Category: Uncategorized

As someone who has Cerebral Palsy, my independence is important to me. I rely on people every day to help me use the restroom, get dressed, and take a shower. Despite this, I still try to be as independent as I possibly can. Independence for me probably looks different than it is for most non-disabled… Continue reading Why Spilling Yogurt on My Shirt Made Me Proud:

Living with Cerebral Palsy is a challenge every single day. There are some things I wish people knew. One of the things I don’t think people understand most is that I’m just trying my best. I know that it sometimes takes me a long time to do certain things, but I’m working at my most… Continue reading Things I Wish You Knew:

Anyone who knows me knows that I require the help of PCAs to accomplish the mundane tasks of daily life including getting dressed and taking a shower. Needing assistance with such personal tasks has made my relationship with my body incredibly complicated. I find it extremely difficult to see myself as a whole human being.… Continue reading Disability and Body Image:

When I was a sophomore in high school, I remember the jealousy I felt towards my peers who could get their driver’s licenses. I wanted to be just like everyone else. However, as more and more of my peers started to drive, I noticed something. Whenever they would talk about having to drive their younger… Continue reading How Cerebral Palsy Affects How I View Myself Within My Family:

According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) transition planning must begin when a student on an IEP reaches the age of sixteen. In my home state of Massachusetts, this process must begin at the age of fourteen. When I reached the age of fourteen, the process began to take shape. I did not… Continue reading How We Can Improve the Transition Process for High School Students With Disabilities:

In 2018, during my senior year of high school, I was referred to the local vocational rehabilitation office. Vocational rehabilitation exists to help people with disabilities gain employment and postsecondary education. I went into my first meeting feeling very apprehensive. The counselor I met with was friendly and helpful. Initially, the vocational rehabilitation office provided… Continue reading My Experience With Vocational Rehabilitation:

When I turned 16 in September of 2015, I already knew that I most likely wasn’t going to get my driver’s license, at least not right away. I held onto the belief that I would be gainfully employed at least part-time within the next couple of years. It was bittersweet watching my peers be able… Continue reading When Long-Term Unemployment Leaves You Questioning Your Worth

From the time we are little most people are told that they can do anything they want to if they have the willpower to do it. However, as somebody with a physical disability, I have begun to realize that there is power in the phrase “I can’t.” Knowing my limits has allowed me to focus… Continue reading There’s Power in the Phrase “I Can’t.”

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved listening to music. Growing up, my parents played a wide variety of different types of music. Music has always been a great source of enjoyment and relaxation for me. As I have grown up, my taste in music, like most things in my life,… Continue reading What Music Means to Me

CW: Mention of assisted suicide. I remember when I was growing up, I very rarely saw characters on TV or in movies that looked like I did. It wasn’t until I was 17 years old that I saw the television series Speechless which featured Micah Fowler, who has cerebral palsy. It was the first time… Continue reading Growing Up Disabled In America: