't do it outside. Wendy: They said you couldn't work outside? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Did you get into trouble for calling all those people? Larry: Yes. Wendy: What would they say when you would call them? Larry: (inaudible)... Wendy: Did they say for you to stop? Larry: Yes, stop it. Wendy: They.... actually there was a behavior plan written to tell Larry that if would stop calling everyone to ask for a job they would see about referring him for supported employment. Do you remember that? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: So you called the ARC and who did you talk to there? Larry: Paula McNeal Wendy: Paula Boland, right. Her name is Paula Boland now. And what did you say to her to help you? Larry: Get me out. Wendy: Get me out. And she said, "Well you need a circle". Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Right. Larry: Uh huh. Wendy: And how did your circle help you get out of the workshop? Larry: The circle helped me go to a.... Wendy: whose office did we go to? Larry: Self-client employment office. Wendy: Did we go to the rehab counselor first? Larry: Yeah, rehab. Wendy: Rehab counselor first. And several of your circle members, I was there and several other folks were there and you told your rehab counselor what? Larry: I want me a job. Wendy: You wanted a job. SetNet06 Wendy: Let's find out about where you're living, Larry. We'll get back to work in a minute, but let's talk about this, I don't want to skip this part. Larry: I used to live in a group home. Wendy: Yeah, where are you living now? Larry: In my own condo. Wendy: In you're own condo. And what made you decide to move out of the group home? Larry: Because, too much fighting. Wendy: Too much fighting? Larry: Yeah, I didn't like it. Wendy: You didn't like it? Larry: Uh Huh. Wendy: What other things about the group home did you not like? Larry: Not go anywhere and stuff like that. Wendy: They told you that you couldn't go places when you wanted to? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: And I think I have a quote that they bossed you around. Larry: Yeah, bossed me around. Wendy: That was an earlier quote. So they made you stay at home a lot? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Yeah, and what about if you said you wanted to go to the mall or something. What would they say? Larry: No. Wendy: No? And what about...did you ask them about riding the bus or something like that. Larry: Yeah. Wendy: What'd they say about that? Larry: They said you don't know how to ride the bus. Wendy: Ride the bus...do you ride the bus now? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Do you ride the bus just to one place and back or do you...where do you go on the bus? Larry: All over. Wendy: All over the place. How did you hear about buying a condo for yourself, Larry? Larry: I just wanted a condo. Wendy: You decided you wanted a condo, but where did you hear about it? Did you go to a conference? Larry: Yeah, a conference. Wendy: And somebody was talking about owning your own home? Larry: Yeah, uh huh. Wendy: So how did your circle help you with this? Larry: I went down, me, Paula, you and a Fred Benson and.. Wendy: And you went too.... Larry: Self Help Credit Union. Wendy: Self Help Credit Union, uh huh. Larry: And signed some papers. I got my own condo. Wendy: That's great. It's a good story. And you had a roommate for a while to help out with expenses, right? Larry: Uh huh. Wendy: And what's the situation now, do you have a room mate now? Larry: No. Wendy: No? You're on your own? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Yeah? Do you need that person to help you with expenses or anything else now? Larry: No not yet. Wendy: You don't need them now? Larry: Huh, uh. Wendy: What are you thinking about next, are you going to stay in the condo? Larry: I might get a house. Wendy: You're thinking about a house now? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: So Larry, when you're working at the workshop and they told you you had to stay there, why didn't you believe them? Larry: Because the workshop don't know anything. Wendy: Because the workshop didn't know anything? Larry: Yeah. Wendy: Well who knew differently? Larry: I did. Wendy: You did, you knew that you could do it? Larry: Yes. Wendy: Ok, and why did you try so hard to get your own condo? Larry: Because I could be out. Because I got tired of being bossed around. And I got tired of the group home bossing me around. And I getting frustrated. Wendy: And what do you want to say to other folks with disabilities or special needs about what you've learned through all this. What would you like to tell them about self- determination? Larry: Well, you have to go out there and do it! Get your own job, get out of the workshop and do it. Because, it's right, I think so he could do it. Wendy: Go after your dream? Larry: Yeah, go after your dream and do it right and keep on doing it! Wendy: Sounds good, thanks Larry. Larry: Thank you.