Welcome to My World

    In a lot of ways, I’m just like you. I like doing my makeup, riding my bike, and making TikToks with friends. I love school, and my favorite subject is science. Someday, I want to get married and have a family. 

    But when people look at me, they don’t see the things that truly make me who I am. They see my disability. I was born with cerebral palsy, or CP. That’s a medical condition that can cause problems with moving and speaking. 

    For me, CP means that I use a walker or a wheelchair to get around. I have trouble using my hands and controlling my muscles. I also have issues with my vision. 

    That might sound hard to you. But I’ve never known any other way of living. I can do pretty much everything you can. I just need a little help. 

    In a lot of ways, I’m just like you. I like doing my makeup, riding my bike, and making TikToks with friends. I love school. My favorite subject is science. Someday, I want to get married and have a family.

    But when people look at me, they don’t see the things that truly make me who I am. They see my disability. I was born with cerebral palsy, or CP. That’s a medical condition that can cause problems with moving and speaking.

    For me, CP means that I use a walker or a wheelchair to get around. I have trouble using my hands and controlling my muscles. I also have issues with my vision.

    That might sound hard to you. But I’m used to it. I can do pretty much everything you can. I just need a little help.

    In many ways, I’m just like you. I enjoy doing my makeup, riding my bike, and making TikToks with friends. I love school, and my favorite subject is science. Someday, I want to get married and have a family. 

    But when people look at me, they don’t see the things that truly make me who I am. They see my disability. I was born with cerebral palsy (CP), a medical condition that can cause problems with moving and speaking.

    For me, CP means that I use a walker or a wheelchair to get around. I have trouble using my hands and controlling my muscles, and I have issues with my vision.

    That might sound difficult to you, but I’ve never known any other way of living. I can do pretty much everything you can—I just need a little help.

    I first noticed that I was different when I was around 8 years old. At a birthday party, I had to watch my friends play outside. They were running up and down stairs. I couldn’t join them with my walker. 

    I was so angry and sad to be left out. At that moment, my life felt unfair. I wondered, Why do I have to have CP?

    But I don’t think that way anymore. I’ve accepted that my life is different.

    In fact, my disability has given me exciting opportunities that other people haven’t had. I try to focus on that instead.

    I first noticed that I was different when I was around 8 years old. I was at a party. My friends were running up and down stairs. I couldn’t join them with my walker.

    I was angry and sad. It felt unfair. I wondered, Why do I have to have CP?

    But I don’t think that way now. It's OK that my life is different. I've accepted it.

    In fact, my disability has given me opportunities that other people haven’t had. I try to focus on that.

    I first noticed that I was different when I was around 8 years old. At a birthday party, I had to watch my friends play outside. They were running up and down stairs, and I couldn’t join them with my walker.

    Being left out was disappointing and frustrating. At that moment, my life felt unfair. I wondered, Why do I have to have CP?

    But I don’t think that way anymore. I’ve accepted that my life is different.

    In fact, my disability has given me exciting opportunities that other people haven’t had. I try to focus on that instead.

    When I was 14, I was invited to model clothes for Runway of Dreams. It’s an organization that brings attention to the need for adaptive apparel. That’s clothing that helps disabled people be more independent. 

    How does adaptive apparel help? Adaptive shirts might have Velcro for people who have a hard time with buttons. Adaptive pants might have extra room for people who wear braces on their legs. 

    A few years ago, I even got to go to New York Fashion Week and walk the runway in adaptive apparel. It felt amazing! It was my chance to show the world that people with disabilities deserve clothing they can put on themselves.

    When I was 14, I was invited to model clothes for Runway of Dreams. It’s a group that brings attention to the need for adaptive apparel. That’s clothing that helps disabled people be more independent.

    How does adaptive apparel help? The shirts might have Velcro for people who have a hard time with buttons. The pants might have extra room for people who wear braces on their legs.

    A few years ago, I got to go to New York Fashion Week and walk the runway in adaptive apparel. It felt great! I helped show the world that people with disabilities deserve clothes they can put on themselves.

    When I was 14, I was invited to model clothing for Runway of Dreams, an organization that brings attention to the need for adaptive apparel. Adaptive apparel is clothing that allows disabled people to be more independent.

    How does adaptive apparel help? Adaptive shirts might have Velcro for people who have difficulty with buttons, and adaptive pants might have extra room for people who wear braces on their legs.

    A few years ago, I even got to go to New York Fashion Week and walk the runway in adaptive apparel. It was incredibly satisfying to help spread the message that people with disabilities deserve clothing they can put on themselves.

    A few years ago, my work with Runway of Dreams led me to another exciting opportunity. One day, a documentary filmmaker called my parents. They said they wanted to make a documentary about a kid with a disability—and that kid was me! Not only did I get to star in it, but I also got to direct it. 

    What does it mean to direct a movie? Basically, I got to decide what we would film. My favorite part was yelling “Action!” at the start of each scene. 

    For a few days, I had the documentary crew follow me in my regular life. We filmed at home, at school, and at the office where I do physical therapy. We interviewed my family members. And we taped me talking to a few of my friends who also have CP.

    That scene with my friends is my favorite in the whole movie. It was important to me to show how each person with CP has their own challenges and successes. There are millions of people with disabilities in the world, and we’re not all the same. Each of us has our own story to tell.

    A few years ago, I got another great opportunity. A documentary filmmaker called my parents. They said they wanted to make a documentary about a kid with a disability. That kid was me! I got to star in the movie. I got to direct it too.

    What does it mean to direct a movie? Basically, I decided what we would film. My favorite part was yelling “Action!” at the start of each scene.

    For a few days, the film crew followed me in my regular life. We filmed at home, at school, and at the office where I do physical therapy. We interviewed my family. And we taped me talking to a few of my friends who also have CP.

    That scene with my friends is my favorite. I wanted to show how each person with CP has their own challenges and successes. There are millions of people with disabilities in the world, and we’re not all the same. Each of us has our own story.

    A few years ago, my work with Runway of Dreams led me to another exciting opportunity. One day, a documentary filmmaker called my parents. They said they wanted to make a documentary about a kid with a disability—and that kid was me! Not only did I get to star in it, but I also got to direct it.

    What does it mean to direct a movie? Basically, I got to decide what we would film. My favorite part was yelling “Action!” at the beginning of each scene.

    For a few days, I had the documentary crew follow me in my everyday life. We filmed at home, at school, and at the office where I do physical therapy. We interviewed my family members, and we taped me talking to a few of my friends who also have CP.

    That scene with my friends is my favorite in the whole movie. It was important to me to show how each person with CP has their own challenges and successes. There are millions of people with disabilities in the world, and we aren't all the same. Each of us has our own story
to tell.