Meet Brad Harris, ODDC Community Ambassador

The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) Community Ambassador Program is a storytelling initiative that centers on the voices of people with developmental disabilities (DD). Self-advocates from across Ohio serve as ambassadors from their communities, leading conversations that highlight both barriers and successes in the disability community.

Brad Harris, from Toledo, Ohio (Lucas County), chose to focus on transportation access for people with disabilities. He spoke with self-advocates and professionals from his own county and from across the state during Developmental Disabilities Awareness and Advocacy Day on March 4, 2026, at the Ohio Statehouse. His interviews brought together different perspectives to highlight shared challenges, build connections, and help people better understand how to use available transportation options.

Why Transportation Matters: Voices from Lived Experience

Brad's interviews prompted conversations where advocates shared their own lived experiences and professional insights. All showed how transportation impacts daily life: what works, what doesn't, and what matters most for staying independent and connected to the community.

This video is also found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/59UCtM1-fCk?si=pdAs_mNFnh_Uirja.

Important Takeaways

Barriers in Public Transit

People often need to book days in advance
Schedules are not flexible
It's hard to get anywhere quickly
Payment options are not always clear or easy to use

What Matters Most to People

Being able to travel on-demand and with flexibility
Having choices for how to get places (self-directed transportation)
Clear and accessible ways to book and pay for rides
Drivers who are on time, well-trained, and respectful

Impact on Daily Life

Transportation affects independence and freedom
Reliable transportation helps people stay connected to their community
When transportation works well, it supports a more independent, productive life

About the Community Ambassador Project: The Community Ambassador Project is a storytelling initiative of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. The project features individuals from across Ohio who lead their own stories on what's happening in their town within their DD community, along with issues faced and positive change happening to improve community inclusion. Community Ambassadors choose one or two topics to focus on and provide an outline of how they will approach the topics. Then, the ambassador works on building stories around those topics to share with their entire community and beyond. Storytelling includes interviews, research, photos, videos, and more. The goal is to have people with DD in front of their communities and telling their stories in an authentic and positive way while raising awareness about issues and successes. For more information, visit the Ohio DD Council's website.

This project is supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council | 1810 Sullivant Avenue | Columbus, OH 43222 US

Constant Contact Data Notice