Early on Dupree was called to explore his creative talent and supporting others with disabilities. He started as a participant at an organization that uses the power of creative arts to amplify the voice and choice of individuals with disabilities. He's now a teaching artist there.
Listening to your inner voice and paying attention to your passions can guide you on the right path. I'm Dupree. I work for Upstream Arts.
A disability art service that use the creative arts through social skills to help people with disabilities. And I'm a teaching artist there and I used to work in their office a couple of years ago. I was also a participant in their classes.
So I'm trying to up live their vision and their mission and their values and try to represent that in every way that I can. And I'm striving to be a better teaching artist every day. As I'm starting to figure it out about ten years since I have a job now you need it to pay the bills.
You need it to do some fun stuff. You just need to be proactive you know, getting a job. And I'm telling you what when some people get out of high school get out of Transition School and you get that first paycheck it's going to feel good.
So I got into Transition School early. I have like a one on one para because I wasn't really technically supposed to be in the school yet. I created a talent show for them because I wanted to do art and I wanted to do something for people with disabilities.
I was just getting into like volunteering you know, Voc Rehab. Some things were really clicking that year that really got me onto the path that I am today. But my dream job is is to be in show business.
You know, I would love to do that for long days you know, to act to be able to rap to be able to do that. But in reality it's basically kind of customer service work in an office doing something that I communicate with people. You know, in my meetings to ask for something like alone time or like a job or like asking for help.
You know, I learned those things first but I didn't know how to speak up for my rights or speak up for my wants and needs. I had to really It took a real long time to learn that. But I'm starting to be a pro at is though.
It's always good to plan for your future. It's always good to actually really know what you want in your life. I could see you know, probably getting married you know, the next five years maybe have a kid.
But I think I'll be able to go to that show business that I want. I can see that. Dupree has a clear vision and he knows what he wants in his life.
Individualized education programs or IEPs and the person centered planning or PCP approach identify an individual's needs, strengths, and goals through support from Vocational Rehabilitation Services and his Transition Program Dupree focused on his strengths and set a goal of teaching both the creative arts and social skills. Along the way, he also learned how to advocate for himself. He learned about his rights and how to let people know when he needs help.
Dupree is working on living in his own apartment continues to hone his performing skills and hopes also to work as a performer in the future. I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing him on stage soon. Good luck, Dupree.
