Meet Maria Matzik, Education and Advocacy Specialist at the Access Center for Independent Living (ACIL).
During her over 20-year tenure with our organization, Maria has done everything from coordinating events and volunteers to spearheading community transition via the HOME Choice Program. While she has proven herself to be a tireless advocate for people with disabilities in each position she has held, Maria’s current position perfectly aligns with her passion for systemic advocacy.
Born with a rare genetic disorder that causes weakness and deterioration of muscles needed for voluntary movement and other activities of daily living called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type II, Maria was destined to become passionate about systemic advocacy.
“I graduated high school with a 4.0 and applied to 89 different colleges including Berkeley. Wright State was the only one that even agreed to interview me to see if the school could handle my support needs,” said Maria.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Maria sought funding for college from the vocational rehabilitation program in her home state. Little did she know doing so would lead to the advocacy struggle that ignited her passion for systemic advocacy.
“We were told that Pennsylvania Vocational Rehabilitation would not help fund my college education until they received a letter from both a doctor and a psychologist guaranteeing that I would not die before I graduated. My mother was a strong advocate and would not accept that,” said Maria.
Maria’s mother, June, often worked at the polls during elections, which gave her a unique opportunity to get to know many politicians. Amid the advocacy struggle to get Maria’s college education funded, June approached a young, up-and-coming politician, despite their political views not aligning, and asked how he could help.
“Representative Clark helped us to get my college education funded and became a friend of the family. The experience really opened my eyes and taught me that bending the ears of state representatives and other politicians can be beneficial for individuals experiencing barriers in personal and/or systematic advocacy. While that experience taught me a lot it was not until I met other crips involved in grassroots advocacy, and became involved with the Americans Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT), that I learned to advocate properly. I learned that when it comes to advocacy, you have to build up to what you want. You can’t just go in guns blazing,” said Maria.
In the years since connecting with Representative Clark, Maria has had the opportunity to meet other politicians, including former President Clinton.
“Before Clinton was reelected, he was in this area on a tour. I was there with my partner and my nurse. I will never forget how security stopped them but allowed me to go straight through without checking my chair or anything.” she said.
Maria went on to explain how that experience opened her eyes even more to the perception of people with disabilities in society and how it needed to change. Throughout her 28 years of advocacy in Ohio, Maria has served on 28 statewide and national committees. She continues to fight for change in the world today, sitting on five state committees and serving as the chair of three advocacy committees and a peer support group as she continues working to improve the lives of those with disabilities. Some of the committees Maria serves on are a part of a committee called Breaking Silences. Breaking Silences is a group that Maria, her friend, Dr. Julie Williams, and many other disability advocates started to address the issues people with disabilities experienced during the pandemic such as a lack of home and community-based services.
While Breaking Silences continues to fight for the funding needed for home and community-based services today, several subcommittees also focus on additional advocacy efforts. The accommodations subcommittee developed a guide intended for any agency that serves those with disabilities outlining how to properly accommodate people with various types of impairments. Maria received the 2024 Marie Kindrick Fair Housing Award from the Dayton Realtors Association for her contributions to that guide and her efforts to increase funding for home and community-based services. When accepting the award at a Miami Valley Fair Housing Association (MVFHA) luncheon recently, Maria reminded everyone that she is not alone in her fight for change.
“The award is truly for all who came before us, for those who are still bound by systemic oppression, and for those who are fighting just to be included. I am humbled to have the opportunity to work statewide with so many amazing advocates and to lead groups that produce such important change. Advocacy, and the fight for equality and inclusion, is endless and exhausting. It takes everyone to continue this fight and to demand change. We must all be the change that we want to see in the world,” she said.
As Maria said, her fight for inclusion and equality is endless, but when she does take the time to relax, she loves cooking or indulging in her love of the arts by going to concerts or plays with her partner of over 28 years, Alan. She also enjoys spending time with their forest of fur-babies which includes eight cats, raccoons, a deer, chipmunks, and other cuties.
Need to reach out to Maria? Contact her via email at [email protected]
It is a terrible shame that there was not a photographer there to picture Maria as she spoke to the audience instead of getting the backs and heads of people in front. It is a real disservice to this wonderful advocate not to have a picture of her speaking.