How Arizona is Failing the ADA at the State Level
The Legal Requirement: Under Title II of the ADA , state agencies (like DES) with 50 or more employees are required to designate at least one employee to coordinate ADA compliance. The Impact on Section 811 PRA: Without a coordinator, navigating the paperwork and civil rights requirements for federal housing programs like Section 811 becomes a nightmare for the very people they are meant to serve. The 2026 Deadline: There is a major federal deadline in April 2026 for sta
5 days ago1 min read
Liquid Time
The scale is a judge that never sleeps. One-hundred and fourteen. A number that tastes like broth and thin juice, delivered in the slow, rhythmic drip of a gravity bag. Time here is measured in ounces, and the distance between the mandible and the soul is bridged by titanium and silence. In the desert, fifty miles is a heartbeat. My son’s hands on the wheel are my only tether, navigating the 100-mile round trip while the state counts my days in a four-day window. The letter
Mar 52 min read
Screaming Without a Voice: The Reality of the "Bridge to Care" Gap
I’m sharing this update from my hospital bed because "lived experience" isn't just a buzzword for me—it’s my autobiography. Recently, I had to push through extreme pain and a "silent" voice in the ER to get the testing I knew I needed. The results showed my jaw had shifted and infection had set in, leading to emergency surgery. But the hardest part of this journey hasn't just been the medical crises; it’s been the battle for my reality to be acknowledged. The Truth of the "Br
Feb 252 min read
Home. Discharged and recovering.
My jaw is wired shut, but my mission is wide open. Update: Hospital discharge! My right fibula is now my new jaw. I’m nonverbal and tube-fed for now, but I am filled with more gratitude than ever. To my "found family": You are my backbone. To the injustice in this world: I am coming for you. Living with Phantom Bone Disease means I don't just survive—I persevere. I was chosen for this path to be a light for those in the dark. Resilience is my superpower. # Mandibulectomy #Rar
Feb 201 min read
Bone Loss & The Weight of Silence
Holly is living with Gorham-Stout Disease smiling big at the Desert Botanical Garden in Queen Creek, AZ. Living with Gorham–Stout disease means living with uncertainty in a body that doesn’t follow the rules. It’s a rare disease—so rare that many doctors never encounter it, and many systems aren’t built to recognize it at all. For me, it has meant bone loss, constant monitoring, and learning to coexist with a condition that can change everything without warning. In two days
Jan 262 min read
Victory in Florence: The People Said NO to 287(g) and YES to Community Care
Yesterday was a historic day for Pinal County. We gathered in Florence at the Board of Supervisors meeting with a clear mission: to protect our neighbors and demand a government that serves all of us. The turnout was incredible. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder—community members, advocates, and families—united against the expansion of ICE powers in our county. The Victory: NO to 287(g) The message we delivered was loud and clear: We do not accept the harassment of our brown cit
Jan 222 min read
Tomorrow: I'm Fighting for Housing, Not Handcuffs, in Pinal County!
Tomorrow, January 21st, 2026, I will stand before the Pinal County Board of Supervisors to deliver a powerful message: It's time to choose HOUSING, NOT HANDCUFFS! My grandfather, Seledon Martinez , was a WWII Veteran and spent 40 years building the Santa Fe Railroad, literally laying the tracks this state runs on. He taught me the meaning of service and fighting for what's right. Now, as an Extremely Low Income (ELI) disabled student facing major jaw surgery in 8 days, I'm f
Jan 202 min read
