Jen Hirthe
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – Each year, the Relentless Badger Award looks to highlight individuals that go above and beyond to help and work with others with disabilities.
In Wisconsin, there are eight Independent Living Centers (ILCs) and every year, each agency picks a recipient for the Relentless Badger Award.
This year’s Green Bay recipient is Stephanie Birmingham, the advocacy coordinator at Options For Independent Living, Inc.
Birmingham began working with Options in 2015, assisting in teaching self-advocacy classes to high school-age students with disabilities.
“During my tenure at Options, I have had the privilege to advocate for systemic change, particularly in Brown County, related to accessible and affordable housing, access to shelter and housing services for disabled people experiencing homelessness, and for the inclusion of certified peer specialists in the continuum of services for mental health care,” she said. “I fostered connections and relationships with local leaders, agencies and fellow advocates to ensure that the voice of the disability community was at the table when important decisions were being made that impacted disabled people.”
On a statewide level, Birmingham said she has worked to protect voting rights for the disability community and older adults through her involvement in the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition.
“Sharing both personal experience as a disabled voter and speaking more broadly as an advocacy coordinator, I have testified before state legislators on the importance of protecting voter rights,” she said.
Birmingham obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science and peace and justice from St. Norbert College, and her master’s in pastoral counseling from Loyola University Chicago.
She said she was “deeply humbled and incredibly grateful” to have been selected as a 2022 Relentless Badger Award recipient.
“This award isn’t just about me and my work,” Birmingham said. “It’s for the larger disability community and beyond. We represent one of the largest minorities in the United States at 25% of the population. While I happened to be born with my disability, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, I know there are many people who will come to experience their disability through illness, accident or injury…. I advocate for disability rights and justice, because I believe in the inherent dignity of all persons. I say what I say and do what I do to create a better future for others, to sow seeds of disability justice and carry forward the disability community’s belief of, ‘Nothing about us without us.”
Joe Theis, executive director of Options For Independent Living, said Birmingham’s tireless advocacy and promotion of inclusion for people with disabilities in the community makes her the perfect recipient of this year’s award.
“Our agency and community can’t thank you enough for all of the hard work you do,” Theis said. “Stephanie has been with Options for over five years, and although she only works part time, she advocates full time, and she’s done a tremendous amount for the disability community, voting rights, ADA accessibility and many other things. Stephanie is truly relentless, and congratulations on winning Options Relentless Badger.”
Changing paths
Birmingham said her work with Options For Independent Living holds a special place in her heart, but has recently decided to step down and concentrate on her newest passion – counseling.
Her last day will be Friday, April 15.
Birmingham created her own counseling practice – Birmingham Counseling and Consulting, LLC – and said she’s excited to put her whole heart into it.
She said she specializes in disability, chronic illness, post-incarceration issues and spirituality.
More information on Birmingham Counseling and Consulting can be found on Facebook.