Micah is 24 years old and one of the new wave of adults with cognitive disabilities attending college. Since first grade, when he told his parents he wanted to go in the same door as all of his friends, he has been fully included in his school, community and now on a college campus. While in high school, he was active in many clubs, ran cross country, selected to be on the Home Coming Court, and was awarded the Social Studies Department Award for his civic involvement.

In 2001 he was selected to participate in the Michigan Youth Leadership Forum and in 2002 in the National Youth Leadership Forum. He has been a proud and active National Board Member of KASA (Kids as Self Advocates) (www.kasa.org) for the past six years, and is a member of a committee with the National Youth Leadership Network (www.nyln.org) . He also serves on the Project Advisory Committee for the Center for Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities.

Micah enjoys presenting at conferences on advocacy, post secondary education, and self determination. He’s presented nationally for groups such as People First, Partners in Policy, OSEP, International Parent to Parent, Arc, NCIL, NYLN, State-wide Transition conferences, CEC and other groups. In 2004 Micah received the “Yes I Can Award” by the Michigan Council of Exceptional Children the for his advocacy work. He was given first place for his “Personal Advocacy Essay Contest” by the Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc. He has written several articles for his newsletters and other publications. Family Voices awarded Micah and his family with the “Life Time Achievement Award” in 2009. Micah’s story is featured in the book, Widening the Circle: The Power of Inclusive Classrooms by Mara Sapon-Shevin as well as in the award winning documentary, Through the Same Door: Inclusion Includes College.

Currently Micah is engaged in fulfilling his dream to live in the university dorm. This has involved tremendous student support on campus and within the national disability community. Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service has filed a lawsuit on Micah’s behalf challenging the university’s opposition to Micah’s request to live in the dorm. Micah’s favorite quote is by Dan Wilkens, “A community that excludes even one of its members is no community at all.” Micah is committed to building community for himself and for others.