(July 2, 2019) – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed UTSA alumnus Maverick Crawford III ’18 to serve on the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD). During the six-year term, Crawford will contribute to creating legislation to improve the lives of Texans who have developmental disorders.
The mission of the TCDD is to enact policy change to ensure all people with disabilities are included in their communities and exercise control over their lives. The Council engages in advocacy and planning activities, supports model projects that serve as prototypes for future programs around the state, fosters public awareness and community acceptance through education, and seeks consumer involvement in Council activities.
The Texas Governor appoints individuals to the 27-member board of Texas Council for Development Disabilities in accordance with applicable state and federal laws. At least 60% of the Council members must have a developmental disability.
Crawford recognizes the impact he can make from serving on this Council. He is able to pull from his own personal experiences to help those who are battling developmental disorders, which can affect their everyday lives. Crawford suffers from autism, intellectual disability, depression, and attention deficit disorder. He said kids bullied him in school because of his learning disability and speech impairment, and he dealt with physical and emotional abuse as a child. His book Overcoming the Odds covers his own experiences growing up as a child with autism who overcame many battles in his life to be the person he is today.
“I will be the voice for those with disabilities and a new beginning to a new journey,” he said.
Crawford advocates for improving the lives of individuals who have disabilities and who face mental health issues. He wants to continue to make a difference in the autism community and to those who have been afflicted or placed at a disadvantage.
Crawford earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration and criminal justice from UTSA in 2018. He currently works as a pretrial services officer assistant for the United States Western District Court of Texas.
