Ian
Can you recall a time or experience when you felt "unboxed", when you broke free from societal expectations or labels, seen for you and not your disability? (This could be related to a job, volunteering, living independently, attend college, etc...).:
​I didn’t feel constrained by my disability in high school when I got invited to participate in the Mr. CV event… I felt seen and maybe I surprised people by being out of a Powerchair.
Having a voice with CRIL and the Able/ Disable Club in Chabot College was also a time where I felt “unboxed”.
​
How did this experience of being "unboxed" make you feel? (Consider how it affected your self-esteem, sense of independence, and personal growth).:
I don’t remember how I was feeling exactly at the moment but I felt “free”… if I can use my voice to express the experience of having a disability, then I feel included on a wider scale!
In what ways do you feel you contribute to your own life and the community? (For example, through work, volunteering, hobbies, relationships, or other activities).:
Volunteering at the library is where I learned from others and in return they learn from me!
I’ve expressed myself through writing and poetry too, and I contribute not only to my own life, but two others by sharing my poetry and my writings.
I also have a hobby where I have a fossil display case with a collection of items and I contribute by sharing my knowledge of all those too. I am a lover of fossils, history, dinosaurs and the past.
​
How did contributing in these ways impact your life? (Reflect on how it has shaped your identity, confidence, and interactions with others).:
I don’t think I know for sure what my identity fully is and who does anyway? I’ve embraced the fact that I have a disability, but I view having a disability as a way of making progress rather than a hindrance that pushes or holds me back some people may not understand but the good thing about it is that I can inform them about disability to spread an awareness. I don’t think that people have negative judgments about disabled people because of malice or out of prejudice, but I think a lot of it comes from genuine misunderstanding.
Once I was aware that I had a disability, I became conscious about it and sometimes and not very good ways, often wishing I didn’t have a disability that impacted my movement, but now looking back, there are people every day, who have a disability and they interact with people around them just fine! Disability isn’t a crutch, it can be an overlooked advantage!
Why do you think people with disabilities are often required to prove that they can contribute to society? (Share your thoughts on societal attitudes, expectations, and any personal experiences that relate to this).:
People automatically accentuate the negative whenever they hear the word “disability”… some people may not generally have any animosity towards disabled people, but they may have a lot of misgivings about it and misunderstandings too.
Ableism is one of the many “isms” that the disability rights movement and a better understanding of disability is often blocked by.
I am lucky to have been born in an era where ableism is being called out and discouraged, even though we still have a problem with it today just like other prejudices like classism, racism, sexism… you probably get the idea.
Trying to latch the “burden of proof” onto a person with a disability to prove that they can still be a model citizen and contribute to society is kind of insulting because it treats being born with a disability as a burden, which is not something that we should accept as fact. It is also a harmful assumption to make because it treats the person is a problem and it insinuates there at fault for being born with a disability or having a disability when people who are disabled and or autistic most likely have a disability or are the way they are based on circumstances outside of their control. People with disabilities never asked to have one and they didn’t make themselves be disabled either. It just happens to be something they have.
How does this expectation to continually prove oneself affect you personally? (Consider both positive and negative impacts, including any motivation it provides or frustration it causes).:
I don’t think I’ve actually had to prove, nor have I ever been asked to prove that I’m disabled, but there have been insinuations that I fake my disability because I can actually walk a bit outside of a wheelchair. I’m not sure if I want to go into too much detail about it all. I’ll just say that it gets tiresome to emphasize that…YES I have a disability and no, I’m not using it as an excuse to get out of doing work or I’m asking for accommodations because I’m “entitled”. I’m asking for note takers and accommodation so that I can complete work and do school stuff more efficiently!
​
What message would you like to share with the world about the contributions of people with disabilities? (This can be a message of advocacy, awareness, or inspiration).:
You deserve to treat others as they treat you and you should be treated with respect! Advocate for yourself and advocate for others when you can! Disability is not a bad word and having a disability doesn’t mean that you’ll be unable to do grand things or follow passions! You can still lead a happy and healthy life, whether your disability is visible or not!
Be assertive in your advocacy and be loud if you need to, but remember, do not forget the underlying message!
“ Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” - Rumi
Is there anything else you would like to share about your journey or the importance of this exhibit?:
I hope that you’ll enjoy my contribution to your project Zach!!
It’s important to share what you have to share with other people and it’s important for them to share something with you too!