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Resourceful, opinionated, strong and wise
If you read my post about the THRIVE program and my attendance at its Capstone Event in Boston, you’re going to love this one written by the true magic maker of the event. Sandy Ho is the Program...
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Women with disabilities write to their past selves
Easter Seals has been supporting mentorship programs for many years, and in 2012 we helped launch a mentorship program focused on young women with disabilities. The program is called Thrive, and the...
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Letter to my high school self: What the doctor should’ve said
As promised in my previous post last Wednesday, I submitted a letter this week to the Letters to Thrive blog. The site is easy to access, and it even has a What Should I Write About? link for those...
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Fashion’s newest frontier? According to the New York Times, it’s people with...
Erin Hawley talks fashion. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I’d draw the kind of dresses and chic ensembles that I wanted to wear — outfits that I would probably never see...
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Empowered and Disabled: Why I Don’t Like ‘Special Needs’
Erin Hawley After reading Ellen’s post on the Love That Max blog about her son Max’s declaration that he does not have “special needs,” I thought about my journey with identification and how it changed...
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The Nora Project Connects Students With and Without Disabilities
My Seeing Eye dogs and I have visited dozens of elementary schools over the years that pair average kids with students who have disabilities in “buddy” programs. The school Whitney and I are visiting...
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9 Tips for Keeping the Romance Alive in a Relationship
Two years ago Alicia Krage wrote a guest post for our Easterseals national blog about some of the challenges and joys of being – and dating — someone who’s blind. She and Joe are still together, and I...
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Black History Month Calls Us All to Be Leaders in Love and Equality
February is Black History Month and at this time I find myself reflecting on prolific leaders who have come before me. Teachings of the past shape our present. This is something I’ve always known, but...
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Review: ‘Sensing the Rhythm’ by America’s Got Talent Star, Mandy Harvey
North American music fans know Mandy Harvey from her stunning appearance on America’s Got Talent. The 19-year-old was pursuing a music career when a rapid decrease in her hearing left her completely...
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“How Do You Know Your Service Dog is Sitting?”
The fifth graders at Glen Grove school. Early last month we published a post I wrote about a trip my Seeing Eye dog and I were taking to a school in the Chicago suburbs. The fifth graders we were...
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‘Do I Tell A Prospective Employer I’m Blind Before An Interview?’
Once I settled in after transferring colleges, I decided it was time to apply for a job. Despite some accessibility issues with the application, I was able to apply for a job I thought I was well...
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I Waited To Disclose My Disability. Here’s What Happened.
This is part two of Ali’s interview story. You can catch part one here, where she walks us through her job search experience. On the day of my job interview, I turned from nervous to excited. At least,...
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Women’s History Month Highlight: A Mom Who Made Textbooks Accessible
Thanks to Vivette Rifkin and other readers, students with visual impairments got their textbooks in audio on a timely basis. I’m giving a talk at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) this afternoon...
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Accessibility Means Being Part Of The Community
Erin Hawley Accessibility breaks barriers. It’s not just about navigating a space using a wheelchair, or working in a scent-free environment; these are both part of a bigger, more important...
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3 Ways Stephen Hawking Revealed Possibilities for People with Disabilities
image c/o In a May 2011 interview with the New York Times, journalist Claudia Dreifus asked Stephen Hawking, “Given all you’ve experienced, what words would you offer someone who has been diagnosed...
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15 Questions Elementary School Students Asked Me About My Disability
The questions were fast and furious. Photo courtesy of retired teacher Maria LaPlaca Bohrer, who, with her husband Glenn, graciously fed and put us up for the night. My husband Mike, my Seeing Eye dog...
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Book Review: Lisa Fenn’s “Carry On”
Two years ago, while the Summer Paralympic Games were about to start in Rio, I heard a story on NPR about two teenagers with disabilities who ended up on the same high school wrestling team in inner...
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Our Favorite Autism-Related Blog Posts
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are, but here in Chicago April has been cold, cold, cold — it snowed on the Cubs opening game day! I’m blaming the weather for it taking so long for me...
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Twenty Minutes
Guest blogger Keith Hammond is back! Keith is a manager at the adult day services program at Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati, and he’s the father of two children on the autism spectrum. He’s...
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What Goes Into Planning A Date Night To A Jazz Club?
Alicia (left) and Joe (right) Today is a big day for our young blogger Alicia Krage and her boyfriend Joe: it’s their third anniversary together. They started celebrating this past weekend, traveling...
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