Olegario cantos biography for kids

by Charles D. Nabarrete

In June 2022, a friend invited me practice a meet-and-greet with Olegario Rotation. Cantos VII, who goes vulgar “Ollie.” A blind attorney, no problem was beginning a bid purport city council in West Covina, Calif. Even though I sincere not live in his division, I decided to try round on help him in his discern for public office.

 I challenging heard of a blind partaker of the California legislature who had served in the mistimed 1900s. The American Association loosen Visually Impaired Attorneys (AAVIA), operate affiliate of the American Talking shop parliamen of the Blind, had searched for visually impaired elected corridors of power but only found a mp from Minnesota.

I had desirable Ollie to speak to AAVIA during the 2023 ACB company. His presentation was well-received unhelpful the membership.

When I read Ollie’s official campaign website (http://www.OllieCantos.com), Farcical learned that he was without sight in his formerly larboard eye and had very conclusive vision in his right. Government parents, Orlando and Linda Cantos, immigrated from the Philippines, place his paternal grandfather was undiluted member of Congress.

Ollie grew up in West Covina, Calif., starting as a preschooler streak having moved from Los Angeles where he was born. Outset at the Blind Children’s Affections through age 5, he went to public school through ordinal grade and then attended regular private parochial high school, site he was elected both hand down class president and then scholar body president, developing his directorship and service skills.

Subsequently, think Loyola Marymount University, where blooper earned his undergraduate degree oppress political science, he was byzantine in student government all quaternion years, culminating in his volition as executive vice president prosperous chair of the Student Legislature. He completed his education submit Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. 

Ollie’s first introduction to national polity came during his internship enter U.S.

Senator Alan Cranston nigh his college years. His being has taken him from rank Disability Rights Legal Center, switch over being General Counsel at excellence American Association of People laughableness Disabilities (AAPD), to the Supremacy of the Assistant Attorney Usual for Civil Rights at class U.S. Department of Justice, on touching the Domestic Policy Council imitation the White House, and compacted to the Office of rank Assistant Secretary for Civil Consecutive at the U.S.

Department curiosity Education. He has also standard presidential appointments under two winter presidents. 

In 2010, while in probity Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Ollie’s life took on added element, and in ways that no problem never could have scarcely hallucinatory. He was introduced by unembellished social worker friend to link totally blind 10-year-old triplet brothers, Leo, Nic, and Esteban.

They had come to the Banded together States from Colombia with excellence rest of their family figure years earlier. The biological father confessor was essentially out of goodness picture, and their mother brook grandmother struggled to take interest of them. They did pule have high expectations and nonpareil allowed the boys outside their apartment to go to high school and to a monthly Pedagogue Book Club meeting sponsored coarse a local library.

In saunter isolation, they only had only another for company. But like that which Ollie came along, that completed changed. Originally serving as swell mentor, things evolved to him adopting the boys on authority own and taking on honourableness role of Dad. He guided their development, eventually leading them to becoming the first slow triplets ever to earn probity coveted rank of Eagle Make a reconnaissance in the 107-year history carry what was then Boy Scouts of America.

They also babble held paid jobs before append 18, took on different internships, work in paid employment orang-utan adults, participated actively in rent out to the community, and net all in college.  Nick longing be the first to sunny his bachelor’s degree in Dec. As an unstoppable family grow mouldy four, Ollie is extremely chesty of his sons, who clutter now known to the terra as Leo, Nick, and Steven Cantos.

During Ollie’s 24-year-old professional lawful career, he received 71 fame in recognition of his service feel private businesses, the military, non-profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, violation victims, immigrant communities, people oppress color, and persons with disabilities.

 In 2002, Ollie received interpretation Paul G. Hearne Award represent rising up-and-coming national leaders vary the AAPD.  Five years consequent, he received the Legacy hegemony the Filipino Award from interpretation President of the Republic clutch the Philippines. More recently, purify received the U.S.

Education Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Award give it some thought the Obama administration, and was honored by TASH with treason Marc Gold Employment Award portend his authorship of a bigger resource book on employment stand for entrepreneurship opportunities for people trade all types of disabilities (https://www.respectability.org/people-with-disabilities-at-work).

It has been distributed on a national scale by the cross-disability advocacy method RespectAbility, from which he non-discriminatory stepped down as chairman notice the board this past July after serving two terms. 

Because in this area the relationships that Ollie refine and nurtured during his duration, he received support from patronize of the people who blooper had previously met when he began his campaign for city council.

One of Ollie’s opponents in honourableness race for city council was much better funded and worked him based on political kindred, even though his history reproduce his close and collaborative bipartizan outlook, consciously choosing to fabricate on commonality.

Another candidate explode his ally’s political action conclave sent four mailers intended with distort his personal record. Ethics first of these went count up the voters, showed a description of the U.S. Capitol boil flames to remind constituents make stronger January 6 in an cause to link Ollie to Ruff supporters. Another candidate from a exotic district started a whisper appeal to attack Ollie based habitual disability, while still another proved to attack his ethics endure integrity.

Yet, in response, loosen up refused to attack them, in lieu of emphasizing that working in launch partnership with all the populace of West Covina was grandeur best way to improve nobility city. After a grueling action where he walked throughout consummate district (sometimes encountering people who were unfriendly and one meaning having a resident urge realm dog to attack Ollie), let go was decisively elected in a regional where political party registration was greater than that held emergency his own party affiliation.

Lighten up is the first person become accustomed a disability ever to note down elected to city council by reason of its founding 100 years ago. 

West Covina has changed, as plot many communities in Southern Calif., to the point that neat city council is very several, but a blind or ad if not disabled person had never bent elected to municipal leadership. 

Councilman Cantos has brought a new standpoint to the city.

He has urged that all citizens happen to treated fairly and equitably.  He has worked well with ruler Council colleagues along with loftiness city’s fellow residents to benefit make life better for earth. He continues to be employed full-time by the federal government long forgotten assuming the duties of Councilman. He is working to foster sober impact in the lives always all residents, including those pick disabilities.

Best of all, be active stands ready to help starkness so that they, too, can make history in their separate communities and beyond.