Mao Yang

Mao Yang (she/her) is a 30-year-old, Asian Hmong American woman with Cerebral Palsy living in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. She works as a Disability Justice Self-Advocate. Mao grew up as the youngest of eight siblings and the only one with a disability. Throughout childhood, she experienced ableism, stigma, inaccessibility, and exclusion.

Mao has lived in a group home for about four years. She would like to find affordable, accessible housing of her choice where she can still receive the care she needs. Because Mao uses a wheelchair she has especially struggled with accessible housing and reliable transportation. These struggles create barriers for Mao to access her job, her family, and her friends. 

Mao is excited to be a part of the next Olmstead Plan. She shares, “It brings me so much joy to know that I am not only speaking for myself, but for all of those that don’t have the same platform that I do and will not have the same access to opportunities like I do.”

Mao believes inclusion, accessibility, and community integration are not just things you “do”, but core values you live by. She envisions a world where people with and without disabilities can share life together and give and receive in ways where each individual is valued. This is the mission of L’Arche Twin Cities, a nonprofit where she has been working for the past year; fundraising, managing communications, recruiting, and planning community events. Mao was just featured on WCCO news for disability advocacy day 2025, as well as a featured poet during Disability Advocacy 2024. She has also been interviewed by Minneapolis/Saint Paul magazine and workday magazine discussing different aspects of her disability. At times, she even writes about her lived experience for Cow Tipping Press.