Andrew Seide: “I am different, but that doesn’t mean I should limit myself from doing anything.”

Andrew Seide is a 28-year-old young man living in Northern Virginia. He is originally from Ohio and was diagnosed when he was two years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurological developmental disability that affects the normal development of the brain in terms of social interaction and communication skills.

Being a person with a disability is not easy. Andrew has always had to exert effort, which made him feel like he had to work a thousand times harder than anyone else. Due to those efforts, he knows what he can accomplish and succeed when given a chance. Andrew has strived hard to let others see his strengths. He has tried to create opportunities for himself by advocating and telling his lived experience so that others might understand what he and other people with disabilities are capable and deserving of, specifically the right to functional employment consistent with their capabilities and fundamental civil rights as anyone else in society. It is through this belief and a great interest in politics that Andrew set out to acquire the necessary knowledge of disability rights and policies, which led Andrew to want to become an advocate for people with disabilities.

Learning disabilities presented significant hurdles during his school years. However, with the unwavering support of Special Education, community organizations, and his parents, he overcame these obstacles, emerging with a newfound sense of confidence and independence.

Andrew feels that his life turned around for good after moving to Northern Virginia in 2022, and he started attending disability-related events and learning about the services provided by The Arc of Northern Virginia. He met with our Director of Advocacy, Lucy Beadnell, two years ago at an event that guided him and his family through the approval of the Developmental Disability Waivers (DD Waiver) so that he could have support and services options for successful living. Andrew also benefited from our Special Trusts program, allowing him to make financial plans. Most importantly, he learned to advocate for himself and many like him on Capitol Hill in DC, in Richmond at the Virginia General Assembly, and at The Arc of Northern Virginia Benefit Breakfast, where he told his story of resilience in front of 320 audience members.

If he could go back in time and respond to those judging him, he’d say, “Yes, I am different, but that doesn’t mean I should limit myself from doing anything. If I want to become a policy advocate, it’s my right. I have a soul and aspirations that could change things like everybody else. People with disabilities need to be more active in public life.”

Andrew lives independently and will graduate with an associate degree from Northern Virginia Community College in August 2024. He wants to hone his communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to land a job in policy and advocacy. His ultimate aspiration is to use his experiences to create a more inclusive world for people with disabilities.