Photograph by Billy & Hells for Time Magazine.
By: Sophie Lovering, Summer 2020 Collaborator at Power in Place
Oregon State Senator Sara Gelser represents Senate District 8; she did not begin her career in public service as an elected official, however. When she had her first child, Sam, she spent much of her time in intensive care units and hospitals. She began to notice that “the privileges that [she] had meant that he was making faster progress than other kids whose disabilities organically might not have been as severe.” This realization inspired her to begin advocating for young kids with disabilities. Since running for office, she has dedicated her professional career to advocating for people who have been hidden or separated from communities not only by continuing her disability rights advocacy, but also by representing individuals lost in the criminal justice and foster care systems. Best said by her son Sam, Senator Gelser is a role model because she protects others.
Senator Gelser has done more than advocate for her son Sam and countless other individuals in Oregon, however. In 2017, Senator Gelser spoke up about sexual harassment and was later featured as one of Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” Silence Breakers. This path did not come without its difficulties. According to Senator Gelser, “it’s a lot harder to advocate for [yourself] than it is to advocate for other people.” Prior to breaking her silence, she had done work around domestic and sexual violence advocating for other people. She knew the steps involved in the process, and she knew what was to come, but it did not prepare her for what it felt like. As explained by Senator Gelser, it was uncomfortable to need to have her story affirmed and she began to question herself. “Did I perceive this the right way? Did I explain it the right way? Am I doing the wrong thing? Am I being too mean? Do I just lack a sense of humor? Nobody will ever like me again.”
By sharing her story, Senator Gelser sparked important change in the Oregon Capitol. Her experience advocating for herself also taught her how to better advocate for others. Having a discussion about herself made her think differently about how she works with people on issues such as foster care and disability rights. She now asks herself: “Am I keeping those individuals centered and not inadvertently exploiting or pushing their stories in ways that are not helpful to them?” By becoming a self-advocate, Senator Gelser has improved not only her life but also the lives of those she represents. We can certainly agree with Sam that Senator Gelser is one of our favorite female role models.
Sophie Lovering is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. She has a passion for disability rights advocacy; she was involved in Best Buddies in high school, and in college she serves as the Vice President of Penn Special Olympics and as a hearing ally of the Philadelphia Deaf community.