Dustin Parro loves movies and knows all there is to know about films. In high school, he was known as the “walking movie encyclopedia”. After graduating from high school, Dustin spent two years at West Valley College in Saratoga before transferring to San Jose State University and recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Radio, Television and Film.
Dustin also loves to entertain people and has done so professionally. Since 2012, Dustin has worked various events at Great America’s Park Services department including the Halloween Haunt and Winter Wonderland, most recently playing roles as an entertainer during park events and working as a theater usher for Mass Effect: New Earth 4D.
During the summer of 2016, Dustin landed an internship at KMVT, the Silicon Valley Community Media Center in Mountain View. Through his internship, Dustin has gotten hands-on experience in producing shows which led to his own visual gaming podcast series, Dorker Dudes, a 5-episode series in which he and his co-hosts play games, share antics, and discuss what brought them to gaming.
Dustin will further his education when he enrolls in the Transition to Independent Living program at Taft College in Taft, California near Bakersfield. The Transition to Independent Living program provides instruction, training, and support on a community college campus. The program is comprehensive, with curriculum and training that promotes acquisition of the functional, social, and career skills necessary for students with developmental/intellectual disabilities to live a productive and normalized lifestyle.
After completing the Transition to Independent Living program at Taft College, Dustin plans to return to the Bay Area where he wants to find work at a TV station. He is also interested in becoming a film historian.
Dustin attributes Abilities United with giving him a good start on his independence. He enrolled in Abilities United’s Independent Living Skills program in 2010 where he worked with his 1:1 coaches to develop:
Personal skills
- Hygiene
- Punctuality
- Time Management
Social skills
- Making and maintaining positive friendships
Studying skills
- Preparing for class assignments
- Writing papers for his courses
- Online job searches
Domestic skills
- Housekeeping
- Cooking
- Living with room mates
His experience was so positive that he plans to join Abilities United’s Integrated Living Program in Mountain View where he will further develop the educational, social, and vocational skills he needs to live independently.