Jessica Gardner poses with her service dog, Ford at the 2019 Ms Wheelchair Pennsylvania competition. Picture credit to Alex Jones Three years ago, I received the best birthday gift I've ever been given, my Canine Companions for Independence service dog, Ford. I can honestly say in my life he has opened doors, both physically and … Continue reading Service Dogs, Opening Doors to Independence!
Caption: Josie Badger poses with her husband, Mike, their dog, and their wedding party Not long ago, I remember the excitement that spread across America when the Supreme Court decided that “love ruled,” giving the right of marriage to gay couples. News articles, Facebook posts, and email subjects all celebrated the news of “marriage equality.” … Continue reading Marriage Equality for All, Unless You’re Like Me
by Alex Wegman My Instagram inbox is full of messages from disabled people who are somewhere on the spectrum of awaiting or seeking parenthood, and they are terrified. They know it’s something they want, but have been told overtly and subtly that they’re not cut out for it. They’ve absorbed the narrative that disability precludes … Continue reading Parenting Disabled: An Exercise in Confidence and Creativity
by Dr. Rachel Kallem Whitman I did everything I was supposed to do. I graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA. I attended the top public university in the country. I boasted great grades, a long list of extracurricular activities, and an impressive resume. On graduation day I donned my cap and gown, celebrated with my … Continue reading “Because That’s What You Do”
By Anomie Fatale Home is where the heart is. It’s also where home care is managed and all essential activities of daily living occur for most people with disabilities. Things needed for a stable home environment are accessibility, stability, and function. Any living environment must be set up so that a disabled person has access … Continue reading Housing: The Primary Struggle of my Disability
As a child I remember playing make-believe, pretending that I was a teacher, a doctor, a veterinarian, a marine biologist, a secretary. I would imagine what it would be like as an adult in one of these careers. I imagined myself swimming with the dolphins with a whistle, teaching them how to jump and spin, … Continue reading Working with Dolphins: A (W)Holistic Path to Career Discovery
Part 2 of "Ms. Grishman or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Disability" published July 2019. Years after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I had finally begun to accept my disability and my limitations, when I met my friend and greatest mentor, Richard Meritzer, who introduced me to the amazing world that … Continue reading Advocacy
Hi. My name is Alisa Grishman. I’m 37 years old, I’m disabled, and I love it. Giving you a moment here to digest that… My disability is as beautiful to me as my storm cloud-grey eyes and my tattoos, and just as how I get annoyed at my hair for being frizzy or notice the … Continue reading Ms. Grishman or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Disability
by Everett Deibler Almost all of us have had a parent or guardian utter the words, “Just wait until you get older; you will understand.” As a teenager with Cerebral Palsy in a single parent household, I thought I would never understand why my mother made me do things that, as she would say, “will … Continue reading Finding Your Own Way: Dignity of Risk
by Dr. Josie Badger As an individual with a significant physical disability—requiring the use of a ventilator, power wheelchair, and 24-hour care—it was difficult to identify a career where I could maintain my physical health while being employed full time. In relatively recent history, individuals with more significant physical disabilities are surviving and thriving. Although … Continue reading Significantly Able to Work: Employment for the Significantly Disabled
