Disabled. The
checkmark on the doctor’s paperwork pierced my heart and soul. It could not be real. Not me.
My whole life had been spent being “super-abled.” From age 4, I was able to make meals for my
little sister and get us ready for school.
I was the one everyone else relied upon. I couldn’t be disabled.
Why did this one word have such an impact on my psyche? Even being a teacher of exceptional student education
courses, working with individuals with disabilities for years and helping in
the community to promote equality, I was not willing to be in the group labeled
as “disabled.” It was because I had
believed in what Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie (2009) refers to as the “single story.”
What was the
danger of being labeled as disabled? I
was concerned that it would cause me to somehow become the stereotypical less-than-productive
member of society that could not contribute to the world around her. I didn’t want to be viewed as the pitiful
woman that was on the street corner waiting for public transportation to take
her to the grocery store.
Even having a
dear friend that is an independent, affluent and influential lawyer who happens
to use a wheelchair for mobility, I still could not see past the stigma around
being “disabled.” Knowing there was no
logic behind my thoughts, I decided that I would create a new identity and
image as a woman that uses a wheelchair for mobility. According to Adichie (2009), “Power is the
ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that
person.” I was not going
to let anyone else have power to define my story. I started praying about how God was going to
use my different abilities to bring Him glory.
McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009) discuss how important listening
is for a leader. I knew that I did not
know the purpose for this life trial but I had learned over the years that when
I hit these obstacles along life’s path, I need to stop, listen and wait. That night, I was led to complete a web
search to see if there was anything out there for women in wheelchairs. Little did I know that would result in being
crowned Ms. Wheelchair Florida 2016.
Denning (2011) discusses how leaders can motivate others to
action by setting an example. I wanted
to be able to influence young girls and women, letting them know that a
wheelchair does not take away their beauty or power. Their life is not over when they become “disabled.” Their story doesn’t end.
Now, I am able to help rewrite the single stories about not
only persons with disabilities, but also individuals that have overcome the
effects of domestic violence, child abuse, untreated mental illness, suicide
and sexual assault. Believe me, today
was a day in which I felt less than empowered, yet I knew the strength that is
inside me could not be shaken by anything this world throws at me.
Adichie, C.N. (2009). "The danger of a single story.”
TEDTalk. Retrieved April 03, 2016, from
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?language=en
Denning, S. (2011). The Leaders Guide to Storytelling:
Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
McKay, M., Davis, M., &Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The
Communication Skill Book (Third Edition). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
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