Services Provided:
- In-Person and Virtual One-Day Speaking Engagements
- Virtual Multi-Day Speaking Engagements
- In-Person and Virtual Disability Inclusivity Consulting
- Virtual LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Consulting
- Government and Nonprofit Disability and LGBTQ+ Consulting
- Individual Advocacy
General Hours of Operation*:
- Monday
- 9:45 am – 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Tuesday
- 9:45 am – 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 9:45 am – 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Thursday
- 9:45 am – 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Friday
- 9:45 am – 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Sunday
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
*General working hours and service/meeting hours differ. Subject to change in certain circumstances.
Service Details:
Advocacy/Public Speaking Events
I am a young, queer, disabled person with experience developing and delivering presentations regarding a plethora of topics. My areas of professional expertise are:
- Intersectionality
- Special Education
- Youth Self-Advocacy
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA)
- Disability and LGBTQ Rights and History
- Medicaid Expansion
- Social Security
I’d love to speak at your event next!
Inclusivity Consultations
Inclusivity Consultations will ensure that your events and spaces are accessible and inclusive of all in the disabled and LGBTQIA+ communities.
I can do things like ensuring remarks are sensitive to disabled and LGBTQ people and do not include ableism or homophobia; ensuring captions and audio level are working and decent for live video streams; providing and editing alternative text descriptions; providing and editing transcripts for pre-recorded videos; and verifying the proper use of physical accessibility elements including ramps or parking spaces.
Individual Advocacy
Want me as your advocate? Need extra help getting your accommodations, or don’t know where to start? I’m here for you.
I can virtually attend meetings with you or on your behalf in certain circumstances and stick up for you, provide you with resources about your disability if you need them, and use my extensive bank of contacts to help you get taken care of.
The systems are designed to be cumbersome, time-consuming, and frustrating. Some of them are even hidden. I know what that’s like, and my mission in life has always been to help people not be tossed around as much as I was. I hope to be able to do that for you soon by advocating with and for you.
In the interest of transparency, deposits, rates, fees, and taxes for all services may be found on the Derek Schmitz 2024 Comprehensive Rate Hub.
Derek Schmitz,
Lead Advocate
Derek Schmitz (they/them) is a young, queer, chronically ill, and disabled advocate, primarily focused on disability accessibility and LGBTQ+ rights through their firm, Derek Schmitz: Advocacy (previously “Derek Schmitz”) since January 2018. They are currently pursuing an Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies.
Derek has been an avid advocate for disability rights since they were in third grade, developing presentations to share with classmates regarding their use of mobility aids. In the years since, they have continued to commit themself to education and awareness of disability issues, especially in the special education space. Since they came out as queer and nonbinary in 2020, they have expanded their focus on queer issues and the intersectionality between queerness and disability.
Derek served as a Fellow and Working Group Member for the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth, advising states on transition initiatives and presenting on intersectionality, disability supports, special education, and transition services. In this role, they developed valuable connections with leaders throughout all fifty states and assisted in the writing and publication of multiple policy briefs. Before their contract expired, they were recognized by the United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) for their commitment to this work.
They previously worked as a Consultant & Client Outreach Co-Manager at Neighborhood Access, where they primarily focused on client and donor relations, but were also able to expand their independent services to include physical and digital accessibility evaluations.
They also served as the Outreach Coordinator at the Autoimmune Community Institute and later joined ACI’s parent company, the Public Health Podcast and Media Network, as their Marketing & Public Relations Communication Consultant.
Overall, Derek Schmitz is a committed and passionate individual who has demonstrated their ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and drive initiatives forward. Their work in advocacy and education has helped bring awareness to disability issues and intersectionality with other social justice issues.
Press and Writing/Books (click to expand)
Derek’s Published Books (Amazon)
External:
Gadsden State Community College, April 17, 2024: Wallace Drive Honors Day with Gadsden State Community College, April 17, 2024 (clip here)
The US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, Council of State Governments, and Cornell University Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth, April 2023: Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities and Other Intersecting Identities: State Strategies for Program Design
Council for Exceptional Children Special Education TODAY, April 19, 2023: Bringing a Special Education Student’s Perspective to CEC 2023
CreakyJoints, January 18, 2023: Advocating for Change: Derek’s Dream for Disability Rights
ADRS TV, January 3, 2023: 2022 ADRS Year in Review
Disability After Dark Podcast, December 11, 2022: Episode 320: Working toward a world where queerness and disability is loved and accepted, not just tolerated w/ Derek Schmitz.
Autoimmune Community Institute Blog, November 10, 2022: Reflections on My Time at the Autoimmune Community Institute as I Exit
Autoimmune Community Institute Blog, September 1, 2022: Vocational Rehabilitation Centers are Useful, Hidden Gems in Disability Support
CreakyJoints, July 14, 2022: What Patient Advocates Want You to Know About Living with Disability
WAFF 48, May 16, 2022: Alabama doctor speaks on Federal Judge blocking transgender law
USA Today, April 20, 2022: ‘More fearful than I was’: At-risk immunocompromised Americans decry lifting of travel mask mandate
WAFF 48, April 12, 2022: Alabama transgender teen speaks out on new laws
ADRS TV, April 1, 2022: Access ADRS Episode 9 (appearance begins at 1:54)
A Shaky Precipice, March 9, 2022: CP Awareness Month 2022: In Conversation with Derek Schmitz
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services ADRS Today Blog, March 4, 2022: Advocacy is a lifelong mission for Oxford’s Schmitz
Autoimmune Community Institute Blog, February 11, 2022: Crash Course in Crash Prep
CreakyJoints, February 3, 2022: The Tricky Diagnosis Journey That Turned 17-Year-Old Derek Schmitz Into a Disability Advocate for Others
What’s New with Nikki Podcast, July 9, 2021: Disability Awareness and Healthcare w/ Derek Schmitz
Speaking (click to expand)
Accessibility and Intersectionality, 2023: Co-Panelist
Exceptional Alliances 2023 Epic Accessibility EVENT
Remote
Addressing the Needs of Youth with Disabilities and Other Intersecting Identities, 2023: Co-Presenter
National Youth Employment Coalition Annual Forum
Indianapolis, IN
Youth Leadership Development in Employment Policy, 2023: Unlisted Co-Presenter
National Youth Employment Coalition Annual Forum
Indianapolis, IN
Youth Engagement in Transition Planning, 2023: Co-Presenter
Council for Exceptional Children 2023 Convention and Expo
Louisville, KY
Expanding Medicaid to Ensure Access to Care for Disabled Young Adults, 2022 (no link)
The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth Fellowship: Internal Meeting
Remote
Cross-Generational Disability Inclusion Panel, 2022: Co-Panelist
Alabama Disability:IN Conference
Remote
Medicaid Expansion to Include Eligibility and Access to Services, 2022 (no link)
The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth Working Group Meeting II: Internal Meeting
Denver, CO
Disability Rights are Human Rights, 2022: Co-Presenter (no link)
Partners for Youth with Disabilities
Remote
Accessibility for Visible and Invisible Diseases, 2022
Autoimmune Community Institute Autoimmune Health Equity Summit
Remote
Trauma-Informed Policy for Youth, 2021: Co-Presenter
The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth Working Group Meeting 1
San Diego, CA
Get in touch
Derek loves connecting with new people! Whether it be for a potential collaboration, a new friendship, or anything in between, feel free to connect below:
Derek Schmitz: Advocacy 