Share the Journey with Jeneva: Sherry Pickett Gets to the “Heart” of Advocacy
Photo montage, clockwise from upper left: Matthew poses in the Kentucky state legislature; Sherry & Matthew; Matthew’s long-term goals; Matthew cooking. [image descriptions: Snapshots lie on a countertop—A young man with light skin & a blue sweater vest and button-down shirt poses in a hall filled with desks; a mother with short hair, a red jacket, red scarf and white blouse poses with a young man in a light blue button-down shirt; a computer screen with the words, “Matthew’s Longterm goals / I like go to college to be chef / work at Mexican restaurant as a chef / work with my mom”; the young man cooks at a stove wearing a red chef’s hat.]
Share the Journey with Jeneva: Sherry Pickett Gets to the “Heart” of Advocacy
Sherry Pickett has a Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in mental health. She’s worked in the mental health field for the last 18 years, providing Case Management Services and Therapy/Parenting Classes. Now her career focus is advocating in her home state of Kentucky. She loves every minute of it. Her hobbies include reading paranormal mystery books and painting. She enjoys summer cookouts by the waterside in the beautiful Lake Cumberland Area of Kentucky. She’s also a huge fan of University of Kentucky sports, the Cincinnati Reds, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Sherry spoke with Jeneva about her advocacy at the state level in Kentucky.
Tell me about your family.
Matthew is an only child, and he is 22 years old. He has a service dog named Bella. She's a Dark Chocolate Lab. She's 3 years old. Matthew enjoys cooking and going to the beach. He’s involved in the Special Olympics, and he enjoys going out to eat and trying new restaurants. His latest was Korean. He enjoys being involved in his community as an advocate, along with me. Before Covid hit, Matthew was training at a local diner as a cook. Matthew will be returning part-time once Covid numbers go down in our county.
Tell me more about Matthew’s complex medical needs and disabilities.
Matthew was prenatally diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), a rare heart condition. Ninety percent of children with TOF die before they reach the age of one. Matthew also has DiGeorge Syndrome, which affects his heart and development. He has a history of seizures, too. Matthew is followed by many specialists, including hematology, nephrology, pulmonary, and neurology. Matthew is legally blind in one eye, so he needs assistance going up and down stairs and with transfers, such as grass to gravel.
Tell me about your advocacy with the American Heart Association (AHA). How did you get involved?
In 2015, I began helping our Kentucky Chapter with their CPR bill. The purpose of the CPR bill was to have students trained in CPR before they graduated high school. We had a 3-year battle with this bill. It always passed the House with no issues. But each time it got to the Senate, it failed. When we got a new State Senator in my district, I, and a representative from our Kentucky AHA Chapter, met with him and expressed our concerns and struggles getting the CPR bill passed by the Senate. Our State Senator is the Education Chair, and he co-sponsored the bill on behalf of Matthew.
What did it take to get it passed in the Senate? We had a high school student from Louisville who had a heart attack on school grounds and was given CPR and he survived. This student testified before the Education Committee. We also had statistics and data to back up our bill. The bill passed both the House and Senate on January 28, 2016. Kentucky became the 29th state to pass such a law.
What did you find most challenging about approaching your legislators? What advice would you give to other people about getting involved in state policy initiatives? What set of skills do you need to help get legislation passed?
The most challenging was “how do we present this bill to the Senate committees expressing its importance and our concerns.” Money was also an issue: What was this going to cost the state in terms of the CPR classes?
In my experience working with the Kentucky legislature, you make sure you have your information, documentation, and data stats ready. Remember, they work for you, the constituent. I’ve been blessed in Kentucky. I've been able to work across the aisle on both sides. It’s not smooth sailing. But you’ve just got to sometimes fight for your family. Don’t be afraid to speak out.
How have you engaged Matthew in self-advocacy?
Matthew and I advocate together! He’s not shy; he attends meetings with our state representatives at our state Capitol. He’s well known by staff at the Capitol and by our Legislators. He lives life to the fullest. He enjoys advocating.
If you could define advocacy in a single sentence, what would be your definition?
Advocacy matters; don’t be afraid to let your voice be heard.
[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]
Jeneva & her son Rob on a trip to Capitol Hill. [image description: A mom with light skin & blonde hair poses with her son who is seated in a wheelchair, wearing a red shirt and ball cap. The mom wears a grey dress and blue print scarf. The backdrop is a red brick wall in an office building.]
We hope you enjoyed Sharing the Journey with Jeneva. Through these interviews we will share the advocacy journeys of caregiver/parents and disability self-advocates, inspiring us to forge ahead together. Send an email to Jeneva if you have any questions you'd like to see, or if you'd like to be interviewed for a future installment of this series!
Jeneva Stone is the manager of the Little Lobbyists blog. She's worked as a teacher, a government editor, and a Hill staffer. Jeneva is also a writer, with numerous publications in poetry and nonfiction. She lives with her son Robert, who has complex medical needs and disabilities, her husband Roger, their two cats and a dog in Bethesda, Maryland. Her second child, Castin, is currently a student at Middlebury College.