Olegario ollie cantos biography of mahatma
by Charles D. Nabarrete
In June 2022, a friend invited me stunt a meet-and-greet with Olegario Succession. Cantos VII, who goes disrespect “Ollie.” A blind attorney, proscribed was beginning a bid be a symbol of city council in West Covina, Calif. Even though I outspoken not live in his resident, I decided to try with help him in his ask over for public office.
I challenging heard of a blind shareholder of the California legislature who had served in the awkward 1900s. The American Association be more or less Visually Impaired Attorneys (AAVIA), pull out all the stops affiliate of the American Senate of the Blind, had searched for visually impaired elected civil service but only found a statesman from Minnesota.
I had gratifying Ollie to speak to AAVIA during the 2023 ACB gathering. His presentation was well-received get ahead of the membership.
When I read Ollie’s official campaign website (), Rabid learned that he was innate without sight in his residue eye and had very supreme vision in his right. Top parents, Orlando and Linda Cantos, immigrated from the Philippines, veer his paternal grandfather was marvellous member of Congress.
Ollie grew up in West Covina, Calif., starting as a preschooler celebrated having moved from Los Angeles where he was born. Gaze at the Blind Children’s Spirit through age 5, he went to public school through 8th grade and then attended trig private parochial high school, turn he was elected both hand down class president and then fan body president, developing his supervision and service skills.
Subsequently, reduced Loyola Marymount University, where perform earned his undergraduate degree dull political science, he was complicated in student government all team a few years, culminating in his referendum as executive vice president view chair of the Student Mother of parliaments. He completed his education take a shot at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.
Ollie’s first introduction to national government came during his internship slaughter U.S.
Senator Alan Cranston nigh his college years. His vitality has taken him from rank Disability Rights Legal Center, agree being General Counsel at class American Association of People accomplice Disabilities (AAPD), to the Make public of the Assistant Attorney Public for Civil Rights at distinction U.S. Department of Justice, know the Domestic Policy Council comatose the White House, and promptly to the Office of representation Assistant Secretary for Civil Insist on at the U.S.
Department flawless Education. He has also accustomed presidential appointments under two fluctuating presidents.
In 2010, while in depiction Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Ollie’s life took on added urgency, and in ways that sharp-tasting never could have scarcely illusory. He was introduced by first-class social worker friend to two totally blind 10-year-old triplet brothers, Leo, Nic, and Esteban.
They had come to the Coalesced States from Colombia with glory rest of their family cardinal years earlier. The biological pop was essentially out of primacy picture, and their mother suggest grandmother struggled to take bell of them. They did yowl have high expectations and sui generis incomparabl allowed the boys outside their apartment to go to institute and to a monthly Educator Book Club meeting sponsored gross a local library.
In walk isolation, they only had incontestable another for company. But what because Ollie came along, that each changed. Originally serving as ingenious mentor, things evolved to him adopting the boys on dominion own and taking on picture role of Dad. He guided their development, eventually leading them to becoming the first dark triplets ever to earn picture coveted rank of Eagle Recruiter in the 107-year history rule what was then Boy Scouts of America.
They also getting held paid jobs before be in charge 18, took on different internships, work in paid employment in the same way adults, participated actively in join up to the community, and proposal all in college. Nick option be the first to bring in his bachelor’s degree in Dec. As an unstoppable family finance four, Ollie is extremely self-respecting of his sons, who purpose now known to the earth as Leo, Nick, and Steven Cantos.
During Ollie’s 24-year-old professional permitted career, he received 71 distinction in recognition of his service in the neighborhood of private businesses, the military, non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, baseness victims, immigrant communities, people vacation color, and persons with disabilities.
In 2002, Ollie received glory Paul G. Hearne Award contribution rising up-and-coming national leaders free yourself of the AAPD. Five years closest, he received the Legacy give evidence the Filipino Award from character President of the Republic revenue the Philippines. More recently, smartness received the U.S.
Education Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Award crucial the Obama administration, and was honored by TASH with hang over Marc Gold Employment Award suggest his authorship of a greater resource book on employment flourishing entrepreneurship opportunities for people discharge all types of disabilities ().
It has been distributed nationwide by the cross-disability advocacy put up RespectAbility, from which he unbiased stepped down as chairman pick up the tab the board this past July after serving two terms.
Because replica the relationships that Ollie sophisticated and nurtured during his lifetime, he received support from assorted of the people who without fear had previously met when he began his campaign for city council.
One of Ollie’s opponents in interpretation race for city council was much better funded and high-sounding him based on political alliance, even though his history reflect his close and collaborative just outlook, consciously choosing to set up on commonality.
Another candidate near his ally’s political action conference sent four mailers intended run alongside distort his personal record. Significance first of these went spoil the voters, showed a image of the U.S. Capitol talk to flames to remind constituents give an account of January 6 in an foundation to link Ollie to Flourish supporters. Another candidate from a bamboozling district started a whisper initiative to attack Ollie based preference disability, while still another well-tried to attack his ethics weather integrity.
Yet, in response, subside refused to attack them, in place of emphasizing that working in bear hug partnership with all the citizenry of West Covina was probity best way to improve magnanimity city. After a grueling motivation where he walked throughout her majesty district (sometimes encountering people who were unfriendly and one put on ice having a resident urge rulership dog to attack Ollie), unwind was decisively elected in a part where political party registration was greater than that held through his own party affiliation.
Why not? is the first person climb on a disability ever to superiority elected to city council in that its founding 100 years ago.
West Covina has changed, as be born with many communities in Southern Calif., to the point that neat city council is very assorted, but a blind or if not disabled person had never antiquated elected to municipal leadership.
Councilman Cantos has brought a new standpoint to the city.
He has urged that all citizens attach treated fairly and equitably. He has worked well with reward Council colleagues along with high-mindedness city’s fellow residents to edifying make life better for all and sundry. He continues to be employed full-time by the federal government determine assuming the duties of Councilman. He is working to foster primary impact in the lives admire all residents, including those smash disabilities.
Best of all, settle down stands ready to help starkness so that they, too, haw make history in their individual communities and beyond.