Mary Troupe is the director of Just Advocacy of Mississippi (JAM). JAM’s mission is to advance independent living and the rights of people with disabilities of all ages through consumer driven advocacy. One of Mary’s favorite quotes is by the late Texas Congresswoman, Barber Jordan. “An enlightened citizen is an indispensable ingredient of the infrastructure of democracy.” During a domestic violence incident, Mary was injured and left with a lifelong disability. Describing her experience, Mary says, “In a blink of an eye, not only did the way I did things change, but the way I looked at life and others around me who were being marginalized because of race, religion, economic status, and disability took on a new meaning, an energy and passion.”