Episode 177: Edward Mitchell Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) of Tennessee

Edward Mitchell was a victim of a hit-and-run bicycle accident in 2003 when he was hit by a truck, thrown into a ditch, and found by his little brother. Edward has quadriplegia with an incomplete spinal cord injury at the C5 and C6 levels. Edward obtained his bachelor’s degree in 2009 from Lane College, a private HBCU, and his MBA in 2011 from Union University. That hasn’t slowed him down; he works as Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Tennessee while serving on numerous boards. In 2018, Edward was selected as an inaugural ABLE Advisor for the Able National Resource Center. ABLE Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. In the summer of 2018, Edward was confirmed by the Republicans & Democrats of T.N. to testify before the Washington, D.C., Senate Special Committee on Aging. The hearing was titled, “Supporting Economic Stability & Self-Sufficiency as Americans with Disabilities ​and their Families.Timeline of the conversation.​01:00 Edward Mitchell's backstory.​01:41 What are Able Accounts?​04:51 Home and Community-Based Services and the Role it plays in the Disability Community.06:08 Disability Advocacy Organizations in TN: Disability Rights TN, Tennessee Disability Coalition, ARC TN, and Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities​08:24 Centers of Independent Living10:10 Statewide Independent Living Council11:50 Conclusion