YOLANDA: Hey, let's talk about everybody's favorite subject:
bureaucracy and money management.
[blows noisemaker]
That's about right.
So hi, my name is Yolanda Vargas.
I am a queer disability advocate and activist,
proud Latinx and here's my story.
♪ funky music ♪
I've been on Supplemental Security Income
since I was little.
Usually, most of the time to get SSI you have
to fill out a bunch of paperwork.
Luckily, I've been disabled since I was pretty much born,
that means my parents handled the paperwork.
Oh, the perks of being a baby.
Fast forward 18 years, I'm ready to go out
on my own and go to college.
Dun-dun-dun. [dramatic music]
You might be wondering how I got control of my money.
Well, luckily for me, when I went down
to my local Social Security office,
I was able to talk to somebody who realized
that I was capable of handling my own money.
When you turn 18, you can fill out a form requesting
that your benefits be given directly to you.
♪ upbeat retro music ♪
You may need to provide evidence
to the Social Security Administration
that shows you can control your own money.
That could include a doctor's note,
legal evidence or lay evidence.
For example, a note from a friend or a landlord
that shows that you can handle your expenses.
So, what happens if you're in a situation
where maybe you can't handle your money
or you are unprepared to take on your money yet?
What happens to a person then?
In that case, you get assigned a representative payee,
which is a person appointed
by the Social Security Administration
like a family friend or a family member
or somebody that they feel can take care
of your best interest.
Remember, even if you aren't directly controlling
your money, always know how your money is being spent.
So now you've jumped through a million hoops,
you know how your money is being spent.
But you want more. You deserve more. You need more!
And for me, that "more" was going
to college and getting a job.
♪ 8 bit video game music ♪
It was really overwhelming. It felt like
at every turn I could mess up my SSI.
♪♪♪
But I kept it simple and I broke it down into steps,
which made it a lot less overwhelming.
As you go to school or get a job, make sure to keep
in touch with SSA about your benefits.
Don't wait to tell the Social Security Administration
that something has changed,
whether it's just your address,
or maybe you've started working or going back to school.
Before you contact the Social Security Administration,
you should speak with a benefits counselor,
who can help you plan a strategy.
So, we've all gotten those ominous letters
from the Social Security Administration.
[eerie scream]
But they're a lot less scary when you know your rights.
And a big part of knowing your rights is also knowing
how to financially adult responsibly.
What does that mean?
That means doing the stuff that you have to do
before getting to do the stuff you want to do.
If you want more information on where I got my facts,
or resources to help you with your journey
and to support the Storytellers Series,
visit RootedinRights.org,
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Written and directed by Yolanda Vargas,
that's me! special thanks to my sister
for holding the camera.
Also super special afterlife thanks to Kelly and Tania.
Even though you are dead, I couldn't
have done it without you.
You too, Lorena, even though you're not dead. Bye!