A mother dragon raises her wings for equity.
After losing her sight, ReNae saw an opportunity for advocacy and systemic change.
ReNae was born with a love for art. It was a passion that led to her early career as a graphic designer. Then, at the young age of 27, everything changed.
The headaches began. Reliance on her reading glasses increased. Testing and discussion with her doctor confirmed a life-altering diagnosis: ReNae was losing her sight. A reaction to birth control pills had caused swelling to her optic nerve, creating pressure against the retina and wrinkling it. Doctor visits across the country followed, none of which produced a cure. Realizing she could no longer continue down her chosen career path, she returned to school to pursue a degree in social work. Over the span of 18 months, ReNae lost her sight completely.
After graduating, ReNae found employment with her previous internship. Then came the move to Eagle County, and ReNae and her husband started their family. She became active and well known in the community during her son’s early years, working part time in an afterschool program and volunteering with local advisory committees and boards. Through these activities, she championed equity and enacted positive change throughout the school and community. But when she was ready to search for full-time work, ReNae quickly witnessed the deep-seated biases often prevalent in society. The stigma surrounding a blind person’s ability to fulfill job requirements haunted her interview to interview, hindering her ability to secure a position — even with organizations at which she had previously volunteered.
“Blindness is one of the most feared disabilities because people can’t imagine doing anything if they can’t see. And it’s not true. I just do things differently.”
ReNae relentlessly continued her search and found employment with a small nonprofit, where she could finally use the skills she had honed throughout her years of volunteering. She was elevated in the organization, eventually earning a promotion to executive director. As she says, “People need to let go of their fear, step back, and watch a little bit to see what a person can do.”
ReNae was born in the year of the Dragon. The custom heritage shield her husband made for her depicts a mother dragon with her wings down, a symbol of love and care. But when it comes to being an advocate for those without a voice — those who are afraid or unsure of how to fight for what they need — the mother dragon raises her wings in an act of protection.
“We can’t just leave people behind. We can’t.”
Today, ReNae serves as a community solutions specialist with Rocky Mountain Health Plans, where she uses her experience to shed light on gaps in access to healthcare and to connect underserved individuals to resources. She continues volunteering and serving on the board of directors of disability advocacy groups, councils, and community health centers.
“I’m one voice,” she says, “and if I can help even one more person, that’s important to me.”
But even a mother dragon needs support. ReNae finds assistance through the Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program) Buy-In Program for Working Adults with Disabilities. The program allows ReNae to work and earn an income that may have otherwise disqualified her from coverage. She pays a monthly premium for Health First Colorado benefits, including expanded medication coverage, and has access to additional services and support through waivers.
ReNae smiles as she thinks about the analogy of the mother dragon. She often laughs when her son tells her to put her wings down over what he deems life’s more trivial issues.
But the laughter quickly fades and is replaced by unwavering determination when it comes to fighting for the needs of individuals with disabilities — and against the biased fears society often holds.
“There needs to be an advocate for the blind — and I’m one of them.”
