Posted on June 25, 2019 by Michelle Skidmore
(June 26, 2019) — Maverick Crawford III, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Criminal Justice from UTSA in 2018, was appointed by
Texas Governor Greg Abbott to serve on the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) for a 6-year term. He will contribute toward creating legislation to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disorders. The mission of the TCDD is to enact policy change to ensure all people with disabilities are included in their communities and exercise control over their lives.
The Council engages in advocacy and planning activities, supports model projects that serve as prototypes for future programs around the state, fosters public awareness and community acceptance through education, and seeks consumer involvement in Council activities.
The Texas Governor appoints individuals to the 27-member board of Texas Council for Development Disabilities in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. At least 60% of the Council members must be persons with developmental disabilities. Crawford recognizes the impact he can make by serving on this Council. He is able to pull from his own personal experiences to help those who are battling developmental disorders, which can affect their everyday lives. Crawford suffers from autism, intellectual disability, depression, and attention deficit disorder. Kids bullied him in school for his learning disability, and he dealt with physical and emotional abuse as a child. His book “ Overcoming the Odds ” covers Crawford’s experiences growing up as an child with autism who overcame many battles in his life to be the person he is today.
Crawford advocates for improving the lives of individuals who have disabilities and who face mental health issues. He wants to continue to make a difference in the autism community and to those who have been afflicted or placed at a disadvantage. Crawford works as a Pretrial Services Officer Assistant for the United States Western District Court of Texas.
“I will be the voice for those with disabilities and a new beginning to a new journey,” said Crawford. He thanks all the people who supported him.
— Michelle Skidmore
