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Read the storyAlum Snags DI Coaching PositionGrowing up, Allan Dumas wanted nothing more than to be rid of his learning disability. That changed after he had a life-altering experience working as a digital accessibility intern, where he began to see the positive impact he could make in the world.
“When talking to students, I saw first-hand how their disability affected them and how I could help them,” Dumas said. “Now I want to help create systems that make things clearer, more accessible, and more supportive for others so that another student won’t feel the same way I did.”
“I want to help make systems that make things clearer, more accessible, and more supportive.”
Allan Dumas
Dumas soon had the opportunity to do just that. After coming to SUNY Brockport to pursue his master’s degree in college student affairs and development, he secured an internship with the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities through the SUNY Washington Internship Program.
“My role focuses on policy research in supporting the work of the policy team,” Dumas said. “I help with drafting materials, tracking legislative activities, and contributing to projects that support developmental disabilities or the councils across the country.”
Working in policy has also meant navigating a complex and evolving political landscape, particularly around issues of disability and inclusion. On a day-to-day basis, Dumas attends meetings with advocacy groups, tracks policy developments, and engages directly with legislative offices.
“It has definitely pushed me to grow, adapt quickly, and become more confident in my abilities,” Dumas said. “It’s been a great opportunity to see how policy and advocacy work behind the scenes, and it’s helped me understand how the system impacts people in very real ways.”
Adjusting to the federal policy environment also presented new challenges as Dumas learned to navigate the bureaucratic system.
“The biggest professional challenge has been adjusting to the fast-paced work while learning the system at the federal level,” Dumas said. “It’s definitely been strange to adapt to a world that is both fast and slow at the same time.”
“Disability is part of my identity, not a flaw. The more people understand that, the better we can support each other.”
Allan Dumas
While his professional experience working in Washington D.C. has been valuable to his career path, the work is also deeply personal, continuing to shape Dumas’ perspective on disability.
“A learning disability is a neurological difference in how your brain processes certain types of information. It affects how you learn, not how smart you are,” Dumas said. “For a long time, I wanted to be ‘normal,’ and I wasted a lot of energy trying to fit into something I wasn’t. If I had put that energy into understanding how I learned, I would have been much happier.”
After earning his master’s degree, Dumas plans to work in higher education and continue to support students through accessibility services. His experiences in Washington have reinforced that goal and his desire to contribute to meaningful change.
“Once I stopped fighting who I was and started working with my strengths, I became more confident and more comfortable with myself,” Dumas said. “Disability is part of my identity, not a flaw. The more people understand that, the better we can support each other.”
Dumas in D.C.
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