Laughin' my Way Through Life
I've found that the easiest way to deal with Cerebral Palsy and life in a wheelchair is to laugh. When I was in college, I took to Facebook to document my experiences and all the funny, ridiculous, and ignorant things people said to me and my friends with different abilities. I was surprised at how many followers I gained, and how using humor could help me raise awareness for my community.
Recently, one of my Facebook posts gained unexpected attention. I wrote an ppen letter to Betsy Devos to uphold accommodations for students with disabilities in all public schools. I wasn't expecting much of a reaction, but then the post was published on multiple sites and shared online more than 30 thousand times. This experience showed me that people are truly listening to what I have to say, and inspired me to take my work as an advocate seriously.
I hope to promote the message that people of all abilities can lead fulfilling lives. I have great friends and family. I went to a top university and played wheelchair rugby at the collegiate level. I graduated and work a great job. I have a boyfriend who I love. My life has been filled with opportunities, and people miss out on so much when they only focus on my disability.
If you keep laughing, yoo can do anything.
