Cambrian Library is lucky to be hosting guest reader Hoa Le, who is a mentor at Reach Career Mentoring. He'll be joining Cambrian Library's Inclusive Storytime on March 19th at 11:00 a.m. Let's learn more about our wonderful volunteer, Hoa!
I interviewed Hoa recently and he was very happy to share.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Hi everyone. My name is Hoa (pronounced "wah") Le (pronounced "lay"). I have T12 paraplegia so I am paralyzed from the waist down which is why I use a manual wheelchair. I happen to also be an Oncologist. I was injured in the middle of my medical training but always knew that I was going to come back and finish it, as I love taking care of people. I am fortunate that I was able to fight my way back to still be able to care for my patients.
Why do you think Reach Career Mentoring is great? What is its purpose?
When I came back to work, it was one of the scariest times of my life. I felt alone as there was no one like me who could guide or mentor me. This was the reason why my wife and I started our non-profit organization REACH Career Mentoring. We want to let people with disabilities know that they are not alone in their journey to establish meaningful careers. Questions like “When do I mention my disability?” or “How do I request accommodations?” often come up when we are working. The answer is not always easy, but it is important to know our rights and how to make such requests with finesse. Our team of mentors share our lived experiences to help others in our disabled community find success in their educational and/or career path.
We have a strong and diverse group of disabled volunteer mentors available. We match up mentees based on career interest and hobbies. Multiple mentors can be matched with any mentee based upon their needs. Mentors and mentees meet virtually on a regular basis to share ideas and guidance. The mentors volunteer their time and the service is free for mentees.
How has your program enriched the lives of others?
The rates of poverty and unemployment for people with disabilities are both more than double that of the non-disabled population. This is neither equitable nor dignified for our disabled population. Reach Career Mentoring is a grassroots organization that aims to improve these statistics. We do this through virtual one-on-one mentoring and through community outreach. At school career days we host a Dream Career Photo Booth for students with disabilities so that they can envision themselves as they could be. We read to children during library story time so that kids can see people with disabilities doing everyday things and it gives them an opportunity to ask questions. REACH also participates in high school transition fairs for students with special needs, and we produce webinars on various career-related topics. You may learn more about our activities or volunteer with us by visiting ReachCareerMentoring.org.
Notable quotes from REACH Career Mentoring clients:
“Being part of Reach Career Mentor[ing] has taught me to be brave and courageous in the pursuit of individualism and independence. They’ve empowered me to be a stronger advocate—not just for myself, but for creating a more inclusive and welcoming space where everyone truly belongs.” -Cindy C.
“Remote volunteering is a great opportunity to share my knowledge and skills on how I can contribute to the economy despite my ability. You give me time, respect, and dignity…”
Add a comment to: Introducing March 19th’s Inclusive Storytime Guest: REACH Career Mentoring’s Hoa Le!!!