In 1981, we left behind the red and gold leaves of New York—the tall maples and oaks that lined our street—for Miami’s skinny palm trees and walls of heat. I …
How to Help Without Enabling: A Lesson From One Disabled Person to Another
As a physically disabled woman, I’ve received my fair share of help and given plenty of it too. But over time, I’ve learned a hard truth: helping someone doesn’t always …
The Double Standard I Didn’t Know I Was Living By
I’ve always held myself to higher standards than anyone else. Part of it comes from necessity—when you’re a physically disabled woman navigating a world that wasn’t built for you, you …
Will the Disabled Community Conceding Lead to New Precedents?
Over the past few months, I’ve had conversations with people across different industries about the rollback of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. For some, it was just another corporate …
When Disabled People Hold Each Other Back, We All Suffer
Let’s be real. There’s an uncomfortable truth in the disabled community that no one likes to talk about: some disabled people vote against their own best interests. They block policies …
Disabled People Are Surrounded By Silence, Not Friends
I’m not known for staying quiet. I never have been. I never will be. If I did, I wouldn’t be who I am. And yet, I find myself surrounded by …
Get Noticed! You Deserve It! The World Is Yours!
There’s a myth out there that if you work hard, someone will notice. If you’re good at what you do, the invitations will come. If you wait your turn, the …
Embrace Success, Not Pity in Your Life
A friend once told me, “Be careful when someone makes life too easy for you. It’s not always because they care.” As physically disabled people, we need to keep this …
Don’t Look Too Disabled If You Want Inclusion
Let’s talk about something that’s been bothering me: the kind of inclusion we’re seeing these days isn’t exactly inclusive. Sure, there are more wheelchair users in ads, movies, and even …