I am so many other things besides disabled.

In my life I am, or have been, a/n

academic

administrative assistant

animal-lover

babysitter

baker

biologist

bookstore clerk

cancer survivor

cook

cleaner

custom color matcher

daughter

dishwasher

editor

ESL instructor

flock-mate to three canaries

friend

gardener

granddaughter

grant-writer

knitter

library page

niece

patient

photographer

poet

reader

seamstress

sculptor

sister

student

support group moderator

teacher

tutor

veterinary assistant

volunteer

welder

wife

writer

I got my first official job the day after my 16^th birthday, and worked for 26 years before illness forced me to stop. I have earned advanced degrees in two different fields, and taught in both.

I give back to my community whenever I can. I have taken food to sick neighbors, and made blankets to donate to shelters or give to friends who have experienced the loss of a family member. When someone on the street asks me for money, if I have some I offer to buy them a meal and sit with them while they eat. I have tutored high school students in math, helped elementary school students with their homework, written curriculum materials for my neighborhood family center’s after school program, co-moderated a support group, shelved books at my local public library, and written letters in support of accessibility improvements there – all for free. I’m glad to pay forward all the help I have received over the years, and participating in my community gives me a sense of purpose.

I am joining this march in the same spirit.

We are so much more than our gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, or age. First and foremost, we are all human beings. Each of us has a unique collection of knowledge, experiences, and accomplishments. To survive and flourish, our communities need ALL of us.

You can see some of my work here.