Barnes Believes Education Should Precede Advocacy

Shavaughn Barnes, or Shevie as she's known to most, is a disability advocate from Orlando. She's an educator-in-training and youth leader dedicated to creating spaces where every person feels seen, valued, and empowered.

Through her work with the Florida Youth Council and The Family Café, Shevie champions the youth voice, self-advocacy, leadership, and inclusion for individuals with disabilities.

Shevie has been the recipient of several awards. She was Miss Wheelchair Florida in 2018 where she was a voice for individuals with disabilities throughout the state. While at the national Ms. Wheelchair competition, she received best speech and won third place. In 2026, she received the Idelio Valdes Leadership and Advocacy Award from the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, one of the state’s highest honors for a self-advocate with a developmental disability who works in the community to bring change.

Her ultimate dream is to open a school where every learner is celebrated, accessibility is a priority, and every student can thrive and become a leader. Florida Self-Advocacy Central recently interviewed Shevie to learn more about her self-advocacy journey.

When did you start to identify as a self-advocate and why? 

If you asked my parents, they would likely share that I have been a rolling self-advocate all my life. However, though I have always been extroverted my disability pride didn’t come out until I was about 28 years old. It was at this age that I could proudly share pictures of me in a chair, and also when I could finally identify as a self-advocate. This is because I realized the world needed more than just an inspiration. The world needed someone who could fight for the wrongs and not just roll by them.

What advocacy related issue is the most significant to you?

Shevie Barnes

The advocacy related issue that is most important to me is disability awareness. The reason that this is most important is because I feel the more we educate the less we have to advocate. If people viewed individuals with disabilities as part of their everyday life the world might be universally designed. Instead of always needing an accommodation, if we educate more it will become “normal” to have buildings with elevators for everyone not just those with physical disabilities. Overall, once again, if we educate, we don’t have to advocate.

Describe a time when you had to overcome an obstacle related to your disability. 

I am having to overcome a lot more obstacles with my disability as I get older. One time specifically is regarding my church. Someone shared very personal information and used my disability as the reason I would not mentally understand. This of course was not true and has caused me to feel very uncomfortable trying to attend church again. I have overcome it by forgiving those people and moving on with my own life.

What did you find helpful in overcoming that obstacle? 

In most obstacles I find educating that person on what the truth is helpful. Usually, someone’s inability to comprehend a disability is because they do not know enough to understand. Understanding is more than half the battle.

How has your advocacy affected your career and personal life? 

My advocacy has affected my career and personal life in positive ways. Right now, my main job is a youth advisor in The Florida Youth Council, a group for teens with disabilities. In this role, I feel that being able to advocate shows my group that it’s alright to do the same. This is a role that the youth granted me by voting on me to be an advisor, and I see it as an honor that they see my advocacy. Sometimes I come off as a bit passionate, but the world can be assured I will never see something and not say anything.

What advice would you give to someone struggling to accept their disability? 

For anyone struggling to accept their disability the first thing I would say is "Its okay not to be ok!" You are not on anyone’s timeline and disability pride is something grown, understood, and earned. Find people who can relate to you and be willing to share how you feel. You’re not alone on this journey and one day you will wake up stronger than ever!

In 10 years, what would you most like to see changed in the lives of people with disabilities? 

In the next 10 years I would love to see huge growth in the lives of people with disabilities. I’d like to see the most growth in appreciating the past to build the future. I think in this world we tend to forget about how we got here. In the world of disabilities, we need to fight and cherish those who fought for us, instead of tossing away the knowledge and culture of our elders. I hope to see greater inclusion and accessibility in all areas of life. I would like to see more disability representation in schools, workplaces, and leadership positions, as well as increased awareness and understanding within society. Most importantly, I hope that people with disabilities will continue to be recognized for their talents, contributions, and potential, rather than being defined solely by their disabilities.

Describe a time when you had to advocate on the spur of the moment. 

For me it’s a bit difficult for me to name a singular time where I had to advocate. This is because as I become older, I think I must advocate daily, all the time in the most seemingly regular ways. The times I like to advocate the most is when people least expect it. For instance, in the nail salon as the person doing my nails gets frustrated because due to my cerebral palsy my hands don’t stay still. He hadn't considered that maybe, for me, just sitting is taking a lot and as I relax my hands will drop. Instead, he roughly yanks and I feel embarrassed as he loudly tells me to hold it together. I could have yelled back as I was tempted to do because my tears were close; but instead, I let him finish. I rolled over to him in my chair handed him a tip and said, “it pays to be kind.” To most this seems weird or even passive aggressive, but it led him to ask how he could be more kind and now he is my favorite nail tech! 

The FSACentral staff would like to thank Shevie for taking the time to participate in the interview. Let us know what you think about "About Us" on Facebook. If you know an accomplished self-advocate in Florida you think we should showcase in "About Us," contact us here or via Facebook.