"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he'll tell you the truth" —Oscar Wilde
Umar Azam is a friendly, insightful and well-spoken guy. His affable personality comes through the moment you start talking to him. Communication in social situations is difficult for Umar, who is often reluctant to strike up conversation, but when you engage with him, that discomfort quickly fades away. It is replaced by someone driven by passion and creativity. Those qualities are a major part of Umar's life, and like many of the young people today, he has found a way to turn that creativity into commerce. This natural independence and economic savvy serve him well, not only in his artistic pursuits, but at his job as a youth development counselor for the Boys and Girls Club. In that role, Umar fulfills one of his other passions: encouraging kids toward their own success by fostering the confidence buried within.
Umar's own confidence developed over time. He was born with hydrocephalus which impacted his ability to speak, communicate, and learn. Education was often a struggle. In school, Umar benefitted from one-on-one learning and a certain repetition to master skills. Despite the challenges, Umar was a great student with potential to be unlocked further; ACCES-VR was able to help.
Umar started working with his counselor, Melissa Jackson, as a senior preparing to enter higher education, and then, the workforce. With her help, Umar enrolled at ECC where he studied social sciences. Upon completion of his associates degree, he decided to go on to a local college to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Umar and the college were not a good fit. He felt that it failed to offer the services and support he needed to be successful. Not to mention, its daunting size —a small city state— made him feel disconnected. This was disheartening to Umar and derailed him momentarily, but he found a different way forward and began looking for employment.
Melissa Jackson put Umar in touch with Andrea Todaro at Innovative Placements. Andrea was more than happy to prepare multiple resumes and help him prepare for different types of jobs. At first, they considered elder care, as Umar volunteered in that capacity as a high schooler. Andrea helped Umar become a better communicator and gave him a voice. "Andrea was open to any and all ideas. She always asked me: 'What do you think?' She was very open to see where career paths could go."
The interview training he completed with Andrea Samra helped tremendously. "It helped me break the cycle of discomfort, so to speak. It really helped me learn how to carry myself and be successful in that type of situation." After gathering his credentials, references, and honing his resume to a polish—and a diligent 5-month search—Umar landed a job that appealed to him. "Oh my God! It was amazing," Umar says with confidence and pride, when asked what it was like to finally get a job. "I'm employed! It makes you feel in control and independent—so good, in so many ways. I don't think I could have done it without Andrea."
In his role as a youth development counselor at the William C. Baird Clubhouse, Umar oversees a cadre of 7 kids ages kindergarten to third grade. He encourages their moral and social development, instilling values into them such as kindness, integrity, fairness and empathy. He is glad to be able to help prepare them for life, in whatever small ways that he is able. Umar speaks highly of his director, Harissa Brown, and assistant director, Raysean Bolden, who offer him guidance every day. It is with their leadership, along with a team of coworkers, that allows this type of supportive environment to exist. "It never seems overly stressful and whatever we do, it feels like we do it together." Umar works part time for 5 hours each day. He is proud of his growth; since being hired, he has become better at overseeing his group of kids and has developed a sense of comfort in his position.
Umar strives to help other people. "I like to help people who have a good message, people who help other people, people who want to put good into the world." In his current position he is able to fulfill this need to volunteer and promote well-being among the people that he helps.
In addition to his employment with the Boys and Girls Club, Umar has two concurrent side gigs. He is an assistant director for a local independent film production and is a musician (singer/guitarist) who streams his talent on Twitch. (He also writes poetry, and podcasts in his free time.) Not only does this illustrate his skill as an artist, but also his industriousness. Young people are realizing the application that the internet and social media culture have on subsidizing their artistic endeavors. Umar is taking advantage of this opportunity.
Umar has multiple career paths at his disposal as he charts a path toward the future. The anonymity of Twitch and the social media platform give Umar his voice. His ability to communicate effortlessly in different arenas shows that his confidence, skill, and abilities were present all along. Andrea and Melissa's support helped unlock those qualities and present them to employers. With that push, disability disappeared in a wisp of smoke, as if it were never there. Disability is merely untapped potential; Umar has found his! Moving forward, he would like to possibly earn a degree in social work and continue to pursue his art, but for now he is pleased. "I'm okay with where I am!" says Umar with a smile.
— Martin Kilroy, Writer for Innovative Placements