Headshot of Julie - white woman smiling at the camera with light brown hair and striped shirt.
Julie Ann Petty serves as a Disability Program Specialist at the University of Arkansas.

Hello my name is Julie Petty. I am a Self Advocate from Arkansas.  I work for the University Center on Disabilities, Partners for Inclusive Communities. I call myself a Self Advocate because I feel if it was not for self-advocacy movement, I would not be where I am today.  The self-advocacy movement gave me a voice and gave me courage to tell people what I want and need in my life. I do have a great life!  If you look at the history of the self advocacy movement, it gave people, like myself with developmental disabilities, a voice to speak out and say they did not want to live it institutions anymore. We need all kinds of advocates and I believe people can call themselves whatever they want, a self advocate or an advocate.  It should be their choice. I am not going to tell anybody what to call themselves.  I think there are too many other important topics to discuss right now in the disability rights community and in our country.