Alexis Baird: Taking Flight

Alexis Baird, an inclusive housing advocate with cerebral palsy (CP) living in Nanaimo, B.C., is passionate about helping others with disabilities through her work and experience in her community. As an active member of the Self-advocates of Nanaimo, the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC (CPABC), and Cerebral Palsy Connections, Alexis engages in meaningful conversations with peers about their experiences. Alexis advocates for people with disabilities to get the support she didn’t always have in her early years. 

In 2014, Alexis lived with her grandparents, who struggled to continue supporting her as they aged. She had to move into a home share to get the help she needed. Alexis didn’t have the opportunity to get to know the people she was moving in with; they had only two meetings before she started living in their home. This created a challenging environment for her and the home share provider, and the arrangement didn’t last long. Thus, she started the long road towards finding a living situation that worked for her.

Alexis reflects that “every situation is different. There is a book you need to follow, but the home share style is always the same— it’s just the luck of the draw to find someone who does things differently.” From 2014 to 2018, Alexis moved from one home share provider to another before eventually being placed in a group home. Alexis explained how she felt about the group home and why it wasn’t for her: “Group homes have it where everything is very structured, and by the book, the workers treat your space as more of a work area than a home, where independent living you feel like you have control of your own life and like you’re the one driving the bus and in control rather than others.” 

Alexis says that she’s had many support workers who like to take the reins, forgetting how capable she is at “driving her bus.” She reflects on her analogy: “Workers sometimes forget that, whether we can talk or have minimal communication skills, we still have the power to drive our bus. I’ve noticed that many support workers and caregivers forget that.” The right to choose is crucial to creating an environment where Alexis can feel safe and thrive.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned over the years is it has to be a good match with the provider, or it won’t work.” In 2019, Alexis moved in with her best friend, who became her home share provider. Their home had a connecting building that was not being used at the time when Alexis moved in. They allowed her to be much more independent. Even though she had more independence at home,  barriers persisted in the outside world. 

One example of this was Alexis’s experience at a carnival. She was told she couldn’t ride any of the rollercoasters due to concerns about liability, which left her feeling angry and excluded. As a natural risk-taker, Alexis continued to seek out high-adrenaline activities and asked her home share provider to help her go skydiving. She’s been twice now and has fallen in love with the experience.

2020 marked a significant milestone for Alexis. Alexis moved into the connecting building and started her journey of living independently. Many things changed for her, including budgeting, which she has found challenging, particularly with rising costs and inadequate disability benefits.

 This will be Alexis’ fourth year of living in her apartment, and she loves every second. With her support just a door away, she gets the support she needs while relishing the independence to navigate life on her terms. Having support is crucial in becoming more independent. “My support workers from the Nanaimo Association for Community Living(NACL) were my support since I don’t get much support from my immediate family.”

Alexis’ journey shows the importance of self-advocacy, choice, and finding the right support system when living with disabilities, from starting in a group home setting to making it to her own home.  In 2023, Alexis presented on a panel at Housing Central with our Executive Director, Karla Verschoor. Over 1,000 people attended, and many were thrilled to speak to Alexis afterwards. As she celebrates her fourth year of independent living, Alexis continues to advocate for herself and others as she navigates new joys and challenges.

 

Written by Katie Miller

Edited by Galen Exo