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What Happened When I Stepped Out Of My Comfort Zone For A Night
Last year Easterseals published a guest post I wrote called How One Student Who is Blind Planned the Perfect Date. Our perfect date didn’t work out that time, unfortunately. Alicia and Joe. Joe and I...
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Let’s Talk About Senator Duckworth and Motherhood
With all the hubbub the past couple weeks about our Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth (pictured right) casting a vote on the Senate floor with her newborn baby in her arms, very little attention was...
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Reflections On My Mother, My Disability, and What She Taught Me
Flo and her daughters in the Hancock building for her 95th birthday Knowing that every parent wants their children to grow up healthy and happy, it dawns on me now that it must have been hard on my...
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I’m Ready For An Emoji That Represents My Disability
I am completely blind. I can’t see emojis. The speech synthesizers on my laptop and phone describe them to me when they appear on screen, though. Want an example? Here’s a sampling of what I hear when...
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How My Smart Phone Helps Me Navigate the World
Before I had an iPhone, I had a Samsung Jack. It’s been six years since I had that old phone, but I can vaguely remember the layout — it looked like a Blackberry. The speech software for the Samsung...
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Coding For Everyone
I love writing blog posts about things that make common sense. This is one of those posts. Photo credit: Mike Knezovich Last week Apple commemorated Global Accessibility Awareness Day (a day...
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The Top 10 Most Accessible Cities in America
Just got back from a trip to Washington, DC. While walking around with friends there, I couldn’t help but notice how nice the streets and sidewalks in DC and nearby Alexandria are — guess I’ve become...
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Is That A Service Dog?
A small dog yipped and lunged at my Seeing Eye dog Whitney as we checked in for a flight at Chicago’s Midway Airport last month. No one got hurt, but it was alarming. I know to ready myself for...
View ArticleThis New Video Series Tackles Awkward Moments With Humor
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation launched the first episode of its new Awkward Moments animated series last month. I. Loved. It. the spots are about a minute long and created to address two audiences:...
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Do You Know Your Accessible Transportation Options?
Join us for a Twitter chat to discuss more transportation options. For people with disabilities and older adults across the country, transportation is key to independence including but not limited to...
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Why You Should Care About the ABLE Age Adjustment Act
When my mother died a few years ago, she left a small amount of money to each of her grandchildren. Except for our son Gus. We specifically asked her not to include him in her will. Gus has significant...
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A Trend Worth Watching: Accessible and Adaptive Fashion
Is it just me, or have you noticed a trend in “adaptive fashion” lately? It seems more and more stylish apparel is being designed for a variety of audiences: People with disabilities People who have...
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Reading List: Books About Disability For Adults
It’s July already, and you know what that means: it’s the anniversary of the ADA and many cities across the country are celebrating disability pride! One way to celebrate and learn about the...
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Calling All Writers: Submit Your Creative Work To This Online Magazine
Magnets and Ladders publishes writing by people with disabilities, and they’ll be holding contests in the areas of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the Fall/Winter 2018 issue. Cash prizes of $30 and...
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Reading List: Books About Disability For Kids and Teens
Independence Day has come and gone, but there’s still a lot to celebrate this month: It’s the anniversary of the ADA and many cities across the country are celebrating disability pride! One way to...
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Why I Don’t Vote By Absentee Ballot
This week is National Disability Voter Registration Week. Are you registered to vote? If not, learn more here! I’ve published posts here about the obstacles people with disabilities often run into at...
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How Can We Bring Disability Issues to the Forefront of Elections?
This week is National Disability Voter Registration Week. Are you registered to vote? If not, learn more here! With cyber concerns in the news these days, many polling places are considering returning...
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What Life Is Like 28 Years After the Americans With Disabilities Act
The 28th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is this Thursday, July 26. My husband Mike and I will be celebrating with a visit to see our son at his group home in...
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Travel, Disability, and the ADA: What’s Changed Since 1990
Earlier I walked you through a typical visit to see our son Gus at his group home. To complete the celebration of the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act — and to further explain...
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We Need More Stories From Writers With Disabilities
My Seeing Eye dog and I are heading to California this afternoon — I was awarded a grant to attend the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference from August 2 to August 5, 2018. I was flattered – and...
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