By William Monaghan, Guest Blogger

In celebration of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, The Arc is encouraging individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to “Empower Yourself, Empower Someone Else.” Today, The Arc offers you an article from William Monaghan, the President of the Delaware chapter of People First and an individual with IDD. Read on to find out more about William’s life and the steps he has taken to be his own best advocate.

This column first appeared in the Spring 2013 issue of Apostrophe Magazine to which Mr. Monaghan is a contributor. Apostrophe Magazine is a publication created for, about and by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can subscribe to Apostrophe Magazine to read more interesting perspectives from people with IDD as well as columns from The Arc’s national office covering a variety of issues. And you can find out more information about how The Arc helps support people with IDD who are interested in self-advocacy on our website.

I am the president of Delaware People First in Wilmington. I was born in Wilmington and have lived here most of my adult life. A good thing about Delaware is that it’s near big cities like Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

My mother and father were wonderful role models and gave me the opportunity to expand my horizons by sending me to the Riverview School in Cape Cod, Mass., where I was taught many skills that I feel helped me in my success in my adult years. I graduated from Riverview in 1974 and then attended Brandywine High School and McKean High School in Wilmington.

My mother and father were instrumental in helping me to achieve my goals. My mother’s name is T.J., and my father’s name was William Monaghan Sr. My father is deceased. I also have a sister, Andrea, and they all live in South Carolina. My wife, Barb, and I visit them when we have vacation and on holidays, and we also talk to them on the telephone.

I work for the Dupont Co. in Wilmington and have been employed there for 35 years, which I am extremely proud of. The job has taught me many things, including how to communicate with people and how to manage my time. I work in the clerical/printing department, and I really love my job. I do a lot of different things in my job, which keeps it interesting and challenging.

I joined Delaware People First in 2003, and from the very beginning, I wanted to become an officer. I felt like I could do a good job being a leader and guiding the group. I also wanted to make a difference in the community and was interested in self-advocacy and self-determination. There are 40-50 members in Delaware People First, and we also have a group in downstate Delaware with about 10 members. We meet once a month and have discussions about issues that affect the group, and we bring in guest speakers to talk about issues such as employment, transportation, self advocacy, emergency preparedness (Gary Mears from the University of Delaware has been working with us) and many other topics. We also have gone on many trips to New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, and trips to the Delaware beaches. Delaware People First has allowed me to make new friendships, to help other people with disabilities speak up for themselves and to become stronger advocates. It has also helped me with public speaking where I feel comfortable talking in front of groups and other people. Delaware People First treats people like adults as we should be treated. That is my favorite thing about the group.

The advisers for Delaware People First are Debbie A. Nock, who has been an adviser for 16 years (an “old-timer” in her words) and Susannah Eaton Ryan, who has been an adviser for seven months. The important issues we are working on now include emergency preparedness, self-advocacy and self-determination. We are also planning a statewide advocacy conference in March 2013. We are working with many other groups in Delaware to prepare for the conference and hope to have more than 100 people participate. Delaware People First has many fund-raisers each year. We raise money by having fashion shows, hotdog and bake sales, car washes, selling tickets for Friends Helping Friends Day at Boscov Department Store, gift wrapping at Christmas for family and friends and participating in restaurant fund-raisers such as Friendly’s, Chick fil-A and many others.

My favorite things to do are going out with friends, going out to dinner, taking trips, bowling, playing golf, Special Olympics and spending time with my beautiful wife, Barb. My favorite TV show is “Two and a Half Men,” and my favorite food is Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes (I also have a few others of course).

My best qualities are being outgoing, friendly, courteous, trustworthy, loyal, cheerful and dedicated to people and causes. As other people have stated, I am a Boy Scout.