FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 5, 2015
CONTACT:
Edie Surtees
Communications Director
512.407.2739
esurtees@DRTx.org
AUSTIN – Disability Rights Texas (DRTx), the legal protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities in Texas, recently selected Christian Salas of El Paso to join its board of directors.
From a very young age, Christian Salas has been an outspoken advocate, seeking equality for himself and others with disabilities. As a person who is legally blind and who has a sister with Down syndrome, he is well aware of the challenges of people with disabilities. He was born and raised near the Texas border and brings a depth of knowledge about the needs of the underserved in his community.
Salas is currently working to complete a Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He has served as an Inclusion and Advocacy Intern at the UTEP Student Engagement and Leadership Center and a Court Visitor Intern at the Statutory Probate Court in El Paso County where he conducted current guardian/ward visits and assessments of proposed guardians/wards. He has presented at countless workshops on a variety of disability topics, and his extensive volunteer work includes Board of Directors Member at the Volar Center for Independent Living, Border Regional Advisory Council, and service at El Paso Child Crisis Center, the Women’s Resource Center and the El Paso Diabetes Association.
“I’m very much looking forward to using my personal, professional and educational experiences in my role as a DRTx board member to empower others who seek equality and independence,” said Salas.
The Disability Rights Texas board of directors is currently comprised of 14 members from across Texas. One member serves as chairperson of the agency’s Protection and Advocacy for People with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Council. Board members may serve up to two three-year terms. The Disability Rights Texas board of directors reflects the diverse constituency served by the agency, which is federally mandated to serve individuals with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities.
“I am honored to welcome Mr. Salas to the DRTx board,” said Mary Faithfull, executive director of Disability Rights Texas. “He has a strong personal records of supporting and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. I believe he brings a unique perspective and will add tremendous value to our board.”
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Disability Rights Texas (previously named Advocacy Inc.) is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas. Our mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society.