My Social Life
By Lateef McLeod

                   I have been using AAC devices to communicate since I was six years old in the first grade when I received a Touch Talker. Through my extensive education and charismatic personality that I was able to display with the use of AAC devices, I have built an extensive social network. The set of connections consists of many colleagues, friends, and family who I routinely interact with and are there to support me. This support enables me to lead a very dynamic life participating in a career, hobbies, and community service activities that sufficiently uses my time and skills. As a result, I am a prime candidate to receive the ISAAC Awareness Award. For my disability does not define the quality of my life, but rather it is my never-ending striving to have the life I think I deserve.
                One place that I show my extensive communication skills is through my job for DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, where I work as a consumer consultant. For the main part of my job, I give presentations in front of groups of people, usually speech language pathologists, using my Vmax from DynaVox. The presentations usually cover different aspects of my life such as the other jobs that I do and the hobbies that I participate in. My audiences usually have questions asking me to demonstrate and explain how well I communicate with my Vmax. If there is time in the presentation I typically read some of my poetry stored in my Vmax. These readings are usually crowd pleasers. After I finish I make sure that I mention after I finished my poetry book A Declaration of a Body of Love is coming out in a few months. 
 At home I normally use the DynaWrite also from DynaVox to communicate. The device is used mostly to direct my personal care assistants through the process of my daily routine and activities. Thee device is utilized to communicate with my roommate, Fred, who I lived with for five years. I also bring my DynaWrite to appointments like when I go to the physical therapist or to the doctor's office or when I do errands like grocery shopping.  
                 Sometimes when I go out to social outings with friends I use my Lightwriter once manufactured by Zygo Industries.  It is light, compact, and portable so I can use it on my lap without my tray. I mostly use it while participating with power soccer practices and games because I cannot use my tray when I am playing soccer. I also use it when going to dance clubs where I socialize and dance with woman in places that can be confined. Displaying the Lightwriter with its LTD screen in front has been a good conversation starter with a few beautiful ladies.  
                    In all three instances I have illustrated how I excel in socializing with people. I have a full life with professionally and socially and feel that I am fully integrated in society. If you pick me for the Awareness Award, I will be humbled and continue to promote AAC awareness.