Occupation
Writer/Nonprofit Leader
Risk Factor
Autoimmune Disease and Asthma
“I’ve been dealing with the ‘Sacrifice the Weak’ mentality of people for many years. There’s this notion that the most productive in our society have the most value; so the disabled are not considered to have worth. I lived for many years with conditions I didn’t understand the impact of and eventually became disabled from Ehlers-Danlos and POTS [Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome]. People tend to care so much for their lives to remain ‘normal’ that when something infringes upon that, whether it is a medical diagnosis or a pandemic, it’s scary and understandable for you to want to stick your head in the sand. But I believe able-bodied people should be listening to disabled people right now. We’ve been adapting and overcoming for years; we know how to build a community, we strive to help each other, and we know how to move forward through challenging circumstances. When you face adversity in your life, overcoming those hurdles should spark empathy. I’m sick but it’s not a flaw; I have the right to live my life even if it doesn’t look like yours.”
