Before adulthood, I rarely thought about the impact Cerebral Palsy would have on my life. Growing up, I assumed my adulthood wouldn’t look that different from my peers. I had high expectations for myself. I knew I wanted to go to college to get my bachelor’s degree. I’ve always loved learning.
I have been looking for work since 2019. I haven’t been successful. Merely the mention of my disability makes employers uninterested in hiring me. They don’t bother to interview me once I disclose my disability.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 21.3 percent of disabled people were employed last year, up from 19.1 percent in 2021. This is the highest percentage ever recorded. Unfortunately, we are still more likely to be unemployed than non-disabled people. In fact, the unemployment rate for disabled people is still triple that of non-disabled people.
Physically, adulthood has been challenging. Cerebral Palsy is not progressive in the typical sense. However, it does change with age. My ability to function was not the same once I hit puberty.
Changes in my level of function and fatigue led me to decide that I needed a power wheelchair. I feared that I would become dependent on the wheelchair. It was this fear that kept me from getting a power wheelchair until the age of 13.
With the right support, adults with disabilities can live their lives to the fullest. Disabled people of all ages deserve to be included in society. Disabled adults should be able to live life on their terms.
Source:
Ceron, Ella. “Remote Work Helps Push Disabled Employment to a Record High of 21%. but the Gain Is Imperiled by Return to the Office Mandates.” Fortune, Fortune Media Group Holdings, 25 Feb. 2023, https://fortune.com/2023/02/24/remote-work-disabled-employment-record-high-remote-work-office-mandates/.