Kurt Vogel, a research assistant at CATEA, recently spoke at the Georgia state capitol following the signing of a bill that advocated removing the word “retarded” from all legislation. Specifically the Official Code of Georgia was amended to replace the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” with “intellectual disability.”

Vogel explained that the phrases “intellectual disability” or “development disability” are preferred and more respectful.

He had previously spoken before the Judiciary Committee advocating for the bill.

Vogel also presented to the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities on the importance of hiring people with disabilities. He said in an article, “I shared my belief that people with disabilities want the same opportunities to have as people who do not.”

He wrote about his experiences at the capitol in an article featured in the Georgia Council on Development Disabilities’ spring edition of the digital magazine Making a Difference.

Vogel is a student in Georgia Tech’s Expanding Career, Education and Leadership Opportunities (EXCEL) Program and will be returning to CATEA, a research center within the College of Design, in the summer and into the fall. He starts his third year in the Excel Program in August.