Emily Ladau - Words I Wheel By

“There’s No Room For You Here.” – On Encountering Discrimination

Posted on August 29, 2016August 12, 2021 by Emily Ladau

I have a little tradition to search for handmade jewelry when I travel, usually rings or earrings. It’s my favorite way to bring home a piece of where I’ve been. Since I just visited New Mexico for the first time to join my family in celebrating my cousin’s wedding, I was especially excited to see what I’d find because I love southwestern jewelry designs. My mom (who also uses a wheelchair), my dad, and I ventured to Old Town in Albuquerque one afternoon to look around and when we reached the first shop, Native Gallery, I was immediately drawn to rows of earrings and beautiful pottery.

Not even 10 seconds after entering the shop, I gravitated toward some rainbow bowls in the front of the store and was already contemplating buying one when the shopkeeper came over to my family and said “there’s no room for you here.”

Mind you, the aisles were a bit narrow but I have the depth perception to know my wheelchair would fit through and the common sense not to drive like a wild woman through a store full of valuable breakables. There was undeniably room for us. So, I began to explain that we were fine and would be very careful, but the shopkeeper again insisted there was “no room” for us and demanded we leave.

My dad, who was standing up and is obviously taller than me, could plainly see the shopkeeper was lying about the lack of space. In fact, aside from the one couple he was ringing up, there wasn’t a single other customer in the store. There was plenty of room. Based on the look of horror on the shopkeeper’s face when he saw two wheelchair users roll through the entrance, the urgency with which he jumped up to ask us to leave, and his persistent arguing that we couldn’t stay, it was clear he just didn’t want us to patronize his shop, or assumed we’d cause damage, and so he thought it best to kick us out rather than finding a way to accommodate us.

I sort of get it, maybe. Power wheelchairs in a store full of fragile pottery are risky and the shopkeeper wanted to protect his goods, but the reality is that anyone could accidentally break something. At the very least, he could’ve offered to bring some pieces to the front for us. But no matter how many times we pointed out that turning disabled people away from your public business is discriminatory and illegal, the shopkeeper ultimately forced us away.

I just wanted to buy a ring. I wanted a taste of what New Mexico has to offer. I wanted to enjoy the late afternoon sun and the colorful boutiques with my parents. I love exploring new places. Yet it seems every time I try to embrace my independence like any other human being, someone stops me in my tracks and reminds me that disabled people are still not fully welcome in this world we inhabit.

In most cases, it’s structural barriers that prove unwelcoming. Steps and narrow entryways are warning signs to stay away. Because of this, I’m generally inclined to give my business to places where the architecture isn’t keeping me out. Of course, there are plenty of instances where I take one look at a place and can tell there’s no way I will actually be able to navigate safely or easily. But I have learned to make my way around in environments not designed with accessibility in mind. I have learned how to weave through curves and make sharp turns, how to roll forward at just the right angle and slip through tight spaces. Within the realms of accessibility, where I go is my decision to make.

And so, even as the sting of this encounter flowed through me, I was still determined to find a ring. We went to a shop around the block called de Colores Galleria. There, the owner was lovely, accommodating my mom and I as we narrowed down our jewelry options, never making us feel as though we were unwelcome or in the way.

While she helped us, my mom shared with the woman behind the jewelry counter what had happened at the other shop. The woman was mortified, apologizing on behalf of Old Town. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “That’s not good for Old Town. And that’s not good for you.” We appreciated that, and thanked her profusely for her hospitality before we left.

My mom and I felt compelled to thank the second shopkeeper because her kindness was such a refreshing change from our first encounter. That said, we were essentially thanking this woman for treating us like people. It’s a painful reality of my existence that I find myself expressing gratitude when people communicate with me in such a way that shows they see me as deserving of equality and respect.

As I sat down to recount this shopping debacle in writing, my stomach tightened at the thought that issues such as this – the ones I so desperately wish to see eliminated – are the ones on which I’ve built a platform and a career. The frequency with which I experience and write about ableism has become a twisted form of job security, because deep down I know I will never run out of stories to share. And yet, what I would give for an end to the writing fodder, as it would mean a world finally without encountering discrimination.

I am tired of the days when simple moments of enjoying life are shattered by someone else’s lack of understanding and acceptance. I am a tireless activist, but I am still tired.

I kept the ring that I picked from the second shop on my finger as I wrote this. It now has a place as one of the most bittersweet pieces in my collection, but I treasure it. I will wear it with joy not only because it is a reminder to keep up the fight even when I feel defeated, but also because of the other memories it holds: eating raspberries straight from the bush in my family’s backyard, the hazy mountain view surrounding us, twirling around the dance floor with my dad at my cousin’s wedding, peering out of a tram with my family as it reached 10,378 feet, and – most beautiful of all – being with people I love, who love me, and who welcome and accept me as I am.

A Letter to My Younger Self in Honor of International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2016August 12, 2021 by Emily Ladau

Shortly after my first love and I broke up in 2013, I wrote a letter to my younger self. At the time, I intended to bury it away somewhere to be forgotten, as it was just meant to be a private way to help myself heal. But every couple months or so, I’ve found myself pulling up the letter again on my computer, reading it over, adding to it, finding comfort in it.

In 2015, I learned about #DearMe, an empowerment campaign in honor of International Women’s Day that encouraged women to write a letter with advice to they needed to hear when they were younger. So, I pulled my letter out of hiding and put it out into the world. Now that International Women’s Day has come around in 2016, I feel it’s time to dust off my letter once again.

This letter will never be finished. Each year, as I grow older, I plan to read and reread, write and rewrite, hopefully building on what I want 15-year-old Emily to know. And while this letter is deeply personal to me, and I’m specifically sharing it for International Women’s Day, it is my hope that no matter what age you may be or how you identify, these words will resonate with you, reminding you that you are always enough and never alone.

Dear Me (15-year-old Emily),

I know how your eyes scan the room every time you go somewhere new, wondering if today will be the day your gaze settles upon a guy who just might accept you for who you are. I know how you lay awake at night envisioning what the future might be like, if only a guy could accept your disabled body. I know how you think that day will never come.

But the day will come when someone will accept you. He will tell you that you are the most beautiful girl in the world. He will tell you that you can trust him. He will tell you he loves you.

And he will be a wheelchair user too. I know that’s not an option you’ve been considering, but I promise when you open your mind to him, you will feel like he can relate to you in ways no one has ever understood you before.

Then he will leave you. He will break your heart and break your trust instead of breaking your fall. And it will hurt in ways you never imagined.

Don’t let him be the source of your self-worth. For that matter, don’t let anyone be the source of your self-worth. You’ll face rejection for being disabled and you’ll face rejection for being the girl you are. When you’re met with discrimination or a lack of acceptance, don’t just sit there and take it.

Learn to love yourself for all that you are. Gain strength that will be there to keep you going even when life shoots you down. That cannot come from outside you. It will only come from within.

I know these sound like words in the self-help books that made you roll your eyes and laugh as you pulled them from bookstore shelves. Quit laughing and start listening. It will save you a lot of pain in the years down the road.

Please, don’t give any of yourself away before you accept yourself. Learn to embrace your disability as another part of what makes you, you. Learn that just because you’ve got a body with scars and curves and a wheelchair attached to your butt, does not mean you’re not beautiful just as you are – your brain, your body, every part of you.

I won’t lie to you: Life as a disabled woman will continue challenging you to the core at times. Know that even in the hardest moments, you have so much to offer the world. Stop doubting yourself. More importantly, stop believing that you will only be validated and whole when someone looks at you with romance in his eyes.

Remember the pain of heartbreak is an experience not limited to the disabled world, nor is the joy of reaching your dreams. If there’s a day, a week, or a month when it feels like you just don’t fit and nothing is right and everything is wrong, know that you are far from alone in this world.

Focus on finding joy in who you are, on finding your way to a career path that will both fulfill your dreams and give you the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. Remember how capable you are, no matter what message society may send. When it feels like you’ve been left out of nondisabled life, never forget that your life is no less valid.

I promise write to you again in a few years as I work to gain self-worth, self-acceptance, and pride in being a disabled woman that I wish you’d fight harder for now. But in the mean time, hang in there. You’re going to become stronger than you thought possible, and you’re going to be alright.

Love you always,
24-year-old Emily

The Mighty Question: Who Should Speak for the Disability Community?

Posted on January 13, 2016August 12, 2021 by Emily Ladau

If you’re a somewhat active Facebook user, I’d venture a guess that you’ve seen at least one article from a website called The Mighty in your newsfeed. With frequent click-bait headlines (recent example: “When Gym-Goers Said Inviting a Dwarf to a Party Would Be ‘Hilarious’”) and a steady stream of posts intended to play to emotional sides, The Mighty has become one of the most popular websites focused solely on disability and disease to make an impression on mainstream social media users. Unfortunately, there’s controversy flaring up around The Mighty right now that I just can’t ignore.

The Controversy

You can read about what sparked the firestorm in more detail if you’d like, but here’s the crux of the issue: The perspectives of contributors to the site are often at odds, largely due to an “us vs. them” mentality held by non-disabled parents of disabled children and the disability community. Many non-disabled parents use the Internet as a public forum to express their thoughts on disabilities and their experiences in relation to raising their children. Many disabled people (myself included) would like non-disabled parents to use more discretion regarding what they share. We would like the voices and viewpoints of non-disabled parents to not overshadow those of people who live every day in a disabled body. This is not applicable to all parent writers, as many truly take the time to listen to what the disability community has to say, actively connecting with and being part of the community. Other parents, however, feel that disabled activists are really just trying to censor or silence them.

Really, this is a tired tale that debate over The Mighty happens to have revived. Take, as just one example, what I wrote last year for the Huffington Post about the parents who didn’t see anything problematic with publicizing a photo of their 16-year-old disabled son wearing nothing but a diaper in a story for NPR. These parents wanted to share their stories as caregivers, and they were well-meaning, but there were so many other ways they could have addressed how they care for their son. They still could have provided an honest look at their lives while also respecting their son’s dignity.

This type of oversharing never sits well with me, but it doesn’t mean I believe parents don’t have a right to share their experiences. And if The Mighty wants to provide a platform for that, great. The problem, though, is that The Mighty constantly tries to be all things to all people, and it’s difficult to find a middle ground between the debaters. The Mighty has the potential to be a vehicle to increase understanding between parent and disabled communities and among society at large, but this can’t happen effectively when there’s a constant tug-of-war between people trying to do the educating.

One article paints disabled people as inspiring for simply living their lives (known as “inspiration porn” and here’s a TED talk by Stella Young about it that you should save to watch later); the next focuses on promoting genuine insight and acceptance. Another article shares the perspective of a non-disabled parent of a disabled child; the next is a piece written by someone who actually has a disability. Is it even possible to foster a peaceful coexistence between non-disabled parents of disabled children and disabled activists, all on one platform?

The Real Question

I’ve stayed quiet about this until now. (Full disclosure: I was invited via email to speak with the editors, as were many disabled writers, when the controversy first came to a head. I took a bit to answer, but they didn’t respond to my reply to set up a call.) I think The Mighty has its merits, and there are certainly gems within the content. In 2014, I had a couple posts republished on there, excited to contribute content to a growing site with a disability focus. (I’ve since asked to have them pulled. They responded to this request right away. Go figure.) On the flip side, I find some of what they post to be harmful, and they seem to be spiraling down a black hole of not handling the current controversy well, thereby alienating a number of their contributors. But to make The Mighty the focal point detracts from a larger conversation at hand. It just happens to be the current online space to raise the question: who should speak for the disability community?

I tackled this question about two years ago, in a post for Think Inclusive. I’m firmly committed to what I wrote: “It can become problematic if parents or professionals are reluctant to relinquish their positions of authority and move to the role of advocate-allies, advocating alongside, instead of on behalf of, disabled people. Therefore, as important as it is to step up as advocates, it’s more important to know when to step down.”

We Should Be a Team. A Real One.

My parents instilled in me the value of speaking up for myself, but they’ve also been there every step of the way, handling things at various times through my life when I could not do so. They were my voice when I needed them, but they never claimed to be the experts on my experiences. They’re the experts on experiencing my life along with me. Semantics, you might say, but there’s a huge difference. Even so, I do find myself conflicted at times, because in many situations, I believe my parents – especially my mom – would have benefitted from stronger sources of community and camaraderie than what they had as I grew up.

Every time I recovered from surgery, every time I went to my parents with tears in my eyes because I’d been excluded from something because of my disability, every time I struggled to do something independently and got frustrated – my parents felt the pain, too. And of course, every time I’ve accomplished a goal or done something I didn’t believe to be possible – my parents felt the pride, too. My life deeply affects and intertwines with my parents at every turn. The role they played, and continue to play, in my life is something I value above all else. We always have been, and always will be, the Three Musketeers.

Like any child, though, as I got older, the situations I found myself in were often ones I wanted to keep to myself. Even when my parents needed an outlet, this is something they understood and respected. It’s also something that should be common sense. No child, disabled or not, deserves to have details of their lives plastered on the Internet by their caregivers. I believe it comes down to this: parents have a right to share, and children have a right to privacy. Can’t we meet in the middle?!

I don’t think it’s productive or necessary to ask parents to back down completely and stop sharing their experiences. I don’t want to alienate the parent community, just as I don’t want to feel alienated as someone who is disabled. But I can’t defend or support oversharing, overbearing parents. This doesn’t mean I’m asking anyone to censor the realities of disability, or that I’m denying the validity and importance of the caregiving experience. I’m asking for everyone to hear what disabled people are saying. Hear us if we ask you to consider how the ways you convey stories about disability may be hurtful or harmful. Hear us when we say that we want you to speak with us, not for us. Voicing your experiences cannot, and should not ever, be at the expense of the perspectives of the disability community, or the dignity of your child. We should all be in this together.

What I Want Future Teachers to Know About Students with Disabilities

Posted on August 25, 2015November 15, 2021 by Emily Ladau

One of my favorite things about writing on disability is that it ignites conversations and sparks perspective shifts (both mine and others). Recently, I got an email from someone I connected with at a conference, and her questions got my wheels turning.

The email read:

“Since we met last year at the AUCD conference, I have completed my PhD and landed my first assistant professor job. I am writing because I would like your input on how to address vocabulary with my students. I am a certified ‘special’ education teacher. Textbooks for my courses have either ‘special’ or ‘exceptional’ in the titles. The laws and legislation include the same vocabulary. From your perspective, how can I address the ‘special’ vocabulary? What are the three (or more) main concepts/ideas/philosophies you want preservice teachers to know? What advice do you have for me as I prepare future educators? Thank you, Emily. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Tackling Terminology

“Special, “exceptional,” and other sugar-coated words like this are all too common in professional, legal, and academic settings. They’re euphemistic, a way to avoid mention of disability, because disability is far too often perceived as a dirty word.

From my perspective, every child has unique needs in the classroom. And yet, students with disabilities are still differentiated and given labels for requiring certain adaptations or accommodations. The “special” students have extended time to take tests. The “exceptional” students must take adapted physical education. But doesn’t each student have different learning styles and different ways of getting things done? True, not all students have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan. But just because the means may be different from a typical student, the end is the same. The test is done. The class is completed.

Moreover, in spite of attempts to avoid calling attention to disability, “special education” has taken on negative social connotations of its own. Unfortunately, though, there is no universally accepted alternative term. I’d suggest “adaptive education” as another option, because it has the most accurate definition: education that is modified to be suitable.

But since “special education” is the term we’ve got to work with, I feel it’s less critical to focus on a language shift, and more important to encourage a mentality shift. Educators should always remember that students who require various forms of special education are equal to all other students. A phrase does not define a whole person.

What Should Future Teachers Know?

Students in special education programs are going to grow up. I know this sounds obvious to the point of almost being silly, but “special” can follow people throughout their lives. Students who have diverse academic needs still deserve to receive an education that both brings them to and meets their fullest potential.

Second, the best kind of education is inclusive education. I’m not entirely denouncing programs that are targeted for students with disabilities, but all students deserve the same opportunities. Segregating students with disabilities from their peers sends the message that differences are bad, and that separation is the norm, and this is an incredibly harmful line of thinking to promote.

Of course, in inclusive classrooms, differences between students of all abilities will be evident from time to time. In cases like these, I cannot stress enough the third thing I hope teachers will heed: please, please do not tokenize students or call them out in front of everyone. I can’t tell you how many times teachers called unwanted attention to my disability in unnecessary ways, all the way from kindergarten through college. For instance, teachers would say things like “Everyone stand up, but you don’t have to, Emily.” Everyone knew I use a wheelchair and it was obvious I couldn’t stand up, so why point it out? The best bet is to plan ahead to make an activity work for all of your students. That way, it will run smoothly and you’ll avoid encountering accessibility obstacles.

Ways to Educate Educators-in-Training

All teachers start somewhere when it comes to learning about how to accommodate students with disabilities in the classroom. Those who educate future educators are in an incredible position to break the chain of discrimination and inequality, bringing acceptance of disability to all areas of society. I believe the key to ensuring that teachers are prepared is to expose them to an extensive variety of viewpoints on disability. Sure, there are standard textbooks geared specifically towards “special education,” but I strongly urge going beyond them. Read pieces reflecting on educational experiences written by people who are actually disabled. Explain that there are multiple ways that the disability community chooses to identify themselves. Better yet, invite actual disabled people into your class to speak with future teachers and give insight into their experiences! (I’m available for speaking engagements!)

Taking all of this into account, here’s the most important piece of wisdom you can impart to future teachers is: if you’ve taught one student with a disability, then you’ve taught one student with a disability. All of the training, all of the textbooks, and all of the guest speakers in the world cannot ever encompass the full range of the disability experience, or the experience of teaching someone disabled. And this may sound intimidating. But when you really think about it, what this means is quite simple. Disabled students should be treated and taught like all other students, each who have their own personality, styles of learning, and strengths and weaknesses.

It comes down to this: All students are individuals. All students have differences. All students are human.

25 Ways the Americans with Disabilities Act Sparked Positive Change in the United States

Posted on April 19, 2015December 29, 2021 by Emily Ladau

With the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) fast approaching, plans for celebrations are launching into high gear. I love any reason to join a party, so I’m obviously pretty excited.

But let’s get serious – ADA 25 is an awe-inspiring, momentous occasion that deserves the highest honor. On July 26, 1990, the world-changing disability rights movement leaders who fought so hard for the U.S. government to ensure the rights of the disability community finally achieved victory when President Bush, Sr. signed the ADA into law. They are some of my biggest heroes, these activists who put themselves on the front-lines to spark change for generations to come.

And now, the time is here to honor the legacy of the ADA and its rich history.

I’m a big fan of lists, so what better way to show a little love to the ADA than to share a list of all of the important ways the ADA has brought change to the United States?

25 Ways the Americans with Disabilities Act Sparked Positive Change in the United States

Curb cuts
More equal opportunities for people with all types of disabilities to receive a public education
Increased accessible public transportation
Service animals are more accepted in public
Reasonable accommodations
Greater social involvement among the disability community in all areas of society
More civic engagement, i.e. voting
Expanded employment opportunities for disabled people
Gives a stronger voice to the world’s largest minority
Provides a platform of civil rights for the disability community
Disabled athletes can thrive in adaptive sports
Support systems exist for people with all types of disabilities
Misconceptions and prejudices can be more easily debunked
There is a bigger presence of disability in the media
Adaptive products are more widely available
There is a bigger focus on studying disability in academia
Paved the way for further legislative policy advancement for disability rights
Serves as a common bond for all people with disabilities in the United States
Provides a legal basis to maintain momentum in pursuing accessibility and justice
Automatic door openers have become much more common in public places
Helps prevent discriminatory actions or retaliation
Social recognition of disabled people as full, contributing citizens
Acts as a symbol of disability pride and culture
Serves as a reminder of the positive potential of bipartisanship
Created a legacy for current and future generations of young activists as we carry the torch forward

Within this list, decades of progress are reflected. Yet, I know the work of disability rights advocates is far from finished. I know that on days when we, as disabled people, face discrimination or access barriers, we may find ourselves forgetting the battles that have already been fought. We must remember, though, the immense passion and dedication of the activists whose ADA victory was hard-won. We must never take for granted the progress society has made in the past 25 years, and in the next 25 years, the disability community and non-disabled allies alike must continue to work to honor the legacy of generations before us by continuing to roll forward the wheels of progress and change.

Generation ADA is Here to Stay in the Fight for Disability Rights

Posted on July 29, 2014August 12, 2021 by Emily Ladau

In honor of the 24th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), my friend and fellow activist, Maddy Ruvolo, and I released a podcast called Disabled Girls Talk. We focused on what it’s been like to grow up and function in society as part of the ADA generation, celebrating our civil rights.

To highlight the positive impact of the ADA, Maddy and I got people talking across social media about what this disability-specific legislation has brought into our lives. You can check out the #BecauseOfTheADA hashtag we started on Twitter to see an incredibly insightful exchange of ideas. It’s been amazing to see so many people acknowledging the progress we have made in ensuring the rights of the disability community in the United States.

And yet, there is so much more work to be done. So much more. On paper, the ADA promises access and calls for equality, but a massive group within Generation ADA, along with every other generation of disabled people on this planet, must fight and advocate our way through every single day against barriers, against prejudice, against outright discrimination. We are never unaware that change is hard won and progress must be made.

However, in our podcast, Maddy and I did indeed address the idea that we take some things the ADA has provided for granted. By this, I meant that when I go up a ramp into a public place, I should not HAVE to stop to express gratitude for having basic access. Neither Maddy nor I meant, in any sense, that we take the ADA as a whole, or the work of advocates before us, for granted.

So, when I read a response to our podcast and our friend’s blog post accusing Generation ADA of being careless, and of doing nothing more than paying a bit of “lip service” when we encounter discrimination or access barriers, I was honestly extremely taken aback.

First, how is it fair to take issue with the fact that my disabled peers and I enjoy the rights provided for us by the ADA? Isn’t that why advocates fought for such legislation in the first place? The generation who worked to turn the ADA into law deserves to feel pride in their immense accomplishment and asking Generation ADA to appreciate that is more than warranted. That being said, why is it a problem that some forms of access have become so integrated into our lives that we can sometimes use them without thinking about it? This means the ADA is working!

In some ways, that is. There are countless places in the United States that are still completely closed off to me because I use a wheelchair. There are countless people who believe I do not deserve the rights I already have, nor the rights that advocates of all generations have yet to secure. There are countless people who still perceive me as nothing more than an object of pity and view my life as one not worth living.

Did you catch that reference to “Lives Worth Living,” the documentary about the pioneers of the disability rights movement? That’s just one of myriad resources I’m lucky to have so I’ll never forget the activists who paved the way, the activists who made it so that even though I still face access issues and prejudice, I don’t face it nearly as much as they did only decades ago.

The fighters who have come before me are at the heart and soul of why I continue to fight for my rights, and I think it’s safe to say this goes for plenty of my peers. To assert that Generation ADA has given up this fight because we take something like a ramp for granted is a major misjudgment. There are unfortunately people in every generation who are apathetic about disability rights, because that’s just human nature for some, but they are outweighed by so, so many of us who work tirelessly as activists ranging from a local level to a national level, and from a national level to a global level. Rather than calling us out for what we’re supposedly not doing – potentially creating fissures within a community that so desperately needs to focus on a unified front to achieve progress – how about continuing to mentor, advise, and support us (as several older advocates already do) as we find our way forward in this country that’s still so weighed down by stigma?

You may hear me talk about how great it is to have automatic door openers, but how insulting to assume that because I can push a (usually faulty) button to open a door, it means I’ve resigned myself to the idea that there’s no reason to keep the flames of the advocacy movement going strong. These flames are my passion. They are the reason I write. They are the reason I use social media to spread the word about disability issues and rights. (And why yes, I do tweet about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – #CRPD. In fact, I did an internship last summer with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities under the auspices of the American Association of People with Disabilities [AAPD] during which I went to meetings on Capitol Hill, and I literally did the research and wrote the talking points for people to use when calling senators about the CRPD.) They are the reason I speak up when I am subjected to injustices because of who I am as a disabled woman. They are the reason I am going to graduate school for my M.A. in Disability Studies. They are the reason I want to keep pushing towards the changes we still so clearly need.

Therefore, lazy and careless are some of the last words I would use to describe myself or Maddy. A quick Google search of “Maddy Ruvolo” or “Emily Ladau” would show that our advocacy efforts are anything but lacking. We’re both immensely involved and dedicated to disability rights activism.

Maddy’s leadership essentially began the conversation about disability at her college, Scripps. She founded the Disability, Illness, and Difference Alliance to create social and cultural change throughout her campus. Before her senior year of college, Maddy also did an internship through AAPD in Congressman Alan Grayson’s office. Following graduation, she took on a job at an independent living center in California, where she’s working as a Systems Change Advocate. So, I say this not just because I’m her friend: Maddy is an incredible advocate and leader.

I’m no stranger to the advocacy world either. I started at age 10 on Sesame Street, educating kids about my life with a disability, and as I grew, I discovered disability rights was my passion. I publish regularly on disability issues both on this blog and in publications that are read globally. I am on the board of a New York State advocacy organization called Youth Power! and was just nominated to be the chair of the Outreach Committee. Advocacy and activism are huge parts of my life.

Because of all this, creating the Disabled Girls Talk podcast with Maddy seemed like a great way to capitalize on technology and expand the horizons of the work we’ve already been doing. Discussing the impact of the ADA on our lives is something we are both proud to have done, and we will continue to tackle more disability rights issues in all of our future endeavors.

I see the bigger picture here, and I have every last bit of faith that my fellow Generation ADA advocates do as well. We need the Ed Roberts’, the Justin Darts’, the Judy Heumanns’ of our generation to come forward and continue the fight. And you know what? I firmly believe they’re emerging more each day. We’re out there, working on the next wave of the American disability rights movement, forging ahead, and always grateful for the guidance of the activists who laid the groundwork for the lives we all live today.