Commentary on Society – Page 2 – The Advocacy Life Podcast & Blog

The Language Rabbit Hole

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The following was an opinion piece Kevin Nuñez wrote for the Burlington County Times in March 2020. Click here to read

I am a 32-year-old disability advocate living with cerebral palsy. I am of sound mind and spirit, and I’m inviting you to go down a linguistically inspired rabbit hole with me to start a much deeper conversation about human awareness and language.

Before beginning, I know what I’m about to say is controversial and might raise more questions than answers. I am trying to make people aware of the way we are communicating with one another. Unlike Alice in Wonderland, we cannot wake up from this nightmare. Just like my disability, it will not disappear. This should be an ongoing conversation, with people allowed to draw their own conclusions. We should learn to understand the meaning behind words and phrases before we use them. If we look up the etymology of most words, we would find a negative connotation for most of them.

My function as an advocate is to educate and collaborate with others to better the lives of those affected by disability. I have come to realize that I am more of a human advocate, because everyone has a disability.

One day, I was giving an orientation to new direct support professionals (DSPs) on how to treat individuals with respect and so forth. Later that night, I was out with friends whom I have not seen in a long time. During the conversation, they jokingly used the R-word once. I did not want to break up the conversation and begin a lecture on disability and why the word is offensive. No one at the table was trying to be offensive; there was no malice behind it. I immediately cringed internally. What was I to do? I can’t wear my advocacy hat all the time. I have the right to have fun as well.

The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.- Proverbs 14:15 NIV

When the night ended, I pulled the one person aside and simply explained the situation. That person apologized, and that was the end of it. There was no need to cause a scene in the middle of a restaurant. I did not have to shame them in front of everyone. We didn’t have to stop being friends because they made a mistake. All I had to do was express myself in a calm way and make sure they didn’t forget it.

These days, everyone preaches acceptance, but we also need to preach tolerance. People will say the wrong thing. This does not mean they should be punished for the rest of their lives. Words are tools, like hammers and knives. Yes, they can be used to hurt. They can also be used to build and create wonderful statements that can change the world. We are so quick to destroy anyone who says something we don’t like, instead of educating them to make the change.

Comedian Kevin Hart made a joke many years ago about how he would discipline his son if he ever said he was gay or transsexual. At the last Oscars ceremony, Hart was scheduled to host. There was such a huge uproar about his statement that he removed himself. If we are going to judge every word every person ever said, then we should all put tape over our mouths and learn to communicate telepathically.

In conclusion, language is like comedy — totally subjective. It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it. Tone and delivery matter. Think of it like this: Have you ever texted someone and then had to send another text immediately after to explain it?

How we communicate is like driving. Everyone does it a little differently. We have all sped up and broken a rule once in a while. We may cause a major tragedy, a tiny fender bender, or get away with it.

We can do only so much. First of all, know your audience. Find the most effective way to deliver your message. Learn to accept feedback and reactions. Most importantly, be patient with how to respond to someone’s message back to us.

Disability Limbo Newsletter

I started Letters from the Limbo as a way to connect with you on a deeper level. Twice a month, I send out an email filled with personal anecdotes, professional updates (like my recent reelection as Vice Chair of the NJCDD), and the policy insights I don’t share anywhere else. This isn’t just another email—it’s an unfiltered look at the life of a disability advocate. Join my community and get an exclusive, honest look at the work that matters

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May 24, 2023

Finding your Belessings

By David Champignon

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Hello, loyal friends and readers. It’s David Champignon. My friend Kevin is hard at work on many upcoming writing projects and has asked me to step in for a few weeks in the interim. With that said, I would like to share something that my wife Jenny and I watched on Sunday. That night we saw the movie The Blessing Bracelet on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. To my amazement, it’s based on a genuinely beautiful story.

A woman named Dawn had gone through a divorce and faced mounting doubt and the looming threat of foreclosure at the house where she and her son lived when a friend reminded her of bracelets she used to make. longing for something different but unsure of what exactly to do for those she loved. Like so much that happens in real life, the improvements started off slowly.

Working at a local restaurant, she began giving the blessing bracelets to customers as a little something extra in addition to her existing great customer service skills. Part of the magic of the blessing bracelets is that they are made with four beads so that people can reflect on the four blessings present in their lives at any time of the day.

Over time, her community, including her church, rallied around her, and she could barely keep up with demand for the bracelets. Dawn and her loving son made enough money to pay off their debt and cancel the foreclosure. To this day, blessing bracelets are a vibrant business you can order from for yourself or your family.

What is the lesson here? While not everyone can be an entrepreneur and start a small business to bring joy and blessings to the world, the challenge is to remember the blessings we all have in life. Remember to not take things for granted, no matter how routine our lives get. Finally, remember that the people who matter in life will stick around no matter what. Love those people with all your heart and soul because those people are truly special. Have a great week, and I will see you next week.

Sources:

The Blessing Bracelet Movie

https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/the-blessing-bracelet/about-the-blessing-bracelet

https://decider.com/2023/04/10/we-found-the-bracelet-from-hallmarks-the-blessing-bracelet/

Disability Limbo Newsletter

I started Letters from the Limbo as a way to connect with you on a deeper level. Twice a month, I send out an email filled with personal anecdotes, professional updates (like my recent reelection as Vice Chair of the NJCDD), and the policy insights I don’t share anywhere else. This isn’t just another email—it’s an unfiltered look at the life of a disability advocate. Join my community and get an exclusive, honest look at the work that matters

Thank you for your response. ✨

May 10, 2023

People V. Hate

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Do people ever do little things or say little things that bother you? A pet peeve is defined as just that: ” Something that a particular person finds especially annoying.” I decided to do something a little bit different with this blog post. I want to tell you about one of my “pet peeves” to hopefully create a discussion about how people interact with each other. It bothers me when people say, “I hate people.” I can’t believe people hate every single person in the world that exists on the planet today. So, what exactly do people hate?

Jesus replied, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37‭, ‬39‭-‬40 NIV

We live in an on-demand society. We have the world at our fingertips, with unlimited amounts of information. You can have your groceries delivered to you within two hours. You can watch any show you want anytime you want. The fact is, people, do not work the same way. It takes time to get to know a person. With the invention of social media, we lead ourselves to believe that we do know someone. Then we are disheartened when it turns out that they were not who they said they were. We no longer use social skills to introduce ourselves, now we use keystrokes. Have you ever been to a party and seen all the kids in a corner together? They communicate with each other without ever saying a word to each other. I find this to be very sad.

We no longer have patience because everything comes to us right away. People may be rude and inconsiderate, but we no longer try to understand one another. If you think I’m wrong, answer this question Do you know your neighbor? Your best friends used to be your neighbors. I know these are just a few reasons why we all have lost the ability to consistently and effectively create a positive relationship. After reading this, I challenge you to speak to three new people in your world today. Take care, and I will see you next Wednesday as usual.

Disability Limbo Newsletter

I started Letters from the Limbo as a way to connect with you on a deeper level. Twice a month, I send out an email filled with personal anecdotes, professional updates (like my recent reelection as Vice Chair of the NJCDD), and the policy insights I don’t share anywhere else. This isn’t just another email—it’s an unfiltered look at the life of a disability advocate. Join my community and get an exclusive, honest look at the work that matters

Thank you for your response. ✨

April 19, 2023

Disability in modern TV

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January 2023

In this first episode of the Purposely Broken World. I discuss the brand expansion of The Advocacy Life. What is the future of this podcast is. I reintroduce myself. The topic of this episode is disability representation in reality TV and game shows. What are disabilities acceptable in the television landscape? It is good to have disability representation. There is always room to grow. Please subscribe and leave comments. Join the conversation today! Additional resources are below.

Available on all platforms this is the link to Spotify

Watch it on YouTube

Show Notes

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Terry#:~:text=Ian%20Patrick%20Terry%20(born%20March,Brother%3A%20All%20Stars%20in%202020.
https://the-art-of-autism.com/big-brother-season-23-star-britini-dangelo-speaks-about-her-autism/

https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/the-circle-raven-sutton-real-job-age-instagram-facts

The Purposely Broken World Podcast

January 20, 2023

Physical Disability Not Included

If you could hide one part of yourself what would it be? I think everyone has that one thing in real life that they’d rather not have to deal with daily, what if temporarily you can live without it? Hello, once again readers. Before I delve into the topic of this post I have to admit to a guilty pleasure, I like to watch the reality TV show Big Brother. Don’t judge me, please. Just in case you’re not familiar with the show, the premise is that 16 people are locked in the house together and go through crazy challenges to eliminate each other. At the end, when only two remain, those that are eliminated vote on the winner. That is an oversimplification but you get the idea. I published this post last year but it’s something that families need to talk about at the dinner table.

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. Acts 17:26 NIV

I’ve always liked the show and I like the idea that someone like me could actually compete in the show. I know I could probably not compete in a lot of the competitions, in fact at a simple glance there were only a few I could easily adapt to make it fair for me or someone like me using a wheelchair. I didn’t finish. To be clear this show has really shown a lot of diversity in its casting before, we even had a past winner on the autism spectrum. In season 23 I felt more hopeful than ever as the runner-up won a significant financial prize without winning a single competition advancing only on his strategic and social game. At the finale one of the contestants who voted on the winner revealed that she was on the autism spectrum. However, she did not want to disclose it as she wanted the other contestants to know just her as she was as a person. This made me feel very mixed emotions.

24-year-old BrittanyD’Angelo came off as a very spunky and energetic young lady who was a friend to all. While I admire and fully understand why she would choose not to disclose her disability, I couldn’t help but feel a little hurt upon hearing this. Please understand me, part of me was truly happy for Brittany. People with disabilities should not have to disclose any part of a disability if they don’t feel comfortable and I know she’s not ashamed of her disability. As much as I have come to understand why I was given this disability over the years, there were still days growing up when I wished I could have gotten out of my chair and played football with the other kids. Even as an adult at least twice a week I have a scenario where I say to myself “regular people don’t have to deal with this.”

What D’Angelo did was still a tremendous accomplishment and I am absolutely not trying to put her down in any way but I have to ask, is what she did really fair? I know it’s not right every time one of us has a chance to be seen in public to represent the entire community and I argued against inspiration porn in past blogs but if we want to be seen as equals by society then why are we hiding our disability? So many people on the spectrum could never hide it, even the past winner couldn’t hide his own disability. If someone like me enters the Big Brother house I would have to roll in there with my entire chair and a caregiver for my personal needs. I would have to ask the housemates for help with various tasks throughout the day Which would force the contestants and the viewing public to separate the person from the disability. In a way it’s hard for me because I can’t hide my disability, there’s nothing wrong or shameful about invisible disabilities. They do exist and they should be learned about by the public at the discretion of those who live with them. I just wanted to give people something to think about. The disability life can be very complex. See you guys next time and God bless you.

Sources:

‘Big Brother 23’ Houseguest Britini D’Angelo Reveals She Has Autism

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferpalumbo/2022/01/25/how-one-cbs-big-brother-houseguest-is-promoting-autism-acceptance/?sh=516951619f72

November 2, 2022

What Is Our Charge?: David Takeover

Go to the about page to learn more about David

by, David Champignon

It has become an overused trope. millennials are lazy job hopers who have no patience for work or tolerance for bosses telling them what to do. Well for some at least part of this trope is true there is scant evidence if any that today’s young people deserve the scathing indictment some are ready to give them.

The world is not like it was when our parents and grandparents were young. There is no war in which the whole world is involved at the same time, taking sides for and against each other. There is no draft. At the moment there are smaller regional wars that are largely being taken care of by concerned regional partners without direct US military involvement. That could change at any time but for now, that part hasn’t changed. I firmly believe right after 9/11 had president Bush declared WW3 and instituted a draft America would have gone along with it. His clarion call during that time was to go shopping. I’m not saying that the military hasn’t made enormous sacrifices but largely the sacrifices are theirs and their families alone while the rest of us just go about our day as ordinary Americans only aware of the extraordinary sacrifices others make when it comes to our phones and television screens.

In a way, we are better off than we were at the time of WW2 because our army is an all-volunteer army but it has also created a situation where the serious problems of the world are always taken care of by other people. Even from a street-level perspective when we see a fight or a rape in progress we go, “that’s sad.” and hope somebody else calls 911. “I’ve got to get to work, ta ta for now.”

I swear we have one side of a recent generation that is every man or woman for themselves and there’s another side genuinely trying to make things better for not only themselves but other people. Unions are fighting for better wages, health benefits, and for our current generation not to be on call with our bosses 24/7 as we hold our baby in our hands and make dinner for our families with our free hand.

To be clear, people can do this but people shouldn’t have to. We want to be able to go to the doctor without being fired from our jobs or being forced into economic disaster. If recent times have proven anything it’s that the vast majority of the world is more resilient than we give ourselves credit for not only as Americans but I genuinely believe as a world. So as the old question goes, “Will the kids be okay?” The short answer, I believe is yes. We must also remember that the adults in every modern generation have said that the following one will be far worse off because of their ineptitude. At this point, that prediction is as old as time itself. With my optimism noted, there are things we can do to make the world a better place without having to move mountains.

We have to make deliberate attempts to care more about each other. We should recognize that just because Ryan pulls Susie’s hair on the playground doesn’t mean Ryan will be an irredeemable serial killer for the rest of his life. Men and women evolve their political views change, groups don’t think monolithically and We would be better off if we didn’t treat someone’s political affiliations or views as if it were a sports team we must be with no matter what. Oh, and while we are at it can we stop using the terms fake news or alternative facts.

It is already difficult to navigate our changing world without one’s views being willing to accept new and emerging facts. We must also recognize cult behavior when it comes to our politics. One man or one woman alone can’t fix the problems that ale America and the world despite what anyone says. Real problems require thinking outside the box and coalition building even when embracing the concept is outside our interests. The concept of acting in the interest of the common good must be re-established and vigorously defended from age to age like it once was. There is no one size fits all solution to what troubles the world but I believe what I’ve written here is a good start toward improving the large canvas that is our collective souls.

Source:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4552776/user-clip-bush-shopping-quote

October 5, 2022

Over 20 years of Sadness

There are some days in life you can never forget no matter how hard you try. We are a few days removed from the anniversary of September 11th, 2001 I was in my 8th-grade social studies class when the announcement came over the loudspeakers about the horrific attacks unfolding at the World Trade Center. What would those who died that day think about the world of the living now?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 NIV

I remember feeling hurt, Confused, and angry. On that day race and religion did not matter, we were all proud to be Americans. No one ever thought about kneeling for the national anthem. Political affiliations meant nothing. 21 years later and the country is more divided than ever. We stopped listening to each other. We don’t value each other anymore. Think about this, when people lined up to donate blood it didn’t matter what color they were on the outside because they all bleed red on the inside.

The president is just one man, we cannot blame all the country’s problems on him. It should not matter who voted for him but we should respect him as a person because every person deserves to be respected. You can disagree with someone without having them be racist or a socialist. Over 3,000 people died in one day. We cannot forget what they died for. We are all given the right to protest, not to destroy each other. That is what we are doing. September 11th, 2001 is not about conspiracies or social agendas. Is about honoring our neighbors who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can unite as a country and as a people. It’s sad to think that over 20 years later we still have not learned that lesson.

September 14, 2022

An Interabled Love Story Part 2

Welcome back, friends. as promised I am presenting my second interview with Charlie and Margaret. A fabulous interabled couple. Since the last interview in 2020, they’re now engaged and more in love than ever. You can find more about the story on their blog and other social media accounts at Just an Interabled Thing. I gave them each a set of questions their answers have never been altered. They deal with society’s judgments on a daily basis they handle them with grace and kindness. They are an example to everyone that love is real. Regardless of circumstance. I am so thankful they gave me this opportunity to be part of their lives. Hope everyone enjoys it and I will see you next week.

Questions for Margaret:

1. Your fiance is not independently wealthy and cannot do basic household chores like taking out the garbage, how does he provide for you?

“There are different definitions of providing, I would argue that providing emotional support and things like that is harder than providing financially or physically, you know what I mean? Charlie is amazing with emotional support. Our current living situation is living rent-free with my dad, and I do all the cooking and most of the cleaning around the house, we are both so grateful for my dad letting us live in his house.”

2. How has this relationship changed you as a person?

“I think that dating Charlie has given me more confidence. When you are in an interabled relationship, you are almost guaranteed to get looked at in public. Being with him has taught me not to care what other people think when I get looked at like I shouldn’t be with him or like I was crazy for being with him.”

3. Was Charlie’s family afraid of you dating him? (Follow up) Did you have to earn their trust?

“ I don’t know the answer to that. I’m sure there were some apprehensions about it at first, and I’d like to think that I’ve earned their trust.”

4. Being Charlie’s caregiver is easy now because you’re young, What do you plan to do when you both get older and your needs change?

“I want it to just be me for as long as I can, we have talked about this and when I am no longer able to take care of Charlie on my own, that is when we will look into getting help.”

5. Are you hesitant to get married due to the disability marriage penalty? The assumption is you would have to take on the financial burden as well as the caregiving one.

“Absolutely, it amazes me that disabled people still don’t have marriage equality, maybe that stems from the assumption that disabled people are not worthy partners, I don’t know. It scares me as of now because I don’t make that much money and I have student loans to pay off and bills, and we don’t even have our own home yet. Charlie has a bachelor’s degree and tries so hard to get a job and has yet to have success, but hopefully one day a company will see all of his potentials and he will have a job.”

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."Romans 12:9‭-‬10 NIV

Questions for Charlie:

On the subject of engagement, everyone always focuses on the female. as a disabled male, the expectation is that you will never get married. What did it mean to you to be able to “pop the question?”

“Honestly, I never thought I would get to that point with someone. I was so used to getting to the CP part of the discussion and people disappearing. I knew very early on that Margaret was the one and knew Disney would be the place. When it came time to pop the question, I thought I would be nervous, but I was not. To me, It was the easiest question I ever asked.”

How can advocates like yourself, break this false expectation of people with disabilities unable to love?

“Society views disabled people as unworthy of love. To break that ableist view, Margaret and I always post pictures pretty much daily on each of our Instagrams of places we go, etc. We are also not afraid to be all over in public either.”

How has this relationship made you more independent not only physically but as a complete person? (Follow up) If God forbid you guys broke up, Are you afraid you’d have to move back home or into a group home facility?

“My relationship with Margaret has definitely made me more open and vulnerable. Margaret has always allowed me to be my true self around her and we talk about anything and everything. If we ever broke up, we would no doubt find our way back, there’s no one else for me.”

Was there any aspect of your life as a whole that you will reluctant to let her see or help you with?

“No that were any aspects of my life that I was reluctant for Margaret to see or help with. I think her experience with people with a disability made everything easier. Margaret was very open about wanting to learn about my care and was helping with getting me dressed, showering, and bathroom stuff from the beginning.”

What do you say to any skeptics that believe that Margaret settled for you and she could do better?

“To society, our love is as real as it gets. Just like me, Margaret thought she would never find something like this. Margaret never saw my CP or my wheelchair first, she saw me as a person. I know for sure society thinks well he can’t do anything and as a result sees no value. I do plenty for us and Margaret makes me want to be the best version of myself every day.”

August 31, 2022

The History and Future of Disability Pride

As Americans, there are certain days we all recognize when we look at our calendars. Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Martin Luther King Day. future generations of students will be taught about Barack Obama and Juneteenth. We have such a rich history to learn from and be proud of. However, there is a particular group of heroes that have been neglected. The time has come to acknowledge what they have done and call a new generation of advocates into action.

Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson are names every person in this country knows. Unless you have a disability, names like Judy Heumann, Brad Lomax, and Katie Cole are foreign to you. These proud patriots are some of the leaders of the protest that has come to be known as the 504 Sit-in. Starting April 5, 1977, approximately 150 individuals with various disabilities occupied the Office of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in San Francisco for 28 days. To require enforcement of The Rehabilitation Act that was signed into law a few years earlier. For nearly a month these brave people risked their lives. Going without medication and personal care. You would think after such an effort You would see change begin to happen, but it took 13 years to see any tangible evidence of equality.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Matthew 5:9 NIV

Let’s talk about July 26, 1990. Without using Google most of the population are unaware that this is the day the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed. This legislation means much more than handlebars in the bathrooms and curb cuts on sidewalks. It guaranteed civil rights for individuals with disabilities. There is a misconception that because of this law All the problems of the disability community are solved. Earlier this week the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field for significant violations after a multi-year renovation project. How long must we remain an afterthought?

In the mid-1980s journalist, Geraldo Rivera did a series of stories exposing the horrific treatment of individuals in Developmental Centers. Earlier this year a nursing home in Sussex County New Jersey made national headlines for having our most vulnerable citizens in inhumane conditions leading to death and malnourishment. Over 200 humans were locked away without committing any crime and deprived of due process. I love this country and I am a proud American but advocates like myself Can no longer stand by while we sponsor second-class citizenship. That is not in the Constitution I studied.

Did you know that there is a disability pride flag? The colors are a separate concept from the rainbow flag identified with the LGBTQ community. The five colors represent the different needs and experiences of the individual. Mental Illness, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Invisible and Undiagnosed Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, and Sensory Disabilities. The month of July is known as disability pride month, but what exactly is disability pride? I was asked this question a few days ago, and this was my answer. “Disability pride is loving and accepting yourself, even though the world will not.”

Ken Capone leads the charge to end sub-minimum wage in segregated workshops. In the year 2022, they are still legal. Emily Voorde is a female with a disability. She is the Associate Director for Disability Community Engagement in the White House. Their tireless efforts are never seen. New Jersey has its own coalition of heroes. Keith Jones is a disability activist, award-winning author, and former presidential candidate. Project Freedom helps individuals obtain accessible housing. Their founder Norman Smith has a disability.

The inscription on the Statue of Liberty reads “”Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”” This was written in 1883 139 years later and people like myself Can’t read it, because of all those steps.

The next generation of disability advocates must not rest. We need to rise up and continue the work that has been laid before us. In January of 2022, Governor Murphy signed a law updating New Jersey’s WorkAbility program, as of July of the same year the legislation is still not implemented. With these updates, Disabled New Jersey residents would be able to earn a competitive wage, pay taxes, and keep their health benefits. By entering the workforce people who can work can support those with more complex medical needs. If we invest in more medical group homes we can avoid tragedies like the one mentioned above. This would create more jobs for caregivers and relieve stress on the overwhelmed disability care system. On the national level, We must end the marriage penalty and raise the $2,000 asset limit set in 1983. America cannot become the land of opportunity until all Americans have a chance to thrive.

Note: every advocate mentioned Is very well known. It is very easy to learn more about them if you just take the time

July 27, 2022

Unnecessary Labels

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What makes a person who they are? Is it their spirituality, is it their sexual orientation, is it their ethnicity, is it their disability, or whatever other condition they are diagnosed with? Everyone I know is on medication for some illness. Doctors love to diagnose what is wrong with us. Did you ever notice that we give them a jump start before we even walk into the office? Every time you go into a medical facility we have to put a checkmark next to boxes so they can classify us. The problem with this line of thinking is that the essence of a human being does not fit in the box. Please try something at this moment, draw a heart on a piece of paper. Now draw a box around the heart you just made. It doesn’t work, does it? Sure you can make it work, but you know it still doesn’t look natural.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2 NIV

According to the boxes of this world, I am a disabled, Christian, Hispanic heterosexual male. These categories all describe me correctly with one major exception, they don’t take into account how I see myself. If I don’t respect and acknowledge myself As Kevin the complete person then I cannot expect anyone else to do the same. Labels try to control us and we get so attached to them some people stop at nothing to defend them. When are we going to realize there’s more to this world? It’s something we all know, we just don’t want to accept it because our lives would become much more complicated. I know some of you out there are saying “My life is already messed up enough, I can’t afford to complicate it anymore.”

My dear friends, That is precise to the point labels are distractions not complications. Nobody is just one of these treats we are all an intersection of a thousand little things we need to step back and see the whole person. Don’t get too lost in the pieces of the puzzle you forget to look at the laptop. This world is ugly because people refuse to see the beauty in it. I hope these words helped you take a deep breath before moving on me today. May the blessings come down upon you I will see you next week.

Disability Limbo Newsletter

I started Letters from the Limbo as a way to connect with you on a deeper level. Twice a month, I send out an email filled with personal anecdotes, professional updates (like my recent reelection as Vice Chair of the NJCDD), and the policy insights I don’t share anywhere else. This isn’t just another email—it’s an unfiltered look at the life of a disability advocate. Join my community and get an exclusive, honest look at the work that matters