CHANGE MAKERS

Mary Lopez

“Changemakers” highlights the people of Prince William who are making a difference in our community. This month, we feature Mary Lopez.

For Mary Lopez, dedication to her community and cause come together in her role as the Executive Director of Independence Empowerment Center in Manassas. Living with multiple sclerosis herself, she is committed to aiding individuals with disabilities to maintain or take back charge of their own lives and become as self-sufficient as possible. Working at the IEC, one of nearly 500 Centers for Independent Living operated for and by persons with disabilities, Lopez is a leader in efforts to break down barriers and prejudices and replace them with positive attitudes and equal access in society for those with disabilities.

How long have you lived in the Prince William area, and what do you most like about living here? I have been in Manassas of Prince William for 14 years, but before that I lived in Woodbridge for three years, graduating from Woodbridge Senior High School in 1976. I like the friendliness of people in this community. As long as I make the effort to talk to people, it doesn’t matter where we are, they will respond to a quick joke or compliment.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the area and why? I love to do anything that involves children. To me, nothing lights a room up more than a child’s laugh. No matter how deep I am into a task at work, as soon as I hear a child, I’m up and heading toward the sound. I love to spend time with friends who have children and go with them to the wonderful places in malls where they are playing.

How have you been involved in the community? Actually, this is where my disability comes into the picture. I have had multiple sclerosis for the past 28 years. I am so dedicated to my work that I spend an exorbitant amount of time in the office, leaving me with little energy once I leave. I’ve tried being a Lady Lion and volunteering to do child care, but I don’t have enough energy to spare on a regular basis. I used to be a joiner and doer before MS, so this is really hard for me.

If you had to give advice to someone new to the area, what would you tell them and why? There is so much to do around here that you would really cheat yourself if you did not take advantage. There is always something going on in our local area, and D.C. is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Take in the museums,

concerts and array of restaurants in the Greater D.C./ Maryland/Virginia area. Go to the Hylton Performing Arts Center, the Potomac Nationals games in Woodbridge and Jiffy Lube Live for concerts. Go to government meetings in your own local communities. I’ve never lived anywhere else where I personally knew and was known by my national representatives, state legislators, and county and city supervisors and council members.

How would you describe yourself in three sentences? Mary’s childhood as an Air Force brat took her to Albuquerque and Virginia in the states and Spain, Panama and Argentina out of this country, and as an adult, she left Albuquerque and lived in California, Washington State, Illinois and now Virginia. She received her associate degree primarily from Los Angeles City College, her bachelor’s from Gonzaga in Spokane, and her master’s and doctorate from Northwestern University in Illinois. Her greatest and most-loved work experience is the work she is doing now as the Executive Director at Independence Empowerment Center, one of the 17 centers in Virginia and over 600 in the U.S., where she works with people with disabilities to help them achieve the goals they have to live in and be a part of their own local communities.

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