National Leadership Program, Spring 2020
Demetrious Lara was a Communications Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program for Spring 2020. RespectAbility is a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so that people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.
Lara is from Englewood, New Jersey. He graduated from American University in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies and a minor in Cinema Studies. He hopes to seek employment within the entertainment industry as a social media manager, or in digital communications.
Lara’s professional experience includes a part-time communications internship at Friendship Place, a nonprofit organization focused on combating homelessness in Washington, D.C. At Friendship Place, he worked alongside the development team’s social media and outreach manager to create effective promotional materials designed to gauge interest in their various programs aimed at many of the district’s homeless or housing-insecure residents. A key part of Lara’s tenure as an intern with Friendship Place was the promotion of Friendship Walks, a 1.5 mile walk around the National Mall aimed at raising money for their ongoing fight against homelessness.
Lara’s work as an intern for Friendship Place also helped him identify a prevalence of disability, be it nonvisible or visible, among individuals experiencing homelessness compared to the general population, which led him to join the RespectAbility team. His goal in completing the Fellowship was to hone his online content creation skills, which includes writing blogs and producing infographics.
In his spare time, Lara enjoys playing video games. Some favorites of his include classic DOOM, Metal Gear, and Metroid. He also considers himself something of a cinema aficionado. He enjoys science fiction movies such as Blade Runner and The Fifth Element. He takes great pleasure in pursuing these passions with his friends and family.