Serendipitous Girl

  Can you imagine living your life being judged and discriminated against for the thing about you that makes you different and vulnerable? Thirty-five years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted. July is designated as Disability Pride Month. It's a time to educate the public while promoting inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go with this topic, but two separate incidents this past year have taken up too much residency in my mind. One of them I wrote about in detail a few months ago. Now it is time to expel these lingering thoughts the best way I know how. You travel this journey long enough, and you develop a thick skin. However, that tough exterior doesn't stop the frustration when your child is consistently bullied or excluded because their abilities, or lack thereof, are not the norm. It's been our experience that many individuals who are eager to embrace diversity and inclusion don't want...

  July is Disability Pride Month, commemorating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that was signed into law on July 26, 1990. Until a decade ago, I took this law for granted. Sure, I had heard of it, but I was unfamiliar with its content. Inclusivity and accessibility are something most healthy individuals take for granted until they break a leg or need surgery. Then, the doors to a world of accommodations you pass by daily without consideration open. Our children are born, and we imagine what their lives will be like. Who will they become? What kind of hobbies will they enjoy? What types of friends will they have? What profession will they gravitate towards? You envision the places they will go, the things they will see and do along life's journey. In the end, none of it matters, only their health and happiness. Except what happens when health is not a part of life's plan? You begin to grieve the dreams you once had. Then you grieve for the dreams your child held dear t...