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Welcome to Hood’s Neighborhood-Where All Minds and Bodies are Welcome@ My name is Richard Hood (Though please feel free to call me RJ, as I have gone by my first and middle initials, for Richard James, for much of my life), and I am the creator of Hood’s Neighborhood. The idea for Hood’s Neighborhood was born out of my lived experiences. As a person with disabilities myself, I know how important it is to learn how to advocate for yourself early in life. A lot of times, kids with disabilities grow up relying on parents or teachers to speak for them in ways that are not always beneficial to each individual, and my goal is to help change that. I started this blog in particular in preparation for the Hamilton Township School District’s Annual Resource Fair on March 10th of this year, where I will be presenting this idea to the parents, faculty, and students at the school district where I attended classes from kindergarten through twelfth grade. To all of the followers my blog may pick up as a result of my presentation, thank you for checking me out and I hope you enjoy the journey. All Aboard the Self-Advocacy and Self-Discovery Express! Clear tracks and green signals ahead!! (Confession-I am a lifelong railroad enthusiast, so I may use a lot of railroad terminology or share different railroad-related experiences, particularly where they may coincide with issues of self-advocacy or disability accessibility and accommodation. To that end, allow me to begin this blogging journey by sharing a short story I wrote in 2014 that is nearly equal parts introducing myself and sharing a lifelong dream I’ve had. Note: this short story was written in the present tense as of December 2014 and all events shared reflect what was occurring in my life at that time but may since have changed. Regardless, I hope my followers enjoy reading it.