What happens when you're trying to advocate for your child while facing challenges of your own?

In Part 2 of the Mountain Climbers season finale, Dana Hooper shares a more personal side of his journey as a parent, advocate, and leader in the I/DD community.

Raising a child with an intellectual and developmental disability can bring questions and responsibilities that don't always have easy answers. Dana reflects on the uncertainty, personal challenges, and emotional weight that can come with thinking about your child's future while trying to navigate your own life at the same time.

After more than 20 years of advocacy, Dana speaks honestly about what he's learned along the way—including the reality that being an advocate doesn't mean having everything figured out. Sometimes it means continuing to show up, asking difficult questions, and working toward a better future even when the path isn't clear.

As we close the season, Dana's story brings us back to one of the central ideas of Mountain Climbers: meaningful change begins with real people and real stories.

Thank you for climbing with us.

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story: https://linktr.ee/lifeservicesalternatives

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: https://lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: https://lsahomes.org/donate

What happens when a parent's personal experience becomes a call for systems change?

In Part 1 of the Mountain Climbers season finale, Dana Hooper reflects on the experience that first changed the way he understood the disability system—and how it led him into more than two decades of advocacy.

Dana is a parent, social entrepreneur, longtime disability advocate, and Executive Director of Life Services Alternatives. His work has focused on advancing quality, non-institutional services and creating inclusive housing where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live, grow, and remain connected to their communities.

In this conversation, Dana shares how his son's diagnosis shaped his perspective, why housing is a critical civil rights issue, and what he has learned from years of working alongside families, self-advocates, service providers, and policymakers.

As we close out the season, Dana's story brings together many of the themes we've explored throughout Mountain Climbers: family, identity, advocacy, responsibility, belonging, and the question of what kind of future we're willing to build together.

This is Part 1 of our two-part season finale. In Part 2, we'll look ahead—at the future of inclusive housing, the challenges that remain, and what it will take for communities to create lasting change.

Walk with us.

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story: https://linktr.ee/lifeservicesalternatives

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: https://lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: https://lsahomes.org/donate

At some point, many siblings realize that the role they've always known is beginning to change.

In this episode of Mountain Climbers, Bruce Wolfe reflects on what it has meant to grow from being a brother into becoming an advocate, planner, and partner in shaping his sister Hillary's future. As families age and circumstances evolve, Bruce shares the conversations, decisions, and emotional complexity that come with preparing for what's ahead while protecting the sibling relationship at the heart of it all.

Throughout the conversation, Bruce speaks honestly about responsibility, boundaries, and the importance of planning before a crisis forces difficult decisions. His story is a reminder that families shouldn't have to navigate the future alone—and that strong communities and long-term support systems make it possible for siblings to remain just that: siblings.

This episode is for every family beginning to think about the future. Every sibling wondering what their role may become. Every person working to build a future rooted in dignity, stability, and shared responsibility.

Walk with us.

🎙️ Subscribe to Mountain Climbers so you never miss a story: https://linktr.ee/lifeservicesalternatives

🤝 Learn more about Life Services Alternatives: lsahomes.org

💛 Support our mission: lsahomes.org/donate