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[LIGHT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

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SHERYL BURGSTAHLER: Hello,
I'm Sheryl Burgstahler,

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and I direct the DO-IT Center--

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Disabilities, Opportunities,
Internetworking and Technology.

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And in that center, we
have numerous programs

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funded by different agencies,
and the sole purpose

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is to increase the
success of people

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with disabilities,
particularly in college

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onto careers but
everything else.

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In DO-IT's Scholars
program, we've kind of

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become like an extended family.

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One of our DO-IT
Scholars, Dustine,

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started the program in 2013.

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DUSTINE: My name is Dustine,
and I'm a student here

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at the University of
Washington School of Law,

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pursuing a Juris Doctor degree,

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hoping to graduate in June 2024.

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From the classes, what I've
learned is learning how to--

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well, one of the big things
is to be a self-advocate.

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You've got to
advocate for yourself.

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I joined DO-IT when I was
a junior in high school.

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So that was around
spring time, 2013.

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I went back to DO-IT
the following summer.

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It became somewhat of a
summer tradition for me

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at least because I went
back to summer study,

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helped out as a member
of the staff for--

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through, I think,
summer 2018,

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which was right around the time
I graduated undergraduate

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at the University of Washington.

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One thing that has me coming
back to DO-IT all these years

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is just knowing that it's
kind of where my roots are,

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especially as a person
with a disability, Asperger syndrome,

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or autism spectrum
disorder as it's now known.

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But also just knowing
that with DO-IT,

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it's also where I first
learned about disability rights

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and history.

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And so in undergrad I took up
disability studies as my minor

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along with Law,
Societies and Justice,

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and Political
Science as my majors.

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But with disability
studies, I was able to get

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more and more
involved with knowing

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about those types--

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that type of history.

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And so it actually
influenced the type of law

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that I want to practice today,
which is disability rights.

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[MARCHING BAND PLAYING]

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Several activities that I've
done over the years

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of me being undergrad at least--

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first and foremost, 
the Husky Marching Band.

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I was actually in the marching
band as a member of the piccolo section

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all four years.

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["TEQUILA" SUNG IN UNISON]

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I worked at the Commuter and
Transfer Commons in the HUB

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during my junior
and senior years,

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being there for anyone who has
any questions or inquiries.

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It's a huge honor to be
selected for the Husky 100.

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I looked at my phone.

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I saw an email and it says,
"Congratulations, you just

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got selected for the Husky 100."

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And I was just like--

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I was like-- I was like this.

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I was like, I can't
even believe it.

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I can't even believe
I got nominated for--

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I got selected
for the Husky 100.

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This past summer, I interned at
Washington Civil and Disability Advocate

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The first-year law
school students, they have a class

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called Legal Analysis, Research and Writing,

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or LARW for short.

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And so I was able to take what
I've learned from that class

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during my first year
here at law school

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and to apply it towards
drafting motions,

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basically asking the
court to do something

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in favor of your clients.

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The DO-IT community has been
incredibly supportive of me.

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They've been there
whenever I needed help

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with getting accommodations
in undergrad.

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They've been there for
me whenever I needed help

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with personal statements and

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even if I just needed to talk to someone.

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So I want to give back.

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And that's and being able to be a, 
being a disability rights attorney

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and hopefully causing
societal change for the good

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would allow me to give back
to the disability community.

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One of my first friends
that I met at DO-IT

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is someone who has a
vision-related disability.

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And so over time,
I've gotten the chance

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to get to know her and have
conversations with her.

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Having that type of
connection does kind of,

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I guess, does kind of like bring,

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I guess really increase my
motivation to become more,

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I guess, aware and to educate
myself around those things.

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And that has also
been impactful.

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I just wanted to express
a moment of gratitude

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for all of my mentors,
my friends, family members

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and my parents for helping me

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get to where I'm at right now.

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Thank you for all that
you've done for me.

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DO-IT, you are an inspiration.

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You are an inspiration.

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And I'm very fortunate to
be a part of that, be a part of that group.

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And I hope I'm
making you all proud.

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I really do.

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[LIGHT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]