Then and Now is a Living Proof Advocacy series that highlights individual journeys along the path to advocacy since the first publication of “Living Proof: Telling Your Story to Make a Difference “in 2012. This series gives us an opportunity to check in with some of the advocates we talked to over the course of the book’s three editions and 14 years, get an update on their work and see where exactly their paths have taken them.
LeDerick Horne
We introduced LeDerick in the second edition of Living Proof. At that time, he was primarily sharing his personal story at conferences and speaking to young people at schools, talking about how education programs could support students with disabilities and envisioning what a better system could look like. He was also the board chair of Eye to Eye, an organization with mentorship chapters across the country for young people with learning disabilities.
Today, LeDerick is the co-founder and board chair of the nonprofit All In for Inclusive Education. He has co-authored the book, Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success. He also created a six-part video course designed to help young people with disabilities develop a positive identity. He has worked with state governments to create better education systems for young people with learning disabilities, continued to foster community and facilitate mentorship, and focused his work on supports for black people living with learning disabilities. He also created “The Black and Dyslexic Podcast,” now with 30+ episodes. About his journey, LeDerick says, “In 2014, it was just me onstage with a microphone. Now we have consortiums, communities and growing supportive spaces.”
Dina Piersawl
We first connected with Dina more than two decades years ago at WomenHeart's Science & Leadership Symposium where, at the completion of training she told us, "I'm going to take my word to the world. And someday, I'm going to be on the Oprah Winfrey Show." Where is she now?
Not only did Dina's prediction come true (appearing on Oprah), she's taken her stories to the White House, to Capitol Hill with other Champions, made multiple media appearances and more. She continues to share information on heart disease "wherever and whenever it's needed," and says "A Champion is always ready to inform of the perils of heart disease so I do not rest on my laurels, I continue to educate."
Jacob Smith
In Living Proof, we introduced Jacob as a young advocate with a passion to make teen driving safer after surviving a devastating car crash that caused multiple traumatic injuries. We met him during a National Safety Council advocacy training, where his commitment to protecting new drivers was already unmistakable. Jacob went on to share his story in schools and at national conferences, pushing for stronger safety policies and education.
Now, Jacob is the Founding Director of Composing Youth Mobility and the Generation Freedom to Move Movement. He is co-authoring a national framework to advance social, political, economic and cultural shifts in youth transportation. Internationally recognized as a strategist and facilitator, Jacob has collaborated with organizations including the U.S. Department of Education and the National Safety Council while continuing to champion the belief that young people are not leaders in training, but leaders driving change right now.
Zach Wahls
When Zach Wahls was a 19-year-old student at the University of Iowa, he stood before the Iowa State Legislature to defend his two mothers and his family unit. A video of that speech went viral and resonated around the world, sparking a global conversation about marriage equality.
Over a decade later, Zach continues to advocate for his deeply held beliefs—and those of his fellow Iowans. He’s gone from speaking to the Iowa Legislature to serving on it as a state senator. Currently, Zach is taking his work to the national stage as he runs for the US Senate. He seeks to bring the same integrity and leadership he displayed as an advocate to Washington D.C.
It is so inspiring to see these advocates continue along their paths. Where has your advocacy taken you? What lies ahead?