During my presidential fellowship year, I made lifelong friends. Some of those became part of my chosen family. I met Dwayne when I was trying to hide, against the wall, in our hotel hallway before meeting, yet, more Washington elites during the first conference. I’ve never been great at small talk, and I needed a
Tag: Chosen Family
One question I get constantly from strangers, and people who are just getting to know me is how are you so happy? Truth is, I’m not always. In fact, there are many days when I’m anything but. However, I’m able to survive these days and come out the other side better for them. I survive
Did any of you ever read The Princess and the Pea? Well, if you did, remember how she feels the pea under all those mattresses? That’s what having CP is like for me. I can feel everything. I can tell dad or my actual wheelchair mechanic what’s wrong with my char(s) usually. I can differentiate
I wear braces on my legs. They are called ankle foot orthotics (AFOs) for short. I’ve worn them most of my life. Here’s the process by which they are made: the person making them draws on my feet and legs with a skin safe colored pencil. Then he or she puts long socks on me
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) is my favorite US President. People, when I tell them, assume that I’m a democrat, sometimes. My love of FDR has nothing to do with politics, or my other job as a political scientist, at all. Shortly after the conversation with Granny about my condition my parents took me to Warm
When I was born I had pneumonia in both lungs. My lungs were very much fine, which isn’t always the case for people who have CP, for a long time. I say were because three years ago, I got pneumonia for the second time in my life. I’m not going to lie, it was very
I get the question if you’re an only child, how do you have siblings a lot. It’s a fair question. I have a relaxed definition of family, by society’s standards; my definition is Biblical. My favorite verse is Proverbs 17:17. It says: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a
I’ve heard people, in my life, say words do not matter. To them, and all of you reading this, I say let me explain why words matter in my life. It all started April of 9th grade. Right after spring break, my classmates and I were outside, on the track, in 5th period PE. Yes,