Sarah Helena Vazquez was born and raised in Newark, NJ. She was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of four. Sarah’s mother raised her mindful of two major facts: that rice and beans could not be missing from the dinner table due to her Puerto Rican culture, and the knowledge and awareness that she could do anything she put her mind to. Proud to have been educated within the Newark Public School system, Sarah is a graduate of Rutgers University where she earned her BA degree in Psychology and English. Currently, she is a Support Coordinator working at Neighbours Inc.

Sarah has been the keynote speaker and master of ceremonies for New Jersey’s Department of Education’s Dare to Dream Student Leadership Conferences. Known nationally, she has delivered the commencement speech at Eastern North Carolina School for the Death; keynote speaker for Children’s Services Council of Broward County, FL and Tools for Life Conferences in Boise, IN and Jacksonville, FL. She is proud to have been invited to participate in the 35th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in Washington, DC. In addition, Sarah has been a freelance writer for the World Institute on Disabilities of Oakland, CA.

Sarah’s autobiography, Paved Roads, published in the summer of 2011 is her proudest accomplishment. Sarah bases her achievements on two major factors - having dreams and following her dreams on a full stomach. To contact Sarah: SarahVspeaks@aol.com or www.sarahvazquezspeaks.com.