This week we followed up with Destiny Watkins, a disability rights advocate and member of the IDD-MH Research Partnership. We wanted to check in with Destiny to see how she is doing and discuss some of the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting her and others with disabilities. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation with Destiny.
Link to Transcript
Link to group interview
 
Destiny's Bio:
I have many lived experience of Physical/Development/Mental Health challenges. I am a DoTerra Wellness Advocate. I played a central role as an advisory board member of the Intellectual/Developmental Disability and Mental Health (IDD- MH) Research Partnership (PCORI Tier A P2P award: #7675658-A), I helped design the techniques we used to better understand the needs and experiences of young adults with IDD and co-occurring mental health conditions. I have done several national presentations and webinars to share what we learned. I was also an advocate for our group at a national expert panel held by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). I was also part of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) national conference and annual reauthorization. I have made multiple presentations about mental health advocacy and natural approaches including for the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and the START National Training Institute and I was also on a few other advisory boards for peer mentoring intervention also with Boston University. I am a primary member as a co-investigator for “Reconciling the Past & Changing the Future: Engaging young adults with IDD-MH and researchers in CER/comparative effectiveness research”.I also am involved in other projects around the country since my past project are connected and involved in project like The Arc Of United States and Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) I also am a self-advocate in my local city hall engineering and planning/development with helping improving ADA accessibility and also when I travel for conferences and expert panels presentations.I also bring awareness of wheelchair accessibility and how to be more aware of people with many disabilities not just visual disabilities.
 
*Music Credit: Music for our podcast is licensed from Marmoset Music. Artist: Johnny Clay; Song "Looking Down the Road"