Ewings: I am a 30-year-old Black man, and many of those victims of police could have been me.

I was born disabled. At birth I was diagnosed with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy. I don't have the ability to walk on my own, but I walk with the assistance of crutches. When I'm not walking, I'm rolling around in my wheelchair. Even though I'm disabled, I have lived a great life despite doctors telling my parents I would not live past the age of 3.

I was raised to believe that I can achieve anything I put my mind and heart into and to have faith in God. With that faith and a law prohibiting discrimination against the disabled, I have hope.

On July 26, 1990, then-President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law prohibits discrimination against the disabled who seek employment.

This means that places of employment are obligated to employ individuals who are mentally and physically disabled. This gives disabled individuals like me the opportunity to make a living. The Americans with Disabilities Act also mandates that all public properties have adequate space for those in wheelchairs and adequate services for the deaf and blind community as well.

Because of the opportunities that law gives us, I was able to pursue the beginning of my career in sports journalism in 2009. I began working a seasonal position for a football show at a news station.

I thought I'd be broadcasting football highlights on TV right away, and I even took a DVD demo of myself doing church video announcements to show my talent. Sports broadcasting requires more experience than I had at that time, and I was not given the opportunity to be an on-air talent at that station.

I was given more entry-level, behind-the-scenes jobs like calling school head coaches or athletic directors to find out final game scores and things of that nature, writing scores so they can be displayed on TV and operating social media accounts.

In 2012, I decided to pursue college full-time at San Diego City College in its Radio, Television and Film Department. I studied performance for television taught by professor Lisa Lake-Grossman, someone whom I admired and grew up watching on the news. That class taught me what to do in front of a camera. I also took a news production class where students recorded a newscast every week. We took turns in different roles, in front of and behind the scenes. On Sept. 28, 2012, I got my first chance to be on set, in front of the camera. It was a day I will never forget.

I remember feeling like I was finally living my dream of being a sports journalist. That class also taught me how to do weather, news and entertainment reports and how to operate a camera, a soundboard and other essential equipment. I'm grateful for the skills I learned there.

While I did not pursue the TV sports broadcasting for television, I have done other multimedia and writing projects. When I'm watching the news at home, I understand what is going on behind the scenes because of my classes.

This past month watching the news unfold about the Black Lives Matter movement has touched my soul too. I believe the movement is my generation's civil rights movement. We are taking a stand against police brutality and officers killing minorities at an alarming rate while working under the oath to protect and serve all citizens of the United States of America. I am a 30-year-old Black man, and many of those victims could have been me.

I believe the most powerful thing we can do to bring about change, whether it has to do with disabilities or racial injustice in this country, is to vote. Voting gives a political voice to all citizens. When I look at what's going on in the world, I think of the words of a song that was an anthem in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, "Deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome some day."

I was raised to believe that I can achieve anything I put my mind and heart into and to have faith in God. Both my late grandfather and my father are preachers.

The Scriptures that are closest to my heart are 2 Corinthian 5:7: "For we walk by faith, not by sight." To me that means as long as I put my faith in God and don't worry about what's ahead of me, I'll be just fine. Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." To me that means I am able to accomplish anything as long as God is in my heart.

Ewings is pursuing a career in animation voiceover and lives in Southeast San Diego.

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