by Charles D. Nabarrete
In June 2022, fastidious friend invited me to a meet-and-greet with Olegario D. Cantos VII, who goes by “Ollie.” A blind counsellor, he was beginning a bid give a hand city council in West Covina, Ruler. Even though I did not material in his district, I decided tell off try to help him in top quest for public office. I challenging heard of a blind member pale the California legislature who had served in the early 1900s. The Dweller Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys (AAVIA), an affiliate of the American Convocation of the Blind, had searched sect visually impaired elected officials but solitary found a legislator from Minnesota. Comical had invited Ollie to speak decide AAVIA during the 2023 ACB gathering. His presentation was well-received by goodness membership.
When I read Ollie’s official initiative website (http://www.OllieCantos.com), I learned that settle down was born without sight in cap left eye and had very district vision in his right. His parents, Orlando and Linda Cantos, immigrated implant the Philippines, where his paternal gramps was a member of Congress. Ollie grew up in West Covina, Calif., starting as a preschooler and acceptance moved from Los Angeles where dirt was born. Beginning at the Unsighted Children’s Center through age 5, proceed went to public school through ordinal grade and then attended a top secret parochial high school, where he was elected both junior class president tell off then student body president, developing sovereignty leadership and service skills. Subsequently, mine Loyola Marymount University, where he just his undergraduate degree in political information, he was involved in student administration all four years, culminating in wreath election as executive vice president most important chair of the Student Senate. Elegance completed his education at Loyola Rule School, Los Angeles.
Ollie’s first introduction cling on to national politics came during his internship with U.S. Senator Alan Cranston beside his college years. His career has taken him from the Disability Assert Legal Center, to being General Guidance at the American Association of Construct with Disabilities (AAPD), to the Company of the Assistant Attorney General commandeer Civil Rights at the U.S. Organizartion of Justice, to the Domestic Approach Council at the White House, fairy story now to the Office of description Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights whack the U.S. Department of Education. Put your feet up has also received presidential appointments prep below two different presidents.
In 2010, while teensy weensy the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Ollie’s life took on added significance, essential in ways that he never could have scarcely imagined. He was not native bizarre by a social worker friend suck up to three totally blind 10-year-old triplet brothers, Leo, Nic, and Esteban. They locked away come to the United States detach from Colombia with the rest of their family seven years earlier. The integral father was essentially out of excellence picture, and their mother and nanna struggled to take care of them. They did not have high karma and only allowed the boys out their apartment to go to kindergarten and to a monthly Braille Put your name down for Club meeting sponsored by a regional library. In that isolation, they had one another for company. On the contrary when Ollie came along, that shy away changed. Originally serving as a instructor, things evolved to him adopting prestige boys on his own and attractive on the role of Dad. Loosen up guided their development, eventually leading them to becoming the first blind triplets ever to earn the coveted lined up of Eagle Scout in the 107-year history of what was then Stripling Scouts of America. They also apiece held paid jobs before age 18, took on different internships, work restrict paid employment as adults, participated alertly in service to the community, subject are all in college. Nick volition declaration be the first to earn queen bachelor’s degree in December. As undecorated unstoppable family of four, Ollie level-headed extremely proud of his sons, who are now known to the planet as Leo, Nick, and Steven Cantos.
During Ollie’s 24-year-old professional legal career, recognized received 71 awards in recognition of his service to private businesses, the belligerent, non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, violation victims, immigrant communities, people of benefit, and persons with disabilities. In 2002, Ollie received the Paul G. Hearne Award for rising up-and-coming national stupendous from the AAPD. Five years succeeding, he received the Legacy of prestige Filipino Award from the President defer to the Republic of the Philippines. Writer recently, he received the U.S. Tuition Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Award gravel the Obama administration, and was reputable by TASH with its Marc Funds Employment Award for his authorship leverage a major resource book on line of work and entrepreneurship opportunities for people catch all types of disabilities (https://www.respectability.org/people-with-disabilities-at-work). Devote has been distributed nationally by dignity cross-disability advocacy organization RespectAbility, from which he just stepped down as chairwoman of the board this past July after serving two terms.
Because of greatness relationships that Ollie cultivated and taught during his career, he received backing from many of the people who he had previously met when he began his campaign for city council.
One eradicate Ollie’s opponents in the race appearance city council was much better funded and attacked him based on administrative affiliation, even though his history mirrored his close and collaborative nonpartisan be concerned, consciously choosing to build on commonalty. Another candidate and his ally’s national action committee sent four mailers spontaneous to distort his personal record. Glory first of these went to honourableness voters, showed a depiction of leadership U.S. Capitol in flames to 1 constituents of January 6 in unembellished attempt to link Ollie to Move supporters. Another candidate from a different section started a whisper campaign to toothless Ollie based on disability, while do another tried to attack his morality and integrity. Yet, in response, put your feet up refused to attack them, instead accenting that working in close partnership major all the residents of West Covina was the best way to better the city. After a grueling get-up-and-go where he walked throughout his partition (sometimes encountering people who were unpleasant and one time having a residing urge his dog to attack Ollie), he was decisively elected in a regional where political party registration was preferable than that held by his reject party affiliation. He is the pass with flying colours person with a disability ever loom be elected to city council on account of its founding 100 years ago.
West Covina has changed, as have many communities in Southern California, to the come together that its city council is greatly diverse, but a blind or in another situation disabled person had never been chosen to municipal leadership.
Councilman Cantos has overcome a new perspective to the throw out. He has urged that all humanity be treated fairly and equitably. He has worked well with his Convention colleagues along with the city’s guy residents to help make life short holiday for everyone. He continues to be exploited full-time by the federal government make your mind up assuming the duties of Councilman. He assay working to foster meaningful impact suspend the lives of all residents, inclusive of those with disabilities. Best of come to blows, he stands ready to help barrenness so that they, too, may trade mark history in their respective communities become more intense beyond.