History

In the year 2005 Harris County Hospital District decided to stop providing necessary medical supplies to people with spinal cord injury that were non Medicaid eligible, as a result our group was born.

Since 2005 we have committed our energy and our talents to improve access to services, promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, foster independence, enhance mobility and demand equality. We have an active membership of more than thirty man and women with spinal cord injuries.

Some of our accomplishments;

  1. Created a support network for individuals with spinal cord injuries and their families. We have been able to develop a community of hope that helps us overcome isolation, depression and barriers to participation in society. Our weekly meetings, educational programs and events make a vital difference in our quality of life. For instance, we have been able to distribute supplies and medical equipment for ours community.
  2. Obtained the 501(c) 3 status for the organization, which allows us to receive donations and an office space to conduct work and to receive and assist our community. This has been key to continue developing our organizational infrastructure.
  3. Participated on policy campaigns to promote our rights, for instance: in 2011 we helped stop the program 287(g) in the city of Houston and several anti-immigrant initiatives in the state legislature. More recently we were able to help stop the privatization of dispatch and scheduling services at MetroLift, not only preserving good jobs for MetroLift workers, but also protecting the quality of the service. We were also able to stop the fare rise from going beyond $1.50 and we are working to save the monthly and yearly passes. With Harris Health System we successfully advocated against changes in eligibility that will have a negative impact among the poorer in our county. We also were successful with Harris County District Attorney in changing bond policies used against immigrants. We also have been part of efforts with Houston Police Department to push for the use of body cameras and changes in training and accountability of their officers.